[CQ-Contest] Contest Burnout

[Drew Vonada-Smith]

Hi Pete,

I have issues with anxiety and perhaps depression periodically, and have the burnout problem just as you describe.  Right now, it's pretty bad related to stress from a lot of distasteful goings on at WRTC.  I just skipped CQ WW CW entirely.  But it's been like this on and off over the years.  Here are the things I do.

1) When you don't feel it, just don't do it.  Give yourself permission to skip a contest entirely when you are tired or indifferent.  Even if It is "your favorite", etc.  Sorry folks but...IGNORE CLUB PRESSURES.  There are plenty more contests right behind it when you are ready.

2) When you feel overly pressured but being on the air a little bit sounds like fun, find a way to limit your scale.  Examples: Single band entry, only xx hours of operation, only daytime, only nighttime.  You get the idea.  Just a bit of fun.  Have dessert.

3) Another favorite of mine is to pick a good peak time and see what I can make as rate for an hour, or maybe two hours.  It feels like "contest calisthenics" instead of contesting.  It makes me feel more wanting for the next one rather than less.  Batteries recharged.  No pressure to win anything.  Bragging rights to myself for the good rate I just made (maybe!).

3) Don't "contest" at all, but merely operate.  This might mean just working your friends, or folks in your club.  It might mean only interesting DX.   Try anything that "brings you joy" - maybe the way you would have done it when you were 18?  That might be QRP, using no packet, that Viking and NC-303 you never use, whatever!  One of my favorites is just to go thorough the band, as slow as I feel like, and work multipliers.  Just one QSO from each.  I will either have fun, or on occasion the spark will light and I'll finish things at a contest pace.  Either is totally fine.

4) I recommend this to all contesters.  Pick a goofy one now and then!  One you'd never otherwise operate and just see what it is like.  (To be honest here...I am saying one you'd normally make fun of!)  You might be surprised at getting a kick out of it.  You will also on occasion, maybe even spark a newbie into being more of a "real contester".  And nothing gets your blood going again like that kind of success!

5) And on the previous note, open your station for a guest op or a M/2 now and then.  Mentoring is a BLAST!  And enthusiasm is infectious.

It's all about remembering to have fun, which is much more easily said than done for competitive people.  I wish you the best in getting back there soon.  {{BIG CONTESTER HUG}}

73,
Drew K3PA

-----Original Message-----

Message: 4
Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2022 18:21:59 -0500
From: <w1rm at comcast.net>
To: <CQ-Contest at contesting.com>
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Contest Burnout
Message-ID: <002901d906a4$e1ae4cc0$a50ae640$@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

I would like to have a serious discussion regarding contest burnout.  I'm
not interested in nasty or snide comments but rather a real discussion on
those, like me, who are suffering from it and have overcome it.

 I have been a serious contester since the late 1960s.  I am a CW guy and
have won CQWW, ARRL DX, and a bunch of others.  I have been a regular
participant in many of the majors for a very long time and have a wall full
of plaques for my efforts.
 
After 66 years of contesting, I'm faced with ben there, done that.  At 80
years old, I am not going to win anything, and I know it.  I don't have the
stamina.  My station used to be very competitive, and it still is, but I
don't do SO2R, I only have one beam/antenna per band.  I do have top-grade
gear, though.

 
So, I would appreciate some honest thoughts about how to combat contest
burnout.
 

Pete Chamalian, W1RM

W1RM at Comcast.net
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