We love some good, healthy reminders to stay on top of your game. It’s easy to get lost in a fog of the ebb and flow of an acting career. We have some unconventional and often-forgotten tips on how to stay centered and prepared, so the next time you have a big audition or you’re asked to read for a new role, you’re ready. Here’s a list of our favorite ways to keep your attitude in check, your disposition sunny, and your craft sharp.

Maintain a healthy sleep schedule. This is the single most important adjustment you can make that will drastically improve your life. Not sleeping enough or sleeping too much causes irritability, a foggy mind, and excess stress hormones, which can severely mess with your body chemistry and overall health! Too much, you sleep through potential productivity. Too little, you have no energy to be productive. Don’t want to miss out on life because you aren’t a disciplined sleeper!

Become an early riser. Speaking of sleep – you can train yourself to be a morning person. Yeah, that sounds pretty evil. But you know at some point, you’ve wished that there were more hours in the day. You can certainly have that! By waking up early, you give yourself an opportunity to get more things done. It increases productivity, gives you ample leisure time, and if anybody calls you on the fly, you’re ready to go. Being an early riser isn’t a bad thing – it can be the thing that saves you!

Try meditation. This means different things for different people. Sometimes it’s just a matter of taking 30 minutes each morning in complete silence while you get calibrated for the day ahead. Sometimes it means crossing your legs and silencing your inner voice. Maybe some OHMs. Maybe a jog around the neighborhood. Whatever it means to you to become centered and calm — do it! It will

Watch a lot of TV and movies. Why? For research. Very loose research. It exposes you to different acting techniques, styles, and approaches. It’ll help you shape your own. You ever heard the saying “You can’t be a good writer if you never read”? Same applies for acting. You can never reach your full potential as an actor without watching and observing others. Allow yourself to become more well-rounded!

Take a Class. Any class. Pottery? Cool. Improv? Awesome. Screenwriting? Fabulous. No matter what your interests are – nurture them. They will act as a stress outlet for you, and will have a very positive impact on your creativity.

Make a consciously-healthy choice every day. Maybe decide to drink more water, to go on a walk, to take a “me” break to go read in the park, spend some time at the beach, or get some extra veggies in your diet. When you make a conscious choice to do SOMETHING healthy for yourself every day – mind, body, and/or spirit – you are making self-care a standard. That positive energy will have a trickle-down effect in the rest of your life! When you’re healthy and happy, you work at 200%.

Surf YouTube. Become better acquainted with accents, dialects, impressions, and acting styles. It will help you broaden your skill set when it comes to adopting language inflections. If you’re laying in bed, pull out your phone, and start surfing the tube! It’s fun and it can help you become a better actor! The more you’re exposed to, the stronger you can be.

Get out more. Not only because it’s fun, but because this is Los Angeles, and half your job is networking. You never know who you’re going to meet!

Take care of your skin. This may seem like weird and motherly advice, but it’s legit. Keep that skin healthy. Wear sunscreen. Give yourself facials. Moisturize. Don’t fall asleep with your makeup on. Your face is your business card. Your face is your job. Maintaining a fresh and radiant face as an actor is a lot like Kenny G making sure his clarinet is clean and tuned up. You can’t do your job when your instrument isn’t in tip-top shape. You get it.