The Mental Health Day. A vastly underrated and often derided term. I haven’t discussed this topic via this here blog in almost seven years so it’s worth repeating. Also, the day I normally write my blog I’m hitting the beach with family. Yay! With that in mind, I’ll be using the ever-useful Copy and Paste tools to re-purpose that old blog post with some minor tweaks…
What does Mental Health Day mean? The term is derived from World Mental Health Day which is every October 10th. You can read some of the more casual definitions on Urban Dictionary (one of my favorite websites of all time).
For me, that means getting out of the house and spending part of, if not the entire day, somewhere fun & interesting and trying (and hopefully succeeding) at not thinking about work. I used to pick a different place each month and not tell anyone where I’m going or what I’m doing. That worked great when I was single, far less busy, and living in the New Jersey suburbs. Now that I’m married and a Manhattan-ite, my monthly Mental Health Day now coincides with when my wife isn’t working and we go find something fun to do either in NYC or NJ. Hiking, walking The High Line, trying a new restaurant, hitting the beach or casino, are just some of the great things we get to do together.
Reactions to this blog entry may be mixed. Some may feel that you can’t take a Mental Health Day for family, logistical, or financial reasons. All I know is that EVERYBODY needs to recharge their batteries once in a while, regardless of their situation.
TIP OF THE WEEK
You really need to make time for yourself once in a while. Even if it’s just a few hours reading, sleeping in, seeing a movie, anything to let you relax and re-calibrate. If you are one of the aforementioned can’t seem to make time for yourself, you really need to take a look at your current situation and talk to your family, boss, etc. about the importance of having some alone time physically, mentally, and emotionally. Taking a Mental Health Day is not selfish, it’s necessary for your long-term well-being. Like the clown and the fat purple guy used to say, “You deserve a break today”.
NEWS AND NOTES
Thursday, July 11th: my 11th Blog-aversary! As always, thank you so much for your support over the years. 🙂
Wednesday, July 17th @8:30 PM EST: The Edge Studio Summer Series continues with my webinar ‘Agents, Managers, and the Union’!
Here’s the blurb:
When entering the voiceover industry, most aspirants have the same questions: How do I get an agent? What’s the difference between an agent and a manager? Should I join the union? Tom Dheere will answer these questions and many more in Agents, Managers, and the Unions.
Thursday, July 18th @8PM EST: Edge Studio Marketing 201 webinar, ‘The Sales Funnel’. In this one-hour webinar, I’ll talk about what the Sales Funnel is and how to push voice seekers through it. Click here to sign up!
Tuesday, July 23rd @8:30PM EST: “Biz Shiz – Part 2 (or, How to Manage Your Audiobook Business)”. In this Audio Publishers Association webcast hosted by Suzanne Elise Freeman and PJ Ochlan, audio book legend Scott Brick and I talk about the ins and outs of managing your audio book business. (for APA Members only) Click here for more information!
Thursday July 25th @8PM EST: The Voice Over Xtra webinar, ‘Voice-Over Online Casting: The Basics And Beyond’. In this webinar, we’re going to talk about online casting sites and the pros & cons of the Pay-to-Play model. Click here to sign up!
Sunday July 28th @11:30AM EST: The Voice Actors of NYC workshop, ‘In The Trenches: Running Your VO Business Day to Day”. In this donation-based live workshop, you’ll learn how to manage your voiceover business down to the hour to get the most out of the precious time you have to move your voiceover business forward. We’ll discuss the ins and outs of time management and workflow to maximize your efficiency, productivity, and ability to focus. Click here to sign up!
Wednesday, July 31st @9PM EST: Do you have questions about marketing your voiceover business? Mark your calendar as Rhonda Phillips hosts your truly during ‘Late Night Secrets for Voiceover Success’. I will be answering your questions live during this FREE webinar. To join in, just go to www.rhondasvoice.com/late-night-secrets.
HAPPY HAPPYS
Happy Tapioca Pudding Day and Shark Awareness Day! I’d say being aware of sharks every day is a good idea, don’t you?
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Tom Dheere is a 20+year veteran of the voice over industry who has narrated thousands of projects for hundreds of clients in over a dozen countries. He is also a voiceover business & marketing consultant known as the VOStrategistand produces the comic book “Agent 1.22”.