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HEALTH Exhausted? You've Got Voice Over Fatique. Feel Better Fast With These 12 Steps ...  By Dave CourvoisierVoice Actor & TV News Anchor You'll find it right there in the Voice Over Dictionary: VO Fatigue: A psycho/physiological syndrome exhibited by the accumulative stress and exhaustion resulting from the endless pursuit of freelance voice over success. We've all been there. The
syndrome strikes irrespective of age, gender, race, time of year, time of day,
or relative humidity.
Some of the ore obvious signs and signals are:
I kid. But I think you get the
picture. It's not necessarily unique to voice acting, but it IS common
among those who strive to run their own business. IT'S ALL UP TO YOU Everything is ultimately on YOUR
shoulders. That can mean good things, like when that big fat check comes
in for a long project you just completed. But more often than not, it
means the strain of constantly propping up the business with the sheer force of
your will. Day after day, week after week, the success of this endeavor
depends on you. Your energy. Your talent. Your determination. Your resourcefulness. Unless you take some positive steps here and there, the pressure of it can lead to VO Fatigue. HOW TO AVOID IT Herewith then, are my 12-plus ways to avoid VO fatigue: 1. Walk Away. Leave the premises. See a movie. Waste
time in the park with your dog. You'd be surprised how much good an hour
can do engaged in something mindless. Severe cases may require a couple of days - even a week. Plan for it. Then do it. Everybody needs a
break, even freelancers. 2. Call a Friend. No one is going to "get" your situation more than a trusted friend - especially a VO
friend. If a friend called you, wouldn't you listen? Reverse the
roles, and fire away. One of these days he or she will call, and you can
return the favor. 3. Cut Your Losses. Two ways this works:
4. Maintain Your Health. How many times have you heard "if you have your
health, you have everything"? A strong constitution will see you through
a lot of trials and troubles. Not that you should abuse it, but when you
are in good shape, you can push the envelope a little more and not suffer for
it. This includes getting enough sleep! 5. Ask for Help. Chances are someone has just the answer to your
quandary, or your predicament or frustration. Like "call a friend," there is no shame in raising a red flag and seeking assistance. Online. On the phone. Via Skype. Float a balloon and be amazed how
quickly someone grabs it. 6. Keep a Routine. Routines are funny things. On a creative day,
routine can seem like a ball and chain, but when you've reached a point of
fatigue, the comfort factor of a routine can put you back on the rails. A
routine adds structure that will see you through frustration. 7. No Excuses. No Procrastination. If it gets that bad, utilize No. 1 above (take a walk). Put your big britches on and face the music. Like Nike, just do it.
I've often convinced myself that a five-minute hurdle is bigger than Mount Everest. It's not. Think through the task, and you'll realize it's not
that bad. 8. Realize rejection is not personal. This is HUGE in our business. What's the
saying? "Audition, then forget it." Get more coaching, sure. Improve your demo, yeah. But hand-wringing over a lost audition is wasted
tears. Move on. 9. Have a Strategy for the Eventuality. You KNOW fatigue is going to hit you sooner or later. Plan for it. I'm serious. Write out a step-by-step escape
plan, seal it in an envelope, and keep it in a safe place. When the
gremlins get to be too much, break open the envelope, and follow your plan to
the letter. 10. Curry Non-VO Friendships. Not that voice actors aren't the most charming people
in the world, but balance is a good thing. Don't neglect old friendships
from school or an earlier career, or even the next-door neighbor who
reupholsters furniture for a living. It helps you to put things in
perspective. 11. Get One Thing Done. It can be really small. Just do it, and do it
right. Take a moment to revel in the instant of the achievement, then
maybe tackle something a little harder. We all want a "win." Parlay
one win into another. 12. Take a Social Media Break (or watch mindless TV). You'll soon realize one of two
things:
HONORABLE MENTION Laughter really is the best medicine. When I least wanted to, my daughter used to call me to come see
something. It was usually stupid cat videos on YouTube, but I've got to admit that the chuckle or belly-laugh it gave me brought me out of my funk. Keep good humor, and spread good humor. Making others laugh is
magical. ------------------
ABOUT DAVE
Dave Courvoisier is an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, writer, producer, voice actor, and the main weeknight news anchor on KLAS-TV, Channel 8, the Las Vegas CBS affiliate. He also writes Voice-Acting in Vegas, a daily blog of adventures and observations in a style that’s true to his friendly Midwestern farm roots. Email: CourVO@CourVO.com Web: http://www.courvo.com Blog: http://www.courvo.biz Twitter: http://twitter.com/courvo |
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I am a fan of young Mr. Courvoisier, but I am unsatisfied with this article. I was hoping it would contain tips/advice/strategies on how to deal with VO fatigue. Not career fatigue. Drinking whiskey and chasing women can refresh career fatigue.
My cords tire after too much talking/narrating and I lose my "sound." When working at home, I can take a 30-minute nap and refresh the cords. When in a studio, narrating an audiobook I can take a nap during the lunch break. Advice on how professionals do this in other situations is very welcome.