Time as your instrument: How to find the time to make and promote your music.
As busy independent artists, finding time to follow your passion can be a challenge. From day jobs to family obligations, the chores can stack up and it can be tough to carve out any creative time to not only make but promote your music! However, with some smart planning and organization, you CAN keep the dream alive. In episode 342 of the DIY Musician Podcast, we explore practical tips to help you manage your time effectively and make the most of your creative journey.
Set Realistic Goals
Start by setting achievable goals that you can work towards. Breaking down big projects into smaller tasks and prioritizing them based on their importance will help you stay motivated and make steady progress.
Project Management
Use helpful tools like Trello, Asana, or Google Suite to manage your music projects effectively. These tools can help you organize your tasks, set deadlines, and track your progress. Try adopting development sprints, where you focus intensely on specific tasks, assess your progress, and move forward accordingly.
Create a Strategy
Developing a strategy for your music production and promotion will save you time and reduce stress. By outlining a plan, you can eliminate distractions and prioritize essential tasks. It’s okay to alternate between creation mode and promotion mode to keep your sanity while you achieve your goals.
Time Blocking and Scheduling
Today we have so many tools to help us carve out time, from calendar invitations on our phones, to daily reminders, and even a good old fashioned daily planner. Allocate dedicated time blocks for different activities such as writing songs, recording, practicing, and promotion. Treat these time blocks as appointments with yourself and stick to them as much as possible. This will help you stay focused and make efficient use of your available time.
Batch Tasks
One way to keep your cool and still get a lot of different tasks done is to batch similar tasks together to avoid switching between different activities. For example, set aside specific time slots for answering emails, writing booking emails, or creating content. This batching technique will increase your productivity and save time.
Make the Most of Available Time
Even though Beyonce said there are 24 usable hours in the day, we DO want to prioritize our mental and emotional health. That doesn’t mean you can’t look for opportunities to work on your music during the day. Let’s make it a bit easier, and wake up one hour earlier or adjust your bedtime to create extra time. Our favorite strategy? Use your daily commute to get those phone calls out of the way, or to work out that second verse you’ve been stuck on!
Stop! Collaborate and Listen
Ok we need you to really hear us when we say this: you don’t have to do everything on your own. *Mind blown gif plays here* There are people that want to help you, and sharing the workload will make you a better artist. Are you a pro at social media but hate sending emails? Maybe your bass player can help you with that! Collaboration is the best way to take some of the pressure off of yourself, and to learn and grow from other artists or team members.
Minimize Distractions
You’re going to hate us for saying this one, but your phone addiction isn’t doing you any favors. Avoid getting sidetracked by limiting non-productive activities like watching TV shows or spending excessive time on social media. Use tools that limit screen time or set specific limits for yourself. Stay focused on your music-making goals.
Automation and Tools
Save yourself the hassle of trying to fit in social media creation every day. Take advantage of automation tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, or Zapier to streamline your social media postings and scheduling. Additionally, explore AI-powered tools that can help with designing graphics, writing copy, or editing videos. These tools can save you valuable time and effort.
Embrace Creative Challenges
Participating in creative challenges can boost your inspiration and productivity. Set a timer for a specific period, focus solely on the task at hand, and eliminate distractions. This focused approach will help you generate new ideas and make progress.
At the end of the day, there is always time to prioritize what you love to do with what you have to do to survive. By implementing a few of these suggestions, we hope you find a balance that fuels your musical soul!