80 percent of content creators experience stress once a week: Study

Online music streaming app Spotify released a firstofitskind research lsquoAudio Where Creators Come To Pause earlier today The report puts the spotlight on the daily lives and challenges of Indiarsquos content creator community and how they deal with emotions The study conducted with musicians podcasters and social media content creators in New Delhi Mumbai and Bengaluru presents a comprehensive understanding of creatorsrsquo mental wellbeingNearly 80 percent of the respondents experience excessive stress or pressure in their work at least once every week reveals the studyContent creator Dolly Singh remarks Nowadays itrsquos important for creators to realise that we need time to distance ourselves from the screens from social media and think about how much toll itrsquos taking on our mental healthrdquoKey findings from the researchThere are five main types of challenges that content creators deal withIntellectual The constant need to keep up with changing algorithms and posting frequencies builds high pressure to post content regularlyEmotional Negative feedback and comments significantly affect creatorsrsquo selfesteem with nearly 40 percent facing lsquofear of the futurersquoPhysical Almost 40 percent of creators spend more than 3 hours a day to make content leading to exhaustion and an adverse impact on healthSocial Creators face loneliness and isolation within their circles with nearly 65 percent of them feeling inadequately supported by the creator communityFinancial Content creation is not always financially rewarding especially during the early stagesCreators also shared coping mechanisms and practices including the pivotal role of consuming audio to navigate their content creation journeyThe research reveals that audio plays a key role in coping with these challenges with 50 percent of the respondents using music as a coping mechanism Additionally 7 out of 10 creators agree that music podcasts audiobooks and guided meditations help them deal with stressFor actor and comedian Mallika Dua ldquoOne of my greatest joys in life is music itrsquos a big part of selfcare and my way to gain inner peace Music is like a person who is always with me in my room making sure I never feel alonerdquoIndie Ingenuity How DIY music creators thrive beyond record labelsWomen creators are feeling overwhelmedFemale content creators are more likely to feel stressed 33 percent than their male counterparts 20 percentIn lines with the findings of the research celebrity chat show host and producer Sneha Menon Desai concedes ldquoIf my reel doesnrsquot hit the 10000 mark then there is a bit of anxiety in merdquoA similar pattern is also seen in the creators from the age group of 3045 years 35 percent compared to 1829yearolds 24 percentNearly 45 percent of the respondents feel that their current coping mechanisms are ineffective and are facing a range of need gaps including inclusive and accessible support tools like therapy and counselling and a safe space where creators can have open conversations while being vulnerable and protecting their privacyVasundhara Mudgil Head of Communications Spotify India said ldquoContent creators are part of an industry where the entry barriers are low burnout is always just around the corner and constant comparison with other creators is common The Spotify study highlights some of the most relevant issues that the creator community in India faces and the role that audio plays in supporting their overall wellbeing Through this initiative and onground sessions with mental health experts we want to encourage the creator community to see audio and Spotify as a place where they can come to pauserdquoAlso Read What women in Indian hiphop owe to rap music