For many of us actors, whether or not we have have a day job is not really a choice. It can be quite difficult to make a living as only an actor. Without another source of income, every acting job and in turn every audition becomes even more important. When it's just the job that you want, you often appear desperate in your auditions and your acting can suffer.
Having a day job that you can count on to provide you with money allows you to relax and do your best acting. It does not have to be a job that you love to do, but it shouldn't be one that you loathe. If going to your day job makes you miserable and stressed then your acting will also suffer.
Most people think the only job an actor can have is waiting tables. I waited tables for years and learned that being a server made me a miserable person to be around. Everyday I had to go to a restaurant was a day I dreaded and made it difficult for me to focus on my acting. So, this wasn't a good day job for me. But, there are other jobs actors can do that will allow you to go on auditions and classes. I have many friends who have very accommodating office jobs.
But, you have to be careful. Making money can be a trap. The more you make of it the more things you want to buy and then the more you need of it. If you get too comfortable with the money you are making then it can be easy to allow your acting to fall off the side. Suddenly, you don't want to take time off for classes or auditions, and you day job becomes your career.
There is a happy medium that every artist must find. Money is a necessity, but so is your art. Don't let the need for money prevent you from creating your art. But, you have to accept that having a job that you can rely on can also be important to your acting career.
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