camming: I feel guilty taking one day off
I don't think I ever had this feeling as a dancer. Since I started camming, I've been doing something every day, be it actually being live on a site, making videos or pictures, starting auctions on ebanned, researching and/or applying to new sites, etc. Granted, I don't stay on cam as long as I would stay at the club (2-3 hours vs 6-8 hours) but I don't feel lazy at all because I'm always busy.
Today, I told myself not to work. At all. I uploaded a couple vids to shakinit, yeah, but that was just 10 mouse clicks over a 4-hour period (uploading time). And I feel really guilty! I feel like, ok, it's 3:21 am on a friday, are there any sites that have traffic? And I have to stop myself from checking them out.
Anyone else feel like this? Does having the option of working whenever you want make you feel like you should be working ALL the time?
ETA: Also, I'm not showering much. I feel like I really need to wash my face. I'm going to go do that.
Re: camming: I feel guilty taking one day off
I think you need to get in the habit of taking some time off. Whether it's one day a week, one day every other week, or one day a month you need some time to focus on yourself. You can choose to use this time off to just relax, get yourself some pampering spa treatments, take a mini vacation, read a good novel, etc.
Re: camming: I feel guilty taking one day off
I feel like that too. Partially, because I enjoy what I do, and also because I'm not making as much as my goal amount per week, so I feel like I'm building towards that. Still, it seems like if you're working every day, burnout is inevitable, and you won't be as effective.
Re: camming: I feel guilty taking one day off
I see models doing this all the time and in the end it can stress you out big time and ''burn out'' is the ultimate physical and mental state that will turn a cam models attitude to shit and members can see it well! Models tend to think that they have regulars ''on lock'' but truth be told, if you are not online and readily available for your regular at the time he is ready to see you, you better believe he's going to the next similar looking model that's online and spend his money on her! It may not be a long show or the exact amount that you are accustomed to making off of him but he will go elsewhere. Men do NOT wait in this business so do not fool yourself into thinking that you are so hott and no one else can compare! You are only fooling yourself if you think so. This type of delusionalism is what causes models to live their life online camming for hours on an end with no personal/social life because they think they will lose money. Camming can be fun but in the end, it's just another damn job so you have to treat it as so and take at least 2 days off to enjoy your earnings and live your life. Putting in more hours online does NOT guarantee you more income. So have a set schedule and build up your regulars so that they can accommodate you and vice versa. As long as men have dicks there will always be losers online to score cash from! Happy Camming!
Re: camming: I feel guilty taking one day off
devon your so spicy....lol
Re: camming: I feel guilty taking one day off
I have this problem too, the guilt, and trust me, a day or 2 off is needed every so often, i almost burnt, but realised i needed a day off, i felt like i was just wasting the day, but when i got online the next day, i felt refreshed and in a better mood.
i agree 100% with devon, totally!
jess xx
Re: camming: I feel guilty taking one day off
I can relate to this. I spend a lot of time when I'm not on cam promoting, researching, and touching base with clients. This is the first job I've had where I actually want to work on my days off. But I do feel much better when I do take time off, and make myself take time off.
Re: camming: I feel guilty taking one day off
Wow thanks for all the input, everyone. Good to know I'm definitely not alone.
Devon, I especially like what you said about always feeling like you're missing out on money if you're not there. It's true that I'm ALWAYS missing out on money, every minute I'm not working, no matter when . . . and it gives me anxiety attacks--literally, I get anxiety attacks over this!! I felt this with dancing, too, but there were so many reasons no to go in: my muscles are sore, I won't make money and it's too late for free base, it's friday and there are too many girls working, wah-wah, blah-blah. Some were reasons why I COULD NOT go in, such as it being too late for evening check-in. I ended up working 3 days a week, average, and these were all scheduled days.
I think setting a posted schedule is the best idea, then, for the sake of building a clientele and for the sake of regulating my own hours.
Also, I think once I get paid and I'm able to pay the G+E bill I'll calm down. Waiting for a paycheck, I think, is making this worse. I'm not constantly seeing money coming in like when I was dancing so I have this disillusion that I'm not making anything even though I am. So, a stripper mindset tells me, "YOU HAVE NO MONEY. GET TO WORK, DAMMIT!!"
Re: camming: I feel guilty taking one day off
What Devon said. You need a set schedule, which includes enough time off for yourself. If this is one day, or three days, that's fine. Just make sure your fanbase knows your schedule. If they login and you're not online when you "should" be, they will be looking at other models, AND they may see it as a sign that you don't respect their time either. However - if they know your NOT going to be online that day, they may just not login at all. But you absolutely do need time for yourself. If you become tired, worn, burned out - It WILL show in attitude and body language. Nobody tips the boring bitchy girl. Get some rest.