Despite taking breaks in the past, streaming superstar Imane “Pokimane” Anys admitted that she’s scared of stepping away from Twitch for any length of time.
Pokimane has been more than successful as a streamer but admitted that there’s a lot of pressure to keep up with streaming once you get to her level. Pokimane said that she often thinks about streaming during her time off since she’s playing games anyway. When she sees other streamers going live she feels even more pressure to join them.
“It is just so hard to properly enjoy your time off without thinking that you should or could be doing more, especially with streaming,” she explained.
Pokimane discusses work-life balance for Twitch streamers
Pokimane recently posted a video on YouTube as part of her “IRL Diaries” series discussing her struggles with work-life balance.
“Even though I had such a great day off, I thought I should just stream,” Pokimane admitted to her viewers. “It’s the one thing where there are just about no diminishing returns…If you can stream 20 hours a day, every single day it’s probably good for your channel. But is it good for you?”
Pokimane explained that it’s a field where you get regularly praised and rewarded for working a lot, which is ultimately unhealthy for streamers. One example is Ludwig “Ludwig” Ahgren’s recent sub-a-thon, where he streamed for 31 days straight. This is something that encouraged other streamers, including Felix “xQc” Lengyel, to do the same.
Pokimane told her viewers that viewership isn’t the “end-all, be-all” of having a good life. But a lot of streamers fall into this trap since they fear “falling off.” This is something that happened to Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, who lost relevance and tens of thousands of dollars when he took a short break to visit family and take care of his mental health.
Pokimane’s fans applauded her for coming forward with this concern. A lot of people felt as though Twitch had a toxic culture when it comes to overworking.
The popular streamer said that she is hoping to change how she currently views streaming, which may lead to more breaks down the line. For now though, Pokimane is continuing to stream each day.
Olivia Richman
About Olivia Richman
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.
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