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Every day you need to effectively handle multiple
priorities-
Focusing on the important work of creating and
performing while you have irons in
the fire to keep work coming in the door tomorrow and months after.
Staying balance and focused when you are juggling multiple
priorities is key.
Summer is heating up-
Whether you’re a local, regional, or nationally touring musician, your plans must certainly include playing shows so the world can hear, and fall in love with your music right?
Summer is one of the biggest money making time of year for artists- Farmers Markets, Festivals, Fairs, House Concerts and Tours! This is a time of year when smart artists are booking and playing 7 days a week.
On the long list of many things you need to do include,
finish writing more material, then
organize the band and get
your chops sounding great, while you
perfect your performance so your show is mind blowing to watch! Then, you need to duplicate your new works of art so your fans can “take
you home with them”. All while
while marketing and booking gigs
and plan a summer tour?!
Even if you are only playing your local gigs, you still have
to haul your gear to and from the gig. When your on the road you are hauling your
gear to and from the gig, after sitting in your car, truck, or van for hours on
end, if your lucky you are able to sleep in a quiet room with a nice bed every night your gone.Depending upon which part of the country you are in, you may find your normal healthy food choices are suddenly VERY limited.
It doesn’t take very long for the long hours, heavy lifting,
no sleep, and cruddy food, start to take their toll on you. You may find yourself coming home from tour exhausted and even sick perhaps you have even had to cut a tour short because you were ill.
It doesn’t give you bragging rights to blow up before a tour ends or to come home trashed, it
is simply a reflection that you haven’t prepared to do your job properly.
If your plans include bigger tours, supporting mid level or A level acts, it shows the hiring management company that you are not up to the job, you will have missed a huge opportunity and not even known it.
If your plans include bigger tours, supporting mid level or A level acts, it shows the hiring management company that you are not up to the job, you will have missed a huge opportunity and not even known it.
TIPS TO PREPARE:
If your heading
back out on the road, or going on the road for the first time, We will spend the next couple of weeks sharing ways that will keep you in shape to take what ever the road throws your way.
Preventative health care:
Not surprisingly many artists do
not have health or dental insurance for themselves, or their equipment feeling
they cannot afford it.
You may not feel like you can afford monthly insurance premiums, but you cannot afford NOT to get your annual medical and dental examinations. The few hundred dollars you would spend on your annual dental and medical exams *are all expenses that can be written off in your annual taxes! (1)
Many diseases can be prevented or controlled if they are
caught in early stages(2)
Stress Related health disorders: Nearly 1/2 of the health issues we are facing today are in some way connected to stress, economic, family, and work related pressures all take their toll on us, and manifest themselves in a variety of ways. Do you find you have chronic sinus infections, fatigue, or persistent cough, or allergies? they can all be signs of unbalance in your life. Recent studies have linked heart attacks and stroke to gum disease. By simply having your teeth cleaned you could reduce your chances of heart attack or stroke.
Invest a little, Save big:
The cost of a
standard office visit to your doctor and dentist, and flossing every day is much cheaper that a trip to the Emergency Room. So give yourself the gift of a longer life, save your hard earned money, by spending on the prevention, the price tag of a cure is higher than many can pay.
Do you have any favorite stories from the road, maybe it was the burger joint outta the twilight zone in Yuma Az? or when the van's horn got stuck ON. Share your best tales of the road in your comments below-
RESOURCES:
here are links to organizations that offer low cost and preventative health care services for artists:
EHealth and TuneCore- provide a resource comparing
10,000 health insurance products
from over 180 carriers
ASCAP-Your local P.R.O. has health care coverage available
for it’s members
Recording Acadamy/ MusiCares the good folks at NARAS have MusiCares that provides services for artists
needed resources and assistance.
Tamra Engle is a independent business strategist, Producer, Speaker and Blogger based in the S.F. bay area. She assists artists and business’s via private consultations and project assignments with Artist development, Project management, Production and Lifestyle rebalancing, to help develop your independent creative business.
You can read more about services to help you and join her mailing list at: www.tamraengle.com You can email Tamra at guitartam@gmail.com
Sign up now for your 1 month Master Class’s to help your Creative Business:
Links to References:
(2) http://dentistry.about.com/od/dentalhealth/tp/reasonsdenclean.htm
www.kp.org
www.ehealthinsurance.com
www.musicianhealthinsurance.com
www.grammy.org/musicares
photo credits:
Jugglers- Moscow Circus
Junk food- Tamra Engle
Roadies- Jen Wester- backstage BonJovi
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