We can keep our voices in optimal health by observing a few guidelines. Here are just a few:
Stay hydrated…and coffee and soda don’t count. Most people require a minimum of eight 8-oz glasses of water daily. Aggravating factors that dry out your voice include air travel, smoking, alcohol consumption, certain medications, and heavy voice use. Keep your throat moist by sipping water throughout the day.
Sports fans: cut back on the shouting and screaming, or learn how to do it safely: Cup your hands around your mouth to focus the sound. Make the consonants louder and back off on the vowels. Or just do The Wave!!
Avoid throat clearing as it slams the vocal cords together. Some people do this hundreds of times a day. Try this instead: Cough gently and then swallow. With or without liquid. Swallowing is like a gentle massage to the vocal cords and can get rid of the tickle in your throat without making them even more irritated.
DO YOU LIKE THE SOUND OF YOUR RECORDED VOICE?
1. I love it
2. I don’t think about it
3. Please don’t make me listen to it
If you chose #3, you are not alone. However, a recording is more or less how others hear you.
First of all, see if you can identify one thing you DO like about your recorded voice. Next, ask yourself if your voice truly sounds bad, or just different from what you normally perceive. Finally, try to analyze what needs improvement. Too fast, too flat, too garbled? Still unhappy? Consider getting professional help to improve that voicemail greeting.
If you want the confidence of clear and powerful speech,
contact AccentsOff today.