Last night's dress rehearsal (2/21/17) convinced me that all of us need to pay more attention to self-care. Unfortunately, many of us appeared to be "running on fumes." That is understandable - in general!! - but potentially disastrous if it occurs again at Dress Rehearsal #2.
We simply must not come into the upcoming rehearsal OR PERFORMANCE!!! enervated, overstressed / underfed, sick, fatigued, or mentally scattered / distracted / overloaded.
I'm guessing that winter may be a difficult time for many of us, physically. Some of us want to wake and sleep with the sun - and that instinctive drive is already affecting our energy levels. It's hard to sidestep this issue, but here's a great opportunity to do MIND OVER MATTER.
Being a hibernating kind of person myself, and never a morning person - NEVER NEVER NEVER a morning person!! - I offer a few self-care suggestions, based upon a lifetime of being out-of-sync with "schedules and seasons."
NOTE: What follows is a collection of self-care strategies that have worked for /me/. Your mileage may vary. This is not gospel.
1. SLEEP. It's helpful to develop the ability to power down very quickly, even if only for short amounts of time. But, nothing can take the place of a good solid block of deep sleep. Don't read or watch TV or work at the computer or nosh while you are in bed. Make sure that your sleep environment is conducive to restful slumber: temperature, bedcovers, empty bladder!, what you are wearing (make sure your head and feet are nice and warm!), ambient sound (earplugs or white noise generator may be necessary), lighting (use an eye mask or tie a strip-folded bandanna over your eyes with the knot to the side of your head), smell - everything.
1A. BEFORE SLEEP. Clear the decks. Put a little notepad and pen beside the bed to capture stuff that won't leave your mind. Deep slow breathing always helps. Another trick that is surprisingly effective: Instead of trying to sleep "right now," look forward to the /next/ night's sleep! Don't drink alcohol or things with caffeine within 3 hours of bedtime. "Sleepytime" or chamomile tea is refreshing and soothing. Also, hot milk! Don't go to bed hungry, either. Try noshing on something that is light and easy to digest.
2. FOOD. We all have our theories about which foods to eat / not eat before prolonged activity. I recommend a carb / protein balance of about 1: 1.5. You need enough complex carbs to get you through a 4-5 hour stint of demanding activity, plus enough simple sugars to give you a quick start, plus enough protein for a slow burn. A hardboiled egg with a few crackers and a piece of fruit (or cheese, crackers and fruit) makes an ideal pre-rehearsal nosh. If you prefer to ingest a protein bar before rehearsal or performance, I recommend Premier Protein. This is a gluten-free bar with 290 calories, about 16g of sugar (less than a cookie!!), and - are you ready for this? - 30 grams of protein!! Yes, THIRTY GRAMS OF PROTEIN PER BAR. This is the highest-protein bar I have been able to find in local stores. It comes in several flavors. I buy them at Walmart for around $1.40 per bar. If you buy a box of 6 bars, you can save a little. If you have a Costco card, you can save a LOT.
I recommend you make a list of suitable "prep" foods, with information on when they should be eaten, relative to the activity.
2A. TIMING OF FOOD. Carbs get going as soon as they are in the mouth - you /need/ protein for a slow burn, however. I recommend eating no earlier than 2 hours before you are called upon. A balanced light meal can be eaten as close as 30 or even 15 minutes before rehearsal.
3. HYDRATION. Yes, Water!!! Water!!! WATER!!! Hot or cold, with or without a bit of lemon. You need water. YOU NEED WATER.
4. THROAT SOOTHING. Avoid menthol or mint lozenges, please. Instead, look for a lozenge that contains slippery elm. Slippery elm is the preferred throat-soother of experienced public speakers and many singers. Hot water with a little honey and lemon stirred into it is also good.
5. MUSICAL PREPARATION. As we found out last night, it's necessary to do careful review of /everything/ that one is singing, even (ESPECIALLY!) pieces that one has sung before. Memory can be a tricky thing, and there's a lot to keep in mind! Try approaching the "old" pieces with beginner's mind. Re-trace your learning steps. Get a practice buddy and sing for / check each other. Practice in front of a mirror so that you can also monitor your posture and facial expressions.
#6 is really important - please take note and do ALL you can to govern yourself accordingly.
6. STAY WELL, RESPIRATORILY SPEAKING (is "respiratorialy" a word?).
Don't touch "public" surfaces. If people are coughing, sneezing, expectorating, or sniffling within 6 feet of you, do what you can to get away from them! Wear a little germ mask (available at drugstore for very low price). WASH YOUR HANDS frequently. Do not touch your face with your hands if your hands aren't freshly washed. If you use the computer lab on campus, carry a package of wipes to hose down those keyboards before you lay a finger on them!!! (I remember being /deathly/ ill for over a week from something that I am 100 percent sure I picked up in the computer lab - "virus," hah! no spit!)
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER TOUCH ANYTHING ON A BUS WITH YOUR BARE HANDS.
7. DO NOTHING FOR ONE HOUR!!. Yes, that's right - DO NOTHING.
Here's a powerful motivating method that has gotten me through more things in my life than I can possibly enumerate. It's 2-edged.
When I meet internal resistance to something (even something that isn't a bad thing in itself - just something I'd rather not have in my life at the moment, for whatever reason!) - I say to myself silently AND aloud (if possible):
I DON'T WANT TO - BUT I WILL!
When I meet internal compulsion to do something that isn't in my best interest (can you say, "potato chips at 11 p.m.?!!!"), I say to myself silently AND aloud (if possible):
I WANT TO - BUT I WON'T!
I'm giving you this powerful information free of charge - yes, you're welcome! It took me half a lifetime to quit saying and thinking, "I have to..." "I have to..." is a dis-empowering statement that disrespects one's own personal power and agency. Anyway, it isn't really true, strictly speaking. Nobody /has/ to do /anything!!/ We choose one way or another, for whatever reason. Best to be honest with oneself, honor what is really going on inside, and then make a conscious choice and GO ON AFTER THAT WITHOUT LOOKING BACK!!! Honesty is the best policy!
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Okay, I'm taking my Aunty Hat off now - we're in this together and it's good to share tips and tricks to keep ourselves functioning at the highest possible level right along through here.
Yours in musical solidarity and health!
Lee
