From my perspective being a DM is not hard, but it is a lot of work.  I spend time every day.  Working on maps, everything from overland, cities, buildings in cities, dungeons and recently Cosmological mapping.  I spend time considering things from each of my Player characters backstories for use in the game.  I spend time on any number of NPC's or writing entries for the various population centers.   I am constantly thinking rumors and adventure hooks.  it is work but it is work I love doing 

I really enjoy DMing and even creating adventures, but burnout is a real thing.    If I'm creating a homebrew, I can easily spend 100 hours building a large adventure.  If I'm just preparing a VTT for a pre-built adventure (which are usually lacking in dynamics) can still take 20+ hours of prep.  Of course, I tend to spruce up (add side quests, etc) pre-made adventures so they aren't so linear, add new or liven up NPC personalities and in general take notes that could evolve on the fly to had more dynamic options to the game.

When I'm DMing the actual session itself.  That is as fun as being a PC, but the sheer work involved in preparation can become daunting.  Especially when life gets in the way and they you have to cram (like in college) trying to prep for *this weeks* session or something.

Thankfully, especially around the holidays and stuff.  Life tends to get in the groups way as a whole and it gives me "time off" from prep that allows burnout to begin to fade.

I know it sucks, but there are websites out there where you can join games.  You may have to pay the DM, but hey.  You can consider that the price of admission as a player until you find a group with friends. (which may come right out of that group)

Finding a good DM can be important to the game though, but not near as important as finding a good group that you mesh with.

Here's how I think of the "DMing is a lot of work" situation. Do you think about D&D in your free time, when you're not playing? If you do, then DMing will not feel like a lot of work to you. With the exception of the first one or two sessions when you're nervous because it's new, you can really put as much or as little into it as you like.

I have a DM who stresses out about maps. He thinks he needs to always have a beautiful map prepared for every session. But I don't think he's realized that our last three sessions didn't use maps at all.

Mike Shea has it right, over on Sly Flourish. DM prep isn't for the players really. It's for the DM. You only have to prepare as much as it takes for you to feel prepared.

Quote from ChoirOfFire >>

Here's how I think of the "DMing is a lot of work" situation. Do you think about D&D in your free time, when you're not playing? If you do, then DMing will not feel like a lot of work to you. With the exception of the first one or two sessions when you're nervous because it's new, you can really put as much or as little into it as you like.

I have a DM who stresses out about maps. He thinks he needs to always have a beautiful map prepared for every session. But I don't think he's realized that our last three sessions didn't use maps at all.

Mike Shea has it right, over on Sly Flourish. DM prep isn't for the players really. It's for the DM. You only have to prepare as much as it takes for you to feel prepared.

 It isn't so much the creation of the content for the session as much as it is dealing with the pressures of meeting game day deadlines.

That is probably the one and only time dealing with group "scheduling issues" becomes a positive rather than negative experience! hah.