Don't Abuse Your Voice

• Don't clear your throat or cough habitually.
  Instead:
  - yawn to relax your throat;
  - swallow slowly, drink some water;
  - hum: concentrate on vocal resonance sensations.
  
  

• Don't yell, cheer, or scream habitually.
  Instead:
  - use non-vocal sounds to attract attention: clap, whistle, ring a bell, blow a horn;
  - find non-vocal ways to train/discipline children and pets.
  
  

• Avoid prolonged talking over long distances and outside.
  Instead:
  - move closer, so you can be heard without yelling;
  - learn good vocal projection techniques
  
  

• Avoid talking in noisy situations: over loud music, office equipment, noisy classrooms or public places; in cars, buses, airplanes.
  Instead:
  - reduce background noise in your daily environment;
  - always face persons with whom you are speaking;
  - position yourself close to your listener;
  - wait until students/audience are quiet and attentive;
  - find non-vocal ways to elicit attention.
  
  

• Don't try to address large audiences without proper amplification. You should be able to lecture at a comfortable loudness to be heard in any situation.
  Instead:
  - use a microphone for public speaking;
  - learn microphone technique.
  
  

• Don't sing beyond your comfortable range.
  Instead:
  - know your physical limits for pitch and loudness;
  - seek professional vocal training;
  - always use an adequate monitoring system to guide your voice-use during performance;
  - never sing a high note that you can't sing quietly.
  
  

• Avoid vocally abusive nervous habits of public speaking: eg. throat-clearing, breath-holding, speaking quickly, speaking on insufficient breath, speaking on low monotone pitch, aggressive or low-pitched fillers (um…, ah…)
  Instead:
  - monitor and reduce vocal habits that detract from your presentation;
  - learn strategies for effective public speaking.
  
  

• Don't speak extensively during strenuous physical exercise.
  Instead:
  - avoid loud and aggressive vocal 'grunts';
  - after aerobic exercise, wait until your breathing system can accommodate optimal voice production.

Don't Misuse Your Voice

• Don't talk with a low-pitched monotone voice. Don't allow your vocal energy to drop so low that the sound becomes rough and gravelly ('glottic fry')
  Instead:
  - keep your voice powered by breath flow, so the tone carries, varies and rings;
  - allow your vocal pitch to vary as you speak.
  
  

• Don't hold your breath as you're planning what to say. Avoid tense vocal onsets ('glottic attacks').
  Instead:
  - keep your throat relaxed as you begin speaking;
  - use breathing muscles and airflow to start speech phrases;
  - use the coordinated voice onset.
  
  

• Don't speak beyond a natural breath cycle: avoid squeezing out the last few words of a thought with insufficient breath power.
  Instead:
  - speak slowly, pausing often at natural phrase boundaries, so your body can breathe naturally.
  
  

• Don't tighten your upper chest, shoulders, neck and throat to breathe in, or to push sound out.
  Instead:
  - allow your body to stay aligned and relaxed so breathing is natural;
  - allow your abdomen and rib cage to move freely.
  
  

• Don't clench your teeth, tense your jaw or tongue.
  Instead:
  - keep your upper and lower teeth separated;
  - let your jaw move freely during speech;
  - learn specific relaxation exercises.
  
  

• Avoid prolonged use of unconventional vocal sounds: whispering, growls, squeaks, imitating animal or machine noises…
  Instead:
  - If you must talk when your voice is strained, use a soft vocal tone instead of a loud, harsh whisper;
  - If you must produce special vocal effects for performance, make sure you are using a technique that minimizes muscle tension and vocal abuse.
  
  

• When you sing, don't force your voice to stay in a register beyond its comfortable pitch range. Especially, don't force your 'chest voice' too high; and don't force your 'head voice' high into falsetto range.
  Instead:
  - allow vocal registers to change with pitch;
  - consult your singing teacher to learn healthy techniques for smooth register transitions.

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle and a Healthy Environment

• Don't demand more of your voice than you would the rest of your body.
  Instead:
  - allow for several periods of voice rest throughout the day.
  
  

• Don't use your voice extensively or strenuously when you are sick or when you feel tired.
  Instead:
  - rest your voice with your body: It's sick too!
  
  

• Don't use your voice when it feels strained.
  Instead:
  - learn to be sensitive to the first signs of vocal fatigue: hoarseness, throat tension, dryness.
  
  

• Don't ignore prolonged symptoms of vocal strain: hoarseness, throat pain, fullness, heartburn or allergies.
  Instead:
  - consult your doctor if you experience throat symptoms or voice change for more than 10 days.
  
  

• Don't expose your voice to excessive pollution and dehydrating agents: cigarette smoke, chemical fumes, alcohol, caffeine, dry air.
  Instead:
  - keep the air and your body clean and humid: drink 8-10 cups of non-caffeinated beverages daily -- more if you exercise.
  - maintain 30% humidity in the air. Quit smoking!
  
  

• Don't slouch or adopt unbalanced postures.
  Instead:
  - learn and use good posture and alignment habits.