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Thread: Working w/ hoarseness, or no voice at all

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    Banned Aniela's Avatar
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    Default Working w/ hoarseness, or no voice at all

    I have been sick off and on since the beginning of December w/ flu & respiratory-type crap that comes & goes. I have enough irritation from the smoke (I don't smoke myself) but esp w/ this constant cycling of illness, I am coughing all the time. My voice is starting to sound more & more like sandpaper, that's certainly what my throat feels like, painful. I was really sick over the wk end so took a few nites off, & while most everything else has subsided my cough is as bad as ever. It's difficult to talk at even a normal lvl right now, & in my club the DJ blasts the music so loud even customers have been complaining. I can't afford to take time off right now but feel like by the end of the nite I'll be reduced to trying to communicate w/ customers via index cards b/c my voice is wrecked.

    Has anyone actually tried the index-card method, as dumb as that sounds, or brought sm device like a tablet to type w/ when talking to customers? I don't have an iPhone or anything of that sort & don't want to bring my iPad for fear of it getting stolen. I'm feeling much better except for this cough, & want to be back working again.

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    Default Re: Working w/ hoarseness, or no voice at all

    IMO, I think talking to customers via an ipad would be a little bit unprofessional and probably not too endearing . You might get a few "pity" shows, so to speak, but your personality and sales skills wouldn't show through. I've worked with a cough/horse voice before and I find that always having a drink in hand (so that you don't get too dry) helps. Pineapple juice is good for your voice, the bar should have this. I've also resorted to sucking on cough lollies throughout shifts before to lubricate my throat (not the menthol smelling kind ). Golden Seal and Eyebright tablets are amazing and will help clear up your cough quickly (especially if it's chesty). Honey & lemon juice in hot water (or added to tea) will help soothe it after work.

    Can you can book shorter shifts? Working less or working less hours would help you to not strain your voice too much (if possible). Also, I'd probably mention to management (or get a reg' to do it ) that there have been complaints about the music too. Doing doubles will help too-let someone else do the talking while you heal lol.

    Feel better soon x

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    God/dess shanna dior's Avatar
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    Default Re: Working w/ hoarseness, or no voice at all

    The iPad might come off as really sales associatey, so I'd avoid it.

    I lost my voice once and carried around an index card with two sides. Side A: something along the lines of 'I've lost my voice, but you should check out my body language. Are you ready for a dance?'. I can't remember the exact wording, sorry. Side B: 'I've lost my voice, but women are better seen than heard anyway. Are you ready for a dance?' I know the second one is really misogynistic, but it was also effective at making me money. I think the index card method could wield a decent night if it's a busy night where you wouldn't be spending much time on each customer anyway, but like OJ points out, it's harder to make that connection to make big sales (VIP) off the bat. Still, it's a good tool to have for part of your shift when it's busiest or when your voice is at it's worst.

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    Default Re: Working w/ hoarseness, or no voice at all

    Thnx for replies.

    Sadly my club has only one shift, min. 7.5 hrs, after that can stay or go as you like. I am going back to work tomor, would have nvr brought the iPad but it was an idea so just threw it out there. I may just go w/ the index cards if it is still this bad tomor.

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    Default Re: Working w/ hoarseness, or no voice at all

    Have you been gargling with salt water? That's the best remedy I know of.. unfortunately it doesn't work immediately but does help. If you have a sore throat gargle with warm water and cayenne pepper before work a few times, like once an hr. As painful as it sounds it actually doesn't hurt at all and you can really only taste the pepper at the front of your mouth. But let me say, I had a creaky sailor voice for about 2 weeks and made SO much $ with it oddly enough. Didn't tell people I was sick and just acted normal. One guy even had me singing along with him to the music in the champagne room.. I'm sure my coworkers LOVED that lol. I'm also sure that working through it kept me sicker longer but it's so hard to get out of shifts at my club.

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    Default Re: Working w/ hoarseness, or no voice at all

    I'd love to rock the sexy-hoarse voice, my problem is that I've got just abt no voice at all!

    Between the smoke, & the fact that mgmt will crack doors open to let out that smoke when it's 30°+ outside & only turns the heat on when enough customers complain (fk the ppl who actually work there), when I've been sick, I've tried to take as long of breaks as I can to heal.

    Warm saltwater has def been my friend the last wk.

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    Default Re: Working w/ hoarseness, or no voice at all

    My honest opinion is that it`s best not to work when you aren`t feeling well.

    It`s best to take time off when an illness starts instead of getting MORE sick and taking MORE time off because you pushed yourself too hard.

    Sorry to be brutally honest here..but if I were a customer and someone was clearly so ill they couldn`t talk, I wouldn`t even want a dance from that person

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    Default Re: Working w/ hoarseness, or no voice at all

    That's always been how I roll - I'll work when I'm sick, but my lines are drawn at vomiting & being unable to talk.

    Sm times it's just a severe case of hoarseness from having to shout in ppl's ear all nite & still struggling to be understood, but when I'm sick, I'm sick. Literally can't afford to have this shit progress into smtg more serious. So I've taken a wk off.

    But pay my rent I must, Obiwan, so back into the smoke I go tomor. Except for this damn cough/sore throat I'm good. Really, I'm good. *Chugs orange juice*

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    Default Re: Working w/ hoarseness, or no voice at all

    I get excited when my voice gets like that it sounds sexy


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