Actress Erich Gonzales is finally living her dream as an in-demand young star in the showbiz industry, and no matter how busy she gets, she makes sure that she keeps a smile on her face. Her current project, the teleserye Maria La Del Barrio, has her up at odd hours for tapings, but this lady hardly feels exhausted because she loves her work.

In the November 2011 issue of Women's Health, her career history is only one of many things she talks about. Erich tackles everything from her childhood antics to her dreams for the future to her health and skin care tips.

Read on for a preview of Erich's advice for other femmes, and find out what she has to say about staying sane and upbeat when you have to work overtime in the office.


1. TAKE CHIKA BREAKS.

Erich chats up the cast, the staff, and her personal assistant in between takes. "Kailangan marami kang ka-chika (You have to have a lot of people to chat with)," she shares, laughing. This serves the double purpose of keeping her alert and giving her a chance to bond with her co-workers.


2. DON'T STRESS.

Whenever she feels negativity start seeping into her system, she puts a stop to it. "It's not healthy," says Erich, citing how it will affect others as well as her work. "Parang yung isang minutong kasiyahan mapapalitan ng isang minutong stress. Diba pangit? Sayang. (It's like one minute of happiness gets replaced by a minute of stress. It's not nice, is it? What a pity.)"


3. POWER NAP.

Erich's busy schedule keeps her from having normal sleeping hours, so she makes use of every opportunity at work to catch up on beauty sleep. "It's important to take a nap, kahit short lang, in between takes."


4. DO THINGS THAT TAKE YOUR MIND OFF WORK.

Whenever Erich feels the strain at work, she turns to other activities to keep her positive. "Basa ka ng book (Read a book)," she says. "Maglaro ka. (Play.)" She also loves listening to R&B and love songs. "Nakakaganda ng mood din yung mga songs. (Listening to songs uplifts your mood too.) It helps you a lot."


5. ENJOY WHAT YOU DO.

Erich always keeps her game face on at work, even when she’s lacking sleep. "I never complain. In the first place, this is what I want," she tells WH. Tapings for Maria always make her happy because she finds them fun. "Kapag nasa set ako, nasa taping ako, hindi lang basta ito trabaho. (When I'm on set, when I'm at a taping, I don't just treat it as work.)"

To read more about Erich Gonzales, grab a copy of Women's Health's Philippines's November 2011 issue, out on stands now!

Also in this issue:

• Slim Down Fast! Drop 5, 10, 20+ Pounds
• Get What You Want in Bed
• Fast-Track Your Career

Watch Female Network in the coming weeks as we release photos and information from behind the scenes at Erich's cover shoot.

Want to read more articles about Erich Gonzales? You can check out these galleries that include her on FN:

• Celebrity Style Inspirations: Kim Chiu, KC Concepcion, and More at the Star Magic Ball
• 25 Stars to Watch from YES! Magazine’s “The Next Big Thing” List
• Marian Rivera Excited to Play Lead Role in Amaya + 25 Kick-Ass Bidas

(Photo by Dix Perez)