If you are a voiceover artist with a day job, then you are reading the right article. It can feel like a massive challenge managing both but don’t worry, you’re not alone! As we take a look at voiceover and a day job we can identify the challenges as well as offer top tips on what you need to do to break away if that is your goal.
Two Places at Once
Does it feel like you are pulled between two places at once? Stuck in something which is damaging your mental and physical health day in and day out simply to pay the bills? All the while, auditions are coming, and there is a yearning to be in front of the microphone. The encouraging news is that this is a normal feeling and where many people start. Success in voiceover does not come overnight, and feeling stretched is normal.
Juggling Voiceover and a Day Job
When two things demand our time, it can be exhausting. Intentionality is key to success in this area, but the first thing to consider is identifying the goal. If voiceover is not the primary function, it will never grow and evolve. But if voiceover is the dream, then the day job has to go at some point. Without that focus, voiceover may not generate enough to pay the bills independently. Once the internal goal is established, the next step is to make some commitments. No one works 24 hours a day and seven days a week. This means you have space in your day. The average adult sleeps six to nine hours a day, and the average adult works eight to ten hours a day (including travel), which ultimately leaves five hours of the day readily available for other things.
Fitting in Voiceover
Those spare five hours will have several things fighting for their attention, from family commitments to household chores. But even 30 minutes daily to keep up with incoming auditions and follow leads can make a difference. Giving this time to your business is critical. If you are unsure where to begin, you can research voice over marketing, financial business tips, studio requirements, and other things that interest you. A commitment means sticking to it for the long term and not giving up after a week.
Giving Up the Day Job for Voiceover
A challenging element in this industry when in this position is working out when the right time to leave the day job is. Many struggles due to the demand of the bills. Others struggle due to the comfort that comes with familiarity with the day job. It is essential to ensure you have looked after everything logistically, but there will never be a good time to leave the day job. This is because it is so rare that voiceover will pay the bills entirely when you are not full-time. There is some reassurance that the sooner you leave your day job, the more time you have to offer to your voiceover business. The more time you have in your business, the more you will get out of your business. It does come with a risk, and the depth of that risk varies from person to person.
Voiceover and a Day Job Alan Shires – Actor, Voiceover Artist, and Presenter at www.alanshires.co.uk
