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CAREER
Are You Wasting Time This Week Crying
Over Spilt Milk? Or Setting Unrealistic Goals?
December 29, 2015

By Dave Courvoisier
Voice Actor & TV News Anchor

Sandwiched in between Christmas and New Year's, the trailing days of 2015 are perhaps the most hapless and wasted days of any year.

Seriously. I mean, will you take stock of 2015? ...  plan for 2016? ... or be immobilized by indecision?

Not that any of the above three options are wrong by definition, but why does it have to be this way? It seems that any one of those alternatives are time-wasters. 

As an exercise, let me re-write that sentence with attitude: "I mean, for these few days, will you cry over spilt milk? ... set goals you'll never meet? ... or waste time you'll never be able to reclaim?"

Here's my short list, then, of what to do with the days that don't know what to do with themselves:

1. Embrace the very nature of the "lost" week. 


You work hard for the other 51. Would it be that awful to get a little lost in some off-time?  You have my permission.

2. Do something that takes you totally out of voice over for the week ... or even for a couple of days.

A friend of mine who kills it the rest of the year in VO bookings is doing the Mexican Riviera on a cruise ship this week.

3. You must?  Ok, then, do your year-end metrics (it takes more than a day?).

Let those results work in your subconscious while you go see a favorite movie.

4. Don't set goals, revamp your process. 

This is a lesson I've learned from a content marketer/voiceoverist/wovochat organizer Pamela Muldoon. Become a slave to good processes, and goals will finish themselves.

5. This is a tentative - maybe even a vulnerable - week for you? Then it probably is for the people you would consider to be "prospects." Their guard may be down just enough for you to get on their radar. Time for a cold call, or a quick email?

Honorable mention: Show your appreciation for the people who support you the most for the other 51 weeks of the year. 

Take a spouse/partner out to dinner. Give your time to a son or daughter. Call a grandparent or parent ... friend ... or colleague and talk just to shoot the bull. 

Make optimal use of the most unused time of the year!
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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 voice over adventures, observations and technology, and is author and publisher of the book, More Than Just A Voice: The Real Secret To VoiceOver Success.

Email: CourVO@CourVO.com
Web: http://www.courvo.com
Blog: http://www.courvo.biz
More Than Just A Voice: http://courvo.com/more-than-just-a-voice

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Comments (5)
Samuel Williams
1/4/2016 at 10:06 PM
Dave, I am true believer of this message! It helps to enjoy time with family and friends aside from your voiceover schedule.
Pamela Muldoon
12/29/2015 at 2:49 PM
Nice post Dave! I appreciate the mention...and yes...a great process can make your goals happen faster and often with more intent.
Bobbin Beam
12/29/2015 at 12:26 PM
I work hard all year, and know that I deserve to take some time off once in a while, so I enjoy this week with a little work balanced with a little play. It's necessary. It helps me avoid burnout. But I'll still enjoy the extra luxury of time to read, research, organize and strategize for the New Year as things go...But most importantly, I'll take time to b-r-e-a-t-h-e!
Joe Loesch
12/29/2015 at 12:06 PM
Very nice message, Dave. Thank you.
Rob Marley
12/29/2015 at 8:03 AM
Amen, Dave! The gap between Christmas and New Years is a pretty dead one for most commercial production companies. Its nice to take a breather, regroup, recharge and plan for the new year. I dont feel one bit guilty about cooking for family, reading (mostly VO stuff like yours) and watching Star Wars for the third time!
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