--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I learned how to turn it on and turn it…" description: "\"I learned how to turn it on and turn it off. You learn that in theater, too, but for film work, I learned from doing 'Henry,' I learned how to leave wo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/michael-rooker-13613_actors_i-learned-how-to-turn-it-on-and-turn-it_2225320.jpg" --- # I learned how to turn it on and turn it off. You learn… ![“I learned how to turn it on and turn it off. You learn that in theater, too, but for film work, I learned from doing 'Henry,' I learned how to leave work at work and go home. There's always spillover. Actors speak of this.” quote by Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/michael-rooker-13613_actors_i-learned-how-to-turn-it-on-and-turn-it_2225320.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/michael-rooker-13613_actors_i-learned-how-to-turn-it-on-and-turn-it_2225320.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/michael-rooker-13613_actors_i-learned-how-to-turn-it-on-and-turn-it_2225320.jpg) > “I learned how to turn it on and turn it off. You learn that in theater, too, but for film work, I learned from doing 'Henry,' I learned how to leave work at work and go home. There's always spillover. Actors speak of this.” [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning to separate work from personal life prevents burnout and maintains mental health. **In simple terms:** Turn work off at home to stay healthy. Key Takeaway Set clear boundaries between work and home. Themes work-life balance mental health boundaries Mood practical thoughtful Type advice self-help When to use this quote - remote work - acting career - creative projects - stress management Key Concepts psychology self-care Questions to Reflect On - How do you signal the end of work time? - What rituals help you transition home? A Different Perspective Boundaries can be hard to enforce in demanding jobs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [“There’s smashed glass glittering everywhere like stars. It’s a Western, Henry. It’s a downright shoot-em-up. We’ve made a graveyard out of the bone white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-siken/there-s-smashed-glass-glittering-everywhere-like-stars-it-s-a-western/) [Richard Siken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-siken/) > [I had a grandmother who would always encourage me to learn about theater and film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romany-malco/i-had-a-grandmother-who-would-always-encourage-me-to-learn-about/) [Romany Malco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romany-malco/) > [Growing up in Canada, none of my family were performers or anything like that, but I was terrible at hockey, so they needed something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-johnson/growing-up-in-canada-none-of-my-family-were-performers-or-anything/) [Eric Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-johnson/) > [I learned my business in the theater and in television, particularly working with the actors. You can learn much more in the theater than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/i-learned-my-business-in-the-theater-and-in-television-particularly/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [Stanford had no journalism program so I just learned by doing, effectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pomfret/stanford-had-no-journalism-program-so-i-just-learned-by-doing/) [John Pomfret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pomfret/) > [I learned it by doing it, and I was scared to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kelleher/i-learned-it-by-doing-it-and-i-was-scared-to-death/) [Herb Kelleher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kelleher/) > [I think of how much I've learned from doing television, and it is so invaluable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alycia-debnam-carey/i-think-of-how-much-i-ve-learned-from-doing-television-and-it-is-so/) [Alycia Debnam-Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alycia-debnam-carey/) > [I’ve learned that by doing things, things get done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-ve-learned-that-by-doing-things-things-get-done/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The most difficult thing about Time, I have learned, is doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/the-most-difficult-thing-about-time-i-have-learned-is-doing-it/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [The Groundlings is definitely one of the major places that I learned through doing. It taught me through performances and workshops, successes and failures,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edi-patterson/the-groundlings-is-definitely-one-of-the-major-places-that-i-learned/) [Edi Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edi-patterson/) > [The main thing I learned doing love scenes with a woman was, if it's there, it's there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-prepon/the-main-thing-i-learned-doing-love-scenes-with-a-woman-was-if-it-s/) [Laura Prepon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-prepon/) > [That's how I learned how to act. I learned by doing it. I didn't start acting until I was 37.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mahoney/that-s-how-i-learned-how-to-act-i-learned-by-doing-it-i-didn-t-start/) [John Mahoney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mahoney/) > [I never studied theatre; I learned it by doing it. If I had studied theatre, I would not be making the kind of theatre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/i-never-studied-theatre-i-learned-it-by-doing-it-if-i-had-studied/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [I learned from doing live shows that I could use physicality to bandage moments that weren't working very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-demetriou/i-learned-from-doing-live-shows-that-i-could-use-physicality-to/) [Jamie Demetriou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-demetriou/) > [I try to leave my work at the door when I leave the set. It's almost like summer camp. You go in hard, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/i-try-to-leave-my-work-at-the-door-when-i-leave-the-set-it-s-almost/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) ## More by Michael Rooker > [If the character is getting mad, getting upset or getting turned on, you're getting to see that in the facial tones and the skin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/if-the-character-is-getting-mad-getting-upset-or-getting-turned-on/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) > [The cosplayers are very fun. The kids are the best. Everyone is a kid at a comic con. There are some amazing stuff that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/the-cosplayers-are-very-fun-the-kids-are-the-best-everyone-is-a-kid/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) > [I've been in this business a long time, and I've worked with a lot of different directors now. It's cool to get the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/i-ve-been-in-this-business-a-long-time-and-i-ve-worked-with-a-lot-of/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) > [I'm a very jovial guy. I like to laugh, and when things strike me as funny, I don't hide the fact that it's humorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/i-m-a-very-jovial-guy-i-like-to-laugh-and-when-things-strike-me-as/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) > ['Animal' was my nickname in high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/animal-was-my-nickname-in-high-school/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) > [Actors basically do their thing on the set, and then you put all the pieces together, switch them around, and maybe put them a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/actors-basically-do-their-thing-on-the-set-and-then-you-put-all-the/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) > [I think all the roles I've done have been very passionate people who go to absolute extremes to make their points.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/i-think-all-the-roles-i-ve-done-have-been-very-passionate-people-who/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) > [I am such a great gamer that seven-year-olds kick my butt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/i-am-such-a-great-gamer-that-seven-year-olds-kick-my-butt/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) > [I got my training here in Chicago at the Goodman School Of Drama, and a lot of my personal work is usually internal work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/i-got-my-training-here-in-chicago-at-the-goodman-school-of-drama-and/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) > [We had a thing there where you could turn in - it was some sort of recycling program - the bottle caps of RC…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/we-had-a-thing-there-where-you-could-turn-in-it-was-some-sort-of/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) > [That's very cool. 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But if they can't do it better than me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/if-you-got-a-stuntman-that-can-do-it-better-than-me-go-do-it-but-if/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) > [It's a super super strange world when the actors are the less weird ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/it-s-a-super-super-strange-world-when-the-actors-are-the-less-weird/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) > [I was ecstatic when 'The Walking Dead' came along. Merle Dixon was so perfectly adapted for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/i-was-ecstatic-when-the-walking-dead-came-along-merle-dixon-was-so/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) [Explore all 49 Michael Rooker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. 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It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. 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