- The definition of burnout, would it be overworked,
not enough free time, and hating what you used to love?
- Yeah, not enjoying what you used to love.
- [Ned] We're takin' a vacation!
And you're watchin' a video about it
so we didn't take that much time off.
(upbeat techno music)
- About nine months ago, we decided
to leave our jobs and start a new channel.
We have been working nonstop.
- I renovated a house and had a baby.
I've basically compressed the entirety
of the stress of my thirties
into three months.
- I lost maybe 20 years of my life during 2018.
I fuckin' hate all of you.
- We put a lot on ourselves.
So we're talking to Kati Morton,
she's a therapist and she's gonna tell us all about
how we can actually take a load off.
How long do you think a YouTuber perhaps
needs to take a break
to have the effect of a break?
- I think two weeks.
- My job is my hobby, and the most fulfillment I get
in my life is from my job.
Everything that I love to do is right here.
But you can't just do one thing always, you can't.
Are vacations necessary?
- Yes, because we all need breaks.
- I like working, so, this'll be fine.
- [Keith] What's the deal with burnout?
- Burnout, the term, was coined in the 1970s.
It was nurses in New York.
They were tired all the time,
they started lashing out at their patients,
and their coworkers, and then this psychologist,
his name is Freudenberger.
- [Zach] That's if we created
a therapist alter ego for Keith.
- [All] Yeah!
- But I accidentally was sexy all the time.
- What Freudenberger saw is that the effort
they were putting in was really, really high,
and the reward wasn't.
It should be at least balanced.
They were working too many hours,
didn't have enough free time,
and were slowly, essentially, hating what they did.
- Whoa.
- So how does it relate to YouTube?
- The internet never sleeps, so we don't often get breaks.
- I feel like the first thing we're going to text each other
is what are you all vlogging for this video
about vacationing.
There's a lot of viewers who probably see this video
and other types of videos from YouTubers,
and they probably roll their eyes and say
Oh, that's like, not a real job.
How is it YouTubers experience with burnout
relating to people out there who might even think that
ours is less crazy than their lives?
- The same thing that we're talking about
apply to everyone.
And yeah, other jobs can seem more stressful
but no one should downplay their experience.
Everybody goes through rough periods.
I think it's important that we validate each other
and ourselves, and know it's okay
to be like yeah, this is hard.
There isn't like Oh, you have to have this amazing,
crazy job, you have to be a surgeon.
You just have to be putting a lot of effort
and not getting enough reward.
- Occasionally, one of us will go on a small vacation,
which kinda translates to the other three having more work.
- [Zach] We went to Palm Springs for my birthday
and I spent the first night editing a video.
I can't turn off.
- Scientifically, what's happening to your brain
when you're getting burnt out?
- So when we're burnt out,
we're struggling to concentrate,
things are just getting really difficult,
we can become really irritable.
It's because, if we don't get good sleep,
we don't get REM sleep.
- One thing I do a lot, maybe worse
than the other Try Guys, is I have a lot of lack of sleep.
That's a weird way to word it.
Probably that I'm sleepy.
- [Kati] When we sleep, our brain fills with 60% more fluid.
Cleaning crew comes in, pulls out all the dead dendrites
and little synapses that maybe we're not using anymore.
Right, it's like we slough off dead skin every day.
Our brain needs to do something similar.
So if we're not sleeping, it's like driving on a road
that you've never repaved, you just keep driving on it.
It's a little bumpy and the signal gets misfired
and that's why we can't concentrate.
Our brain doesn't get a chance
to build new and get rid of old.
- [Ned] What role does social media play
in people not being able to turn off?
- [Kati] I think it's because there's always something
to engage with.
It's overwhelming.
- [Zach] I don't do anything without my phone.
I don't know how we ever pooped without phones.
It's so boring.
I should clean my screen.
What am I not allowed to check Instagram?
Like what's the rules here?
- There aren't really rules.
Because I do think there is a positive to it.
Like connectivity, engagement with people around the world,
like it's a powerful tool,
but we have to make sure we're using it for those purposes
and not only for validation.
- I think it is super important.
Burn out is real,
and we are going to fight that today
by giving ourselves a mental break.
- All of us are going different places.
I think Zach is going to Mexico.
I think Ned is going to Texas.
I'm going to Tennessee,
and Eugene is staying here.
- As my past attempts at vacationing have shown,
I treat them too much like work.
So I'm going to stay here in California.
- Instead of a master of the night?
(suspenseful music) (swords clashing)
Ok.
- [All] One, two, three, let's go destress!
- Whoa, Ned!
- [Ned] Come on!
Let's go!
I'm gonna take a walk!
- Woo!
- [Zach] Can you lock the door, Eugene?
- In a strange turn of events, I'm actually spending
the first day of my vacation
going back to the office,
but it's not to work,
it's to get presents.
So how do you avoid the feeling of always being behind?
I feel like I leave work, I've always gotten like
seven out of ten things done on my to-do list,
and the things I haven't done, I'm like
Oh no, I'm so behind.
- Lists should never be more than seven items long.
I don't know why.
- So I'm fuckin' crushin' it.
I'm 7/7 every day.
I just need to scale back my expectations.
- [Kati] Yes.
- It was kinda tricky to not do work.
Day one, literally I was checking my phone
every other minute.
This is, this is not very relaxing.
(mariachi music)
- [Zach] Hello from Mexico.
- [Female Voice] It's a beautiful day
and Zach's on his computer.
- I have to add captions to one of our videos
and then I'm done with work.
I tell people I like stress.
Am I totally delusional,
or is that a thing?
- No, I mean, it's motivating.
- I get more stressed out when my email inbox is zero.
- I mean, not to therapize you too much-
- Do it
- But it might be that you need to be needed in some way.
- That is so true.
- I get the feeling that if I told you to leave your phone
at home for like, a full day, you'd have a meltdown.
So starting with 15, 30 minutes
leave it, go for a walk or something.
- Fine!
- The best thing that you could do now
is to figure out what each of you enjoys
and that actually does help you destress.
- [Zach] I'm really excited for family time.
Dad, what you got?
- [Zach's Dad] I got muffins!
(all laugh loudly)
I'm excited for days where there's no agenda.
I can just float and explore.
We heard that there's incredible Al Pastor
on the other side of the highway.
Maggie and I got massages, which were awesome.
Did you like it?
(grunts)
(laugh loudly)
- We're walking on cobblestones.
- Yeah I mean, this road is... look at that.
- How many tacos did we eat?
23?
23 tacos for about 300 pesos.
There's a dude who's selling fireworks
on the side of the street,
and we're gonna buy some to set off tonight.
I would help more but I have to record it.
(yells joyfully)
[Female Voice] I'm serious.
Zachary, be careful.
- I really like being around people.
I'm realizing that I'm still in a phase
where I go out and hang out with people on the weekends.
- You're more of an extrovert,
so that's like, filling for you.
- The one thing I'm super excited about in Tennessee
is Nashville hot chicken.
I've actually never had hot chicken in Nashville,
and I'm like a fried chicken god.
Chickenwatched 2k18.
Well 2k19 now, that's probably when you're watching it.
But right now it's 2k18.
Chickenwatched!
We're at Hattie B's.
Not the original hot chicken place in Nashville,
but a good one.
It's gonna be so good.
Yeah, look at that.
It's hot for me.
It dances marvelously with ranch.
Chicken.
- So what about you, Eugene?
- I like animals.
(techno music)
- For my mental health break, I decided to go
where all the animals are.
San Diego Zoo.
So, zoos and animals are some of my favorite things
in the world and I actually got here to the San Diego Zoo
right when it opened
because I have actually never seen the pandas.
Panda.
It's his butt.
Red panda.
Oh my god.
My family is all going different places
so we're just going to Venmo each other
some Christmas money
and then we're going to do our own damn thing.
Is everyone else with their families?
- [Male Voice] Yeah.
- Oh, cause that's what Christmas is usually about.
(Russian Dance from Tchaikovsky's Nutrcracker)
- We're goin' on a car trip Wes! Yeah!
In Mommy's new brand new car.
Okay, so in just a few seconds
I'm going to surprise Ariel with her dream car.
I went out to the dealership-
I got it.
She thinks we're doing something completely different.
She doesn't know it's coming
and I'm going to surprise her.
- What! It's here!
(chuckles)
- It's here.
- Well, I mean, I love talking to people
but I think I'm at my most happy and peaceful
when I'm with Ariel or with Wes, really.
Me and Wes are just over here looking at this super fan.
(muffled laugh)
We're having out annual holiday pie-making contest,
because I got 3rd place
in The Try Guys Bake Pies Without a Recipe.
I'm doing a pumpkin pie.
Because anybody can make a good pumpkin pie, Keith.
- Remedial pie.
See?
Told you my father-in-law would be upset.
(chuckles)
I'm going to bring my Nintendo Switch.
Super Smash Brothers is comin' out!
I haven't gotten it yet because Ariel is like
I'll get it for you for a Christmas present.
I was like, it comes out December 7th.
(laughter offscreen)
What am I gonna do between then?
I'm an adult, I got my own money.
Why do I gotta wait til Christmas?
Why can't I just buy it with my big boy money?
- So I'm trying really hard this week to not vlog,
to not think about making videos,
really just check the fuck out.
We have this amazing apartment that overlooks the ocean.
We can walk right down to the beach.
It's just a little slice of paradise.
Every place you eat
has the most amazing food you've ever had.
Oh my God.
I'm doing my best to just not think about
anything that I normally think about.
Every day is just putting out fires, right?
Like we never get anything done,
it's just reacting to the things that pop up.
- Just FYI, our brains can only focus for 30-45 minutes
at a time, and then we need a break.
- 30- 45 minutes?
- Mhm. We're such a white knuckle society,
like, I'll just get through this,
and we don't realize that I've been maxed out
for six months, possibly?
But I've just been like goin' for it.
So just check in, see how you feel.
- I love the zoo.
Polar bear.
Chacoan peccary.
African lion.
Asian elephant.
Asia!
Camel.
Slender-tailed meerkat.
Oh my god!
Serval.
Hamadryus baboon.
Koala
Keith.
I'm kidding, it's a giraffe.
So my mental health break just got ten times better
because apparently you can drink at the San Diego Zoo.
I love the zoo.
- [Keith] Christmas.
Christmas time with Aunt Becky.
On Christmas Eve, my brother and I planned
an entire spooky Christmas adventure.
Our niece and nephew had to save the four Christmas princes
from the Evil Queen Liz,
the Trickster Becky,
the Christmas Wizard,
and then they had to meet the Brown Recluse in the basement
who would play a Christmas song
(jazzy saxophone)
that would save Christmas
when they took the red bird
and put it back on the tree.
And when they asked about it the next day,
we denied it ever happening.
It was supercool.
- [Ned] Grandpa got Secret Hitler.
Ooh is it Rams tickets?
No.
It's little shoes and scarf bibs.
- [Ned] Sneaky box.
- Oh, also, crazy plot twist.
My best friend's brother, who is also my
brother's best friend- it makes sense-
is a blacksmith, so one of the things I'm gonna do
is make a knife.
- So this sword was quenched,
so heated and dipped in oil,
during the totality of the solar eclipse,
and the blade is damascus with wrought iron.
- It feels very practical.
- Hey, I'm Jay, we're at Sparta, Tennessee,
and I'm a bladesmith,
and we're gonna make some knives today.
Step one, we'll forge our blade.
You wanna forge the point first.
We're gonna hammer at an angle, like this.
- It is thrilling.
After forging, we will go over to the kiln
to do normalizing.
- Normalize, yeah.
What a word.
- Then we'll grind on the grinder.
Push hard, you don't wanna try to pull it out of your hand.
Don't fight it, it will win.
- Okay.
- You have that nervous look.
- Yeah, well, I'm pretty nervous.
I'm sharpening a knife on sand.
- Then we'll harden the blade by quenching it in oil.
- What do you think about it?
- I think it looks pretty good.
Then we'll go to finish grinding and sharpening.
A knife's not sharp unless it shaves.
- Wow, thanks for taking away some of your arm hair for us.
- There you go, that's your first knife.
- Wow, it's so warm.
Wow thanks man.
You gotta any word of advice to people
who wanna be blacksmiths like you?
- Yeah, just have a lot of skill, a lot of money.
(laughter)
No, it's really hard.
- The vacation wasn't done yet because
I had one more thing to do:
a German heavy metal concert.
(German heavy metal)
I spent New Year's seeing the band Rammstein,
Rammstein? I don't know, they're German.
I was in a warzone of fireworks.
- New Year's Eve was supposed to be this big blowout bash.
Did not do that.
But the one amazing thing that did happen on New Year's Eve?
- Maggie was like, hey your phone is buzzing a lot
in the other room, do you want me to read?
- The final day of 2018, we hit 5 million subscribers.
- 5 million!
- Apparently we wanted to hit 3 million in a year,
and we hit 5 million in just over six months.
- 5 mil on YouTube in six months has been done before.
Six months and twelve days or something like that?
I'm gonna call it six months.
- Ah, what a trip.
What a vacation.
I got to have a lot of quality time with Wes.
I got to spend some time with Ariel.
We went to the Lady Gaga concert in Vegas.
I don't know if you'll get much from my footage
because it's just me screaming "Yes Gaga!"
Yes Gaga, haha.
Just over and over again.
Oh my god, there she is.
- The zoo was really fun.
There's a dog.
Oh, and there's the cheetah.
And the rest of the vacation I mainly
sort of sat on my ass.
I got super active on Twitter.
Called out some bullshit on Twitter, which I loved.
We have a policy not to clap back,
but I want to make sure people know
that you can not fuck with us,
and I will fucking come for you
if you come for us,
because I'm fucking scary.
I don't work for BuzzFeed anymore,
I don't have to be nice.
(laughs)
- The biggest challenge was, you know, 100% disconnecting.
I also like what I do for a living,
so I don't wanna be 100% unplugged.
I just don't wanna be 100% dialed in.
- I'm not gonna say I didn't check Instagram.
I did that, but I only posted once.
And that's a big deal for me.
But most of all, I think I can just take
some of those mindsets and put em into my normal life.
- Notice what you like to do, what makes you happy,
and fit that in every day.
- I'm ready, baby.
I'm back, I'm ready, I'm excited.
- You thought 2018 was great for the Try Guys,
watch out 2019.
It's going to be an even bigger dumpster fire.
Of fabulosity.
(techno remix)
- I'm on vacation.
I'm on vacation.
Uh uh uh I'm on vacation.
Best dad in the galaxy.
Ooh ooh!
Hearing him right now I'm on vacation, bitch!
That's amazing.
I'm on vacation, bitch. Woo, woo.
Don't need this anymore.
I'm on vacation, bitch.
Best dad in the galaxy.