Everybody has called in sick at least a couple of times in their life, while some of them were due to genuine sickness, but sometimes also because you just had something exciting planned for that day and you didn’t want to go to work. No matter what the main reason might be if you want to learn how to convince somebody that you lost your voice, then you will have to learn some new tricks.
You can fake losing your voice by using your hoarse voice, opening your mouth slightly when speaking, whispering, using reverse psychology, faking tonsilitis, coughing, using the slow approach method, covering your mouth while you speak, sounding weak, clearing your throat often and by not speaking. As for how convincing you can be that will only be determined by your ability to correctly mimic and fake the symptoms of flu and laryngitis.
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There could be a lot of reasons why someone would want to fake losing their voice. In my previous article, I have written about how you can actually make yourself lose your voice in about 24 hours. The problem is that forcing your vocal cords to a point where you can no longer speak can be fairly dangerous, especially if you are doing it often. This is why my personal recommendation is instead of forcing your voice to a point where you lose it to instead learn how to fake it.
How To Fake Losing Your Voice?
What most people do not understand is that their recorded voice sounds a lot different than their natural voice. By that, I not only mean that you record your own voice but also how you sound while you are speaking on the phone. While you might be able to convince someone that you lost your voice over the phone but you probably will not be able to do so in a face-to-face encounter. As most people call in sick and use their phones, I will focus on the phone voice a lot more than if you would have to fake losing your voice if you are at a meeting.
There are a lot of ways on how you could lose your voice, some techniques require salt, ice packs, and different techniques. If you want to know how you can make yourself lose your voice then check out my recent article How to lose my voice by tomorrow? ( Top 11 Ways ).
By Using Your Hoarse Voice
A hoarse voice is generally speaking the voice you have once you get the flu or develop laryngitis. The good news is that you do not need to get the flu or laryngitis to have a hoarse voice. Everybody has the ability to make their voice sound raspy. By far one of the easiest ways to modify your voice so that it sounds hoarse is by speaking slowly, I mean really slowly. While you are speaking slowly you will notice that your vocal cords will vibrate a lot.
Focus on the vibration of your vocal cords, generally speaking, the slower you speak the more they vibrate. Once you know how to put more emphasis on this vibration you will be able to sound hoarse-like. The trick is not to overdo it as if you force your vocal cords too much, you will no longer have to fake you lost your voice because you will actually lose your voice. In addition to this, you can also sound a lot more hoarse if you position your tongue right below your lower teeth.
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By Barely Opening Your Mouth When Speaking
As people are speaking they use their mouths to make them selfs more heard and a lot clearer. You probably know at least one person who doesn’t open their mouth almost at all while they are speaking and it is extremely annoying. My recommendation is to start practicing a couple of minutes by speaking with a semi-open mouth, right before you make the call in for being sick. In addition to this, you can also complement this technique with the above hoarse voice technique for maximum results.
Do note that people will have difficulty hearing you, so you will need to find the sweet spot where they can still hear you and understand what you are saying in addition to sounding sick and weak. As you have noticed, faking that you lost your voice will need some acting skills, and how serious you will sound will determine if they believe you are not.
By Whispering
A lot of people do not actually know how hard it is whispering on your vocal cords, once they start practicing with whispering so that they can convince others that they have lost their voice, many people will actually lose their voice in the process. While whispering you put a lot of pressure on your vocal cords and this is what makes you lose your voice after prolonged whispering. The trick is to not whisper all the time while you are calling in sick.
My recommendation is to whisper only some words, and not all of them while you are speaking. This way the person listening to you will immediately notice your change of tone from a normal tone to a sickly tone. If you whisper for prolonged periods of time, you will get a strained voice, this is mostly because you have irritated your vocal cords. Irritating your vocal cords often will result in injury, so my recommendation is to read my recent article How to take care of your vocal cords for singing? ( In 10 Easy Ways ).
Use Reverse Psychology
Yes, you heard it right, you can use reverse psychology to convince someone that you have lost your voice. Although you will need some acting skills for this one. Simply make a call to your manager and ask them some technical stuff about what you should do that day. While you are speaking to him, make sure you sound as sick as possible but never mention that you want to take the day off because you are sick.
Not even if your manager tells you that you should stay at home and get better. After the conversation, wait around 20-30 minutes and call in sick, saying something like you got dizzy once you got in the car and you have to rest, just keep in mind to use your sickly voice.
Fake Tonsilitis
If you have ever gotten your tonsils swollen then you probably know hard it is to speak with them. Oftentimes people with tonsillitis have a fairly raspy voice, as the tonsils themselves do obstruct the airflow of the voice. The problem with this is that you might end up having to go to a doctor in order to prove you have tonsilitis. On the other hand, everybody who had swollen tonsils does know how difficult it is to speak with swollen tonsils and you are probably going to convince them that you lost your voice because of that if your acting is good.
There are even some singers who think that they can sing better after they got their tonsils removed if you are wondering if this is fact or fiction then read my recent article Can you sing better without tonsils? ( How? ).
By Coughing While Speaking
You probably saw a lot of movies where the actor calls in sick and while he is speaking he starts coughing randomly. This is one of the best ways to fake that you have lost your voice, although not entirely that you lost your voice, but that you are too sick to go in for work. Just make sure that your cough doesn’t sound fake and you will be able to convince anybody that you lost your voice. While you are naturally coughing you put a lot of pressure on your voice box, and this increased pressure can be actually heard.
People who fail at convincing others with their fake coughs, usually tend to cough ever so slightly, without any pressure at all. On the other hand, if you force yourself way too much while you are coughing, you might end up actually losing your voice, so be careful.
Use The Slow Approach Method
The slow approach method is fairly simple, you do not outright try to fake that you have lost your voice from the first phone call. Instead, do your general business, and while you are speaking to your boss or manager, start coughing or speaking with a strained voice. In general, it is a good idea to start 1-2 days before you will have to fake that you lost your voice and call in sick. This way all the “evidence” will be there supporting that you have actually lost your voice.
By Covering Your Mouth When Speaking
If you have to speak face to face with someone they will immediately notice if you put your hands in front of your mouth. Even better yet use a napkin for dramatic effect. Sooner or later somebody will ask you why do you have your hand in front of your mouth and you can simply answer that you got the flu and do not want other people to get sick. Then the next day with a strained voice, simply, make the call that you are sick.
On the other hand, you can use the same principle if you are trying to fake that you have lost your voice over the phone. Just be sure to experiment with different positions of your hand so that you sound sick and not abducted by aliens.
By Having A Weak Sounding Voice
Often times the common thing among sick people is that they sound weak like they are soo sick that they can hardly speak. This sickly voice can easily be imitated in order to convince others that you have lost your voice. My recommendation is to do a combination of faking a hoarse voice and not opening your mouth wide enough while you speak. In addition to this, you can also slow down the way you speak for more credibility.
By Making Frequent Pauses While Speaking
No matter if you are face to face or you are speaking to somebody on the phone, make frequent pauses. Everybody hates those awkward silent periods where you are asked a question and you are not responding. In addition to this, you can slip in a couple of coughs or even grunts.
By Clearing Your Throat Often
While you are speaking to the person who you want to convince that you have lost your voice, make sure to make them hear you clear your throat to a point where it is annoying. Every time you clear your throat make sure that you use a slightly different tone to the previous to you have used, this will you will sound extremely credible once you call in sick.
By Not Speaking
Probably by far one of the easiest ways to convince anybody that you have lost your voice is by, simply not talking. Just go to work as usual and do your job, once a coworker speaks to you just nod and point to your throat that it hurts. The good thing about this is that you probably will not even have to call in sick as the manager will send you home. Do not worry, as sooner or later everybody will notice that you have lost your voice, and it will be only a matter of time till you can capitalize on it.
Key Takeaways
While it may be tempting to imitate the symptoms of a lost voice or laryngitis, it is important to note that intentionally straining your voice or whispering excessively can cause vocal strain and potential damage to the vocal cords. It is not advisable to fake or force the symptoms of losing your voice. If you are experiencing voice issues or laryngitis, it is recommended to rest your voice, stay hydrated, and consult with a healthcare professional if needed. Taking care of your voice and practicing vocal hygiene is crucial for maintaining vocal health and preventing unnecessary strain or injury.
FAQ
How do I make myself lose my voice?
It is not recommended to intentionally try to lose your voice as it can be harmful to your vocal cords. Straining, screaming, or excessive use of your voice can cause vocal fatigue and temporary hoarseness, but it’s important to prioritize vocal health and avoid intentional voice damage.
How can I make my voice raspy fast?
Attempting to make your voice intentionally raspy can strain your vocal cords and potentially cause vocal damage. Raspy voices are often a result of various factors such as vocal technique, throat irritation, or health conditions, but it’s best to focus on healthy vocal production and consult a vocal coach or speech therapist for guidance if you desire a specific vocal quality.
How do you lose your voice from talking?
Excessive talking, especially in loud or strained conditions, can contribute to vocal fatigue and temporary hoarseness. Prolonged speaking without adequate vocal rest can strain the vocal cords, leading to voice loss or a hoarse voice. Resting your voice, staying hydrated, and avoiding vocal strain can help prevent vocal fatigue.
What is losing your voice like?
Losing your voice can vary in severity and may result in hoarseness, a weak or strained voice, difficulty projecting or speaking loudly, or even complete voice loss. It can be accompanied by discomfort, soreness, or throat irritation. Resting your voice, hydrating, and avoiding vocal strain can aid in the recovery process.
