Lazy Days
At some point in July I decided that my summer would be one in front of the word processor creating articles and blog posts and working on my book. How wrong I was. Within a week of settling into that frame of mind, my agent had sent me for three interviews and in a casting coup unprecedented in my thirty eight year career, I got all three jobs.
As a result the summer has been much busier than intended and has merged seamlessly into that back to school feel always associated with early September. Now spending a week in my home town of Rotherham creating a children's gala for the amazing charity Grimm and Co of which I am a patron, work is booked in for my return to London next week and ongoing. I know how lucky I am.
Quite often in the past, my younger self would have not felt so relaxed about turning off from the prospect of work for the summer. Yet it might often have been the most beneficial thing I could have done.
August is remarkably quiet. It's like a very long 1980's Sunday. When I started as an actor, Sundays were long days. No chance that phone might ring, no shops open, just long days when unemployment seemed at it's hardest. Unless you were able to be positive and view it as a day off. In a leftover from those days, I did my accounts on a Sunday for years, and indeed only recently have I switched the process to a Saturday morning. I felt work needed to be done on all days.
Now I know the value of a break - to recharge and refresh. Holidays are sacrosanct and once in our calendar, they are observed fully.
A young actor I know well who hasn't worked since late June told me that for August he had just turned off and chilled. A couple of days hardworking at nn acting jobs to put money in the bank, but hen a lot of time for himself. It's a good thing to do.
The hot summer days we have had can make everything seem easier. Less feeling that you should be doing something when the sun beckons you not the lunger or into the park or garden. And also it means that you can step into those interviews and meetings refreshed and cool. Not desperate, even though the job may mean a lot to you.
Part of the process of turning the meeting into a pleasant chat for both sides which is something I look at in my "Making the Meeting Work" session which is back at the Actors Centre next week. Something that s easier to do if you have something to talk about and holidays can be as brilliant
As a result the summer has been much busier than intended and has merged seamlessly into that back to school feel always associated with early September. Now spending a week in my home town of Rotherham creating a children's gala for the amazing charity Grimm and Co of which I am a patron, work is booked in for my return to London next week and ongoing. I know how lucky I am.
Quite often in the past, my younger self would have not felt so relaxed about turning off from the prospect of work for the summer. Yet it might often have been the most beneficial thing I could have done.
August is remarkably quiet. It's like a very long 1980's Sunday. When I started as an actor, Sundays were long days. No chance that phone might ring, no shops open, just long days when unemployment seemed at it's hardest. Unless you were able to be positive and view it as a day off. In a leftover from those days, I did my accounts on a Sunday for years, and indeed only recently have I switched the process to a Saturday morning. I felt work needed to be done on all days.
Now I know the value of a break - to recharge and refresh. Holidays are sacrosanct and once in our calendar, they are observed fully.
A young actor I know well who hasn't worked since late June told me that for August he had just turned off and chilled. A couple of days hardworking at nn acting jobs to put money in the bank, but hen a lot of time for himself. It's a good thing to do.
The hot summer days we have had can make everything seem easier. Less feeling that you should be doing something when the sun beckons you not the lunger or into the park or garden. And also it means that you can step into those interviews and meetings refreshed and cool. Not desperate, even though the job may mean a lot to you.
Part of the process of turning the meeting into a pleasant chat for both sides which is something I look at in my "Making the Meeting Work" session which is back at the Actors Centre next week. Something that s easier to do if you have something to talk about and holidays can be as brilliant
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