Commercial Voice Over Actors

1. Self Self- -care Tips for Commercial Voice Over care Tips for Commercial Voice Over Artists While Working from Home Artists While Working from Home Commercial Voice Over Artists While Working from Home Voice Over Artists While Working from Home Self Self- -care Tips for care Tips for Commercial The work from home culture gained momentum and popularity due to the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic. Working from home has become the new normal in the voice over industry. More and more commercialvoice over artists have switched to working from their home recording studios. Working from home has several conveniences, such as no commuting, the freedom to work in your pyjamas, and more. But it comes with some inconvenience. With no defined boundaries between personal and professional life, working from home deprives the voice over actors of the much-needed 'me time' to relax and do other non-voice-related work.

2. What is a self What is a self- -care routine? A self-care routine is the activities you follow for your physical, psychological, and emotional well-being. The self-care routines are different for everyone. You need to figure out what activities give you happiness and satisfaction. Commercial voice over artists have to establish self-care routines to preserve their physical and mental well-being. Every voice actor is different in terms of voice skills, projects they choose, and time they spend in front of the microphone. Hence, it is crucial to develop a self-care routine that works best for you. The whole idea behind developing a self-care routine is to create boundaries between your work and personal life and take time off your profession to rejuvenate your mind and body. care routine? What are the benefits of following a self What are the benefits of following a self- -care routine? As a commercial voice over actor, you spend most of your day in the soundproof voice recording booth. It can be taxing on your physical and mental health. Voice artist who religiously follows a regular self-care routine has these benefits- • Increase your concentration. • Improve your creativity. • Help you stay calm and patient. • Reduce work-related stress. • Help keep your vocal cords healthy. • Create a balance between work and personal life. • Give you time and energy to pursue your hobbies. • Re-energizes your mind and body. • Help to perform better and deliver the best voice over. • Improve your physical and mental well-being. care routine?

3. What can I include in my self What can I include in my self- -care routine as a voice over actor? care routine as a voice over actor? 1. Physical activities and exercises: Commercial voice over artists have to sit or stand in one place for long durations during voice over recordings. It could have implications for the health of the voice over actors. Hence, it is advisable to incorporate physical activities or exercises into their daily routine. The activities could be yoga, Pilates, dancing, cycling, running, exercising at the gym, etc. Find an activity or exercise that suits your routine and the one that you enjoy doing the most. Just because your friend does a particular activity doesn't mean that the same would be the right one for you. 2. Get some fresh air: As a voice over artist, you spend most of your working hours in the voice recording booth. The soundproofed voice recording booth usually lacks adequate ventilation. It deprives you of fresh air, which means your brain is not getting enough oxygen. Lack of oxygen to the brain makes you irritable, lethargic, and weakens your immune system. Make sure to regularly get out of your home recording studio to get some fresh air. Go for walks in a park, through a forest, or by the river. Whichever is convenient for you and fits into your work schedule. Try to take deep breaths while you are out walking. It helps your brain to get more oxygen supply.

4. 3. Rest and relax your mind and body: Along with physical activities and fresh air, your body and mind need to rest and relax to get re-energized. There are many tried and tested ways to relax your mind and body. Some of them are - taking a warm water shower, reading your favorite books, drinking green tea that helps you relax, getting some sound sleep at night and a power nap during the day, deep breathing exercises, cooking your favorite food, and many more! Choose to do whatever relaxes your mind and body. Not because someone is telling you to do it. It would only lead to mental and physical stress. 4. Nurture your creativity: Try to identify your interests in other fields apart from voice over. It could be singing, dancing, cooking, playing a sport, teaching, painting, or anything else that would help in flexing your creativity. You need not be perfect. Do it to feel happy and content and not strive for success.

5. 5. Develop healthy habits: As a commercial voice over artist working from home, you might be at risk of slipping into some unhealthy habits such as binge eating, untimely meals, or skipping your meals. Make sure you plan your meal time and also watch whether you eat. Try to incorporate healthy food and avoid snacking on junk. 6. Take care of your vocal cords: Remember, your voice is your only asset in the voice-over business. Take care of your voice to get the best returns on investment. Keep your vocal cords healthy by following these tips- • Drink Lots of water. • Say no to smoking. • Avoid alcohol. • Do vocal warm-up exercises. • Do not whisper. • Do not scream. • Rest your voice. • Avoid extremely hot or cold foods.

6. It might take days or weeks to set and follow the routine. Never get discouraged and discontinue your self-care routine. Have patience and hang in there, and you will surely see the results in your personal and professional life. Choose your self-care routine activities carefully so that you enjoy what you do. Try not to deviate from your self-care routine to reap the best benefits.