LOS ANGELES — Veteran performer Anastasia Pierce has penned a series of tips to help keep talent motivated and away from depression.
A longtime self-employed content creator, Pierce is offering her help and insights to colleagues as they grapple with the newest set of challenges facing the adult industry — a potentially prolonged production halt in the face of the global coronavirus pandemic.
"I woke up this morning thinking it was a normal day and business as usual. Then I got on social media like I do every morning and evening to check on the world and my friends. I thought to myself, 'What can I do to help those around me who are not used to being isolated at home or working from home, to keep them from falling into depression and keep them focused and motivated?'" Pierce posed.
As a result, Pierce reflected on what has helped her over the past two decades of being self-employed as a performer, producer and director in the adult industry, coming up with eight tips for self-success and sanity during this chaotic time of social isolation.
“I have no agent. I solely depend on what I produce and sell, day-after-day. I work alone all day long, every day. I shoot, edit, market. I do it all,” Pierce confided. “These tips work for me and also for many artists I know who work from home.”
1) Getting Ready for Your Day
“After your morning routine, shower, wash your hair and shave. Dress in clothes — no pajamas or sweats and even put makeup on,” Pierce said. “The ‘getting ready’ routine sets the mood for the day and will motivate you to do things and lift your mood. If you look good, then you feel good.”
2) Set Goals for Your Day
“Make a shortlist or a mental note of the things you want to achieve and tackle today,” Pierce advised. “It can be anything that will get you going and will give you a sense of achievement at the end of the day, so you won’t feel like you did nothing or wasted your time all day.”
3) Keep a Normal Schedule
“Eat at normal hours, like you would when you are working. Go to sleep at a normal hour and get up at a normal hour, too. Don’t drink during the day. Don’t watch television all day. Don’t play video games all day or smoke marijuana,” Pierce added. “Your body and mind will thank you for that.”
4) Get Some Exercise
“Do what you can. Go up-and-down stairs or take a run around the block. Jumping rope, planking, pushups, yoga — move your body somehow,” Pierce offered. “It will balance your mood and help you sleep better at night.”
5) Keep Your Surroundings Clean and Tidy
“Chaos around you will affect you. An organized, peaceful, comfortable space will bring some zen to your mind,” Pierce noted. “Buy some flowers, play music, burn candles.”
6) Call Your Friends and Family
“Even a 10-minute phone call every day will give you a sense of social time. Laughter and a few jokes will keep you from feeling isolated and help you feel loved, which we all need!” she enthused.
7) Set Goals to Do Things You Never Have Time For
“A few times a week, do something different that you never had a chance to do before: Cook new dishes that you never dared to try before. Learn an instrument. Write an article. Draw, paint, sculpt. Learn new software or fix something around the home. The possibilities are endless!” Pierce explained. “There is nothing more rewarding, in my opinion, than to realize that you can do something new by yourself. For example, I wrote, illustrated and published a children’s book last year. And why not? A porn star can do that, too!”
8) Keep a Routine
“Once you realize what works for you, keep that routine. It will give you a sense of comfort and a sense of schedule while keeping you motivated and away from boredom and depression. It will also give you something to look forward to every day, and at the end of your day you will feel good that you got things done,” Pierce said. “It won’t be a problem to do it again tomorrow, but give yourself a day off every so often — that feels good as well!”
Finally, Pierce advises talent to save money, pay their bills and taxes early, if possible, and ask for help from those who can afford it.
“Don’t do any online shopping right now. Income streams have slowed down and will continue for quite awhile. Deferring bills simply means that there will be more bills to pay later down the road, which will make it more difficult,” Pierce said.
"Talent and crew are concerned about their financial future," she continued. "Together we have to ask big companies we work with regularly to help us all. There is nothing wrong with asking and voicing your concern. Perhaps big companies can afford to give us all higher payouts on clips sales or cam shows. We have to ally and help each other as much as possible during these difficult times, and of course, if you are falling into a dark place, please reach out for help from organizations such as Pineapple Support and The Cupcake Girls.”
