Your Voice;Keeping it Healthy
Because just as a neat professional attire is essential for face-to-face interactions, having a clear voice is essential for your day-to-day business operations.
And a hoarse voice from an Interpreter, or call center agent (CCA), or dispatcher carries the same negative impression as a worn-out outfit and can detract from building credibility and or doing your job the right way.
Little Story: A few years back I was doing a Conference appointment for the State, I actually had a team interpreter (who was sick) and was “coughing up a storm.”
Having a sick interpreter onsite who’s unable to do his/her job (use their voice to speak) affects all those in the room. This situation not only did it affect the overall assignment, but it was a major distraction and also put on more stress on me – because I had to complete the job myself because my partner was sick with laryngitis.
So a healthy voice is crucial because you are constantly talking and using your voice to do your job and if you don’t take care of your voice, you are at risk for damaging your voice and developing hoarseness.
A 2002 study on voice problems among CCAs reported voice problems in 31 percent of CCAs, with several negative outcomes, including:
- Increased sick days
- Fewer calls per hour
- More breaks away from the phone
- Needing to repeat themselves
- Or needing to force the voice out
Overall, Interpreters, Dispatchers, CCAs with voice problems is bad not only for them, and those who use their Voice to work but also it’s bad for business.
I’ve learned from some Voice experts who now think that voice problem is a form of repetitive motion injury because the vocal cords are being injured by overuse, similar to the way data entry personnel may develop carpal tunnel syndrome.
This is interesting, isn’t?
Did you know that when we talk, the vocal cords vibrate about 200 times a second for women and about half that for men?
That can add up to more than a million cycles of vibration during a workday at a call center causing vocal injury this is also true for singers, interpreters, dispatchers, call centers, etc.
As a professional conference interpreter who’s constantly working and who uses her voice to work, it is so important to take care of your voice!
True Story: About 4 years ago (I was a major workaholic)…
I was 🤔😊working all day, every day and would not take breaks in between. I also didn’t like working with other colleagues (I had bad experiences with other agency interpreters) and therefore prefer to work alone – “loner”…Oh well!
Also during this same time frame, I was working for a whole straight month non-stop during the winter months and around November.
Unfortunately while working at a conference my Voice literally starting squeaking, I could NOT Speak, my voice started sounding horsy like, my chest started to hurt, my throat was just feeling horrible, I started to sweat, got dizzy and literally passed out!
Apparently, I had walking pneumonia and laryngitis and ended up in the hospital (after my assignment)!
How many fail to listen to their body? Well, I failed to listen to my body!
I was so excited about the work, I love what I do, and was just on a roll – “Go-go-go” non-stop that my body finally gave out in the middle of an assignment!
This little scenario ended up costing me months of being out of work until I was able to get my Voice back and recuperate from this horrible experience!
So yes, dear interpreters, dispatchers, CCAs, Schedulers, and all of you who use your work to fulfill your responsibilities TAKE CARE OF YOUR “VOICE”!
Here are some recommendations and things that I do and have done so since this episode.
Posture
Taking frequent breaks and being able to move around is so important because it reduces the tension in your body and will prevent you from having other joint/muscle problems.
Breaks
Taking frequent breaks will give your voice muscle a rest, so try to rest your voice – meaning no talking, or drinking cold drinks.
Voice Pacing
Voice scientists advise those who use their Voice to work “to think of voice pacing on three levels:
- Breaks within phone calls
- Between phone calls during the workday
- And breaks between workdays”
Additional Tips
Besides posture, breaks, and vocal pacing, you must also practice good voice hygiene.
These tips have helped me keep my throat moist and free from irritation so that my vocal cords are less likely to be injured:
- Drinking lots of (room temperature) water (or non-caffeinated liquid) during the day.
- Keep water with you at all times.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which are drying to the throat.
- Try to avoid excess coughing and throat clearing.
- Don’t smoke! Smoking causes irritation and can lead to cancer and other health-related problems.
- If you have a hoarse voice due to a cold or upper respiratory infection then don’t go to work.
- Seek medical attention to manage any medical conditions that can cause throat irritation including acid reflux, postnasal drainage, allergies, asthma, endocrine conditions, etc.
- Keep away from dry interior climates
- Prevent high-risk areas that are known to cause damage to your voice.
- Eat good and moist meals and avoid spicy foods, they cause acid reflux or GERD
- Use a humidifier in your room or home, especially in dry climates.
- Don’t use mouthwash (it contains alcohol), if you need to gargle use lukewarm saltwater
- Take vitamins or eat fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamins, A, E, and C
- Drink lemon tea with honey (instead of coffee)
- I made my own paste that I add to my teas and helps with phlegm and it also has helped me from getting sick; it includes:
- Ginger
- Honey
- Coconut oil
- Pepper, etc…I will include the paste recipe in my next food meal article.
Get Help Early; Listen to Your Body
I would love to hear what you do to keep your Voice Healthy while working. Let me know in the comments.
I also invite you to check out this YOUTUBE VIDEO
