If you’re a voiceover artist or a broadcaster, you’re probably wondering why a voice specialist would tell you to be silent. After all, you make your living by talking! But in the coming year you might do better work if you observe silence at two important times.
The first time when using silence is important is when your voice feels fatigued. If this is the case, use any time you’re not in front of the mic to rest your voice. Don’t force yourself to make sound when your vocal folds clearly don’t want to. To learn more about vocal rest, ck out this blog post of mine.
And remember to use vocal rest in the coming year if you are hoarse or coughing a lot. Silence (vocal rest) is what’s called for in these instances. Let your damaged vocal tissue rest so it will heal faster. There are lots of colds and flu going around right now that are leaving people coughing and hoarse so I tell clients who are sick to talk only if you’re getting paid to do so! Let your voice rest at all other times.
Vocal rest is important at another time. Let silence be your friend by spending time each day in silence for relaxation. This has been proven to make you more productive at your job.
Sitting in silence without talking or using any electronic equipment isn’t easy. A recent study at the University of Virginia found that 67% of men tested and 25% of women hated the idea of being silent for just 15 minutes. They said they would actually prefer a mild electric shock to having to sit alone in silence.
This dislike for silence is not a new thing. Blaise Pascal, a French philosopher in the seventeenth century, said, “All human evil comes from this: our inability to sit still in a chair for half an hour.”
So consider mastering the art of sitting in silence a few minutes each day in 2018. You don’t have to chant, “Om,” or become a mystic, just slow down and tune out once a day. Click here to read helpful blog post on how to relax.
I encourage you to try letting silence work for you in the coming year. You may find that you are more productive and less likely to have vocal problems.
If you’d like to learn more ways to have healthy voice, read the blog post below. And if you want a stress-free body, check out my book, BROADCASTER’S SURVIVAL GUIDE. It’s available for instant download and costs only $4.95!
