I can’t tell you how many friends have informed me that they’ve been keeping the TV on in the background for… well, for company, as it were. A sort of artificial stand-in for all the hustle ...

You can also research for your next TV gig and catch up on previous episodes ... my advice is to limit how many background jobs you take,” actor Amy Russ says. “Do them for a little while ...

Look for Ask Matt columns on most Tuesdays.