Podcasting can be a full-time job, especially if you’re working from home. The luxury of working from your home is great but unfortunately, you run the risk of dealing with a ton of distractions. Whether it is your children who need attention or your nosey neighbor coming over every hour just to chat, it can be hard to find your creative and productive rhythm.
But just like with anything in life, if you have a plan to work around distractions and really implement a podcast workflow strategy, then you will be podcasting smoothly in no time! Using these tips you will be able to find your creative podcasting rhythm and it will have a significant effect on your podcasting process.
Find Your Space
Finding a place at home that is your own, or that you can make your own, is step one for really digging in and being as productive as you can when working from home. This space could be, for instance, a home office or even a corner nook in your home that is an easy spot to call your own. Choosing your space should take into consideration what part of the podcasting process you are working on as well as where you can feel your creative juices flowing. On top of that, you also have to know yourself and create an environment that helps you be most productive.
When you are in the planning stage of your podcast and you are someone that needs complete silence, then sitting in the middle of a noisy living room might not be the most ideal space for you. However, if you need that white noise to keep your focus, then a quiet office will drive you nuts! Of course, when you are recording you should optimize the space to get the best audio quality possible. The area you decide to work in should be exactly what you need to help you create that incredible content for your podcast!
Create a Plan of Action
When you are finally sitting comfortably in the spot that you’ve chosen, ready to work, well, now it’s finally time to create a detailed schedule and vision board for your podcast. This plan of action should include your posting schedule, recording time, editing time, and idea creation time. It should also account for any extra time needed for all the in between for your production process and any other distractions that might occur.
Your vision board should be placed somewhere in your space just for your motivation. When you feel everything becoming too much or when you feel the procrastination bug flying around, draw yourself back to your vision board and get re-focused on what you plan to achieve. With both your detailed schedule and vision board at your fingertips, you will always know whether or not you are still on track and it will be a lot easier to get back to your productive podcasting rhythm.
Prioritize Your Daily Tasks
It is well-known that some of us are early birds and others find themselves doing the best work when the rest has gone to bed. Knowing which type of person you are is quite important as this will help you prioritize the work that needs to be done every day. When it comes to prioritizing your daily tasks, a good strategy to use is the Ivy Lee Method, where you write down your tasks in order from most important to least. Then, begin working on the most important task first and don’t move on to the next task until the first task is complete. This way you are much more likely to keep your focus and complete the tasks that are most important!
Keep in mind that when you are in the recording stages of your podcast, it is important to know when your voice is at its best. Often times right in the morning, your voice might not yet be fully warmed up or performing at the best quality. However, late in the evening, your voice might be tired and your energy also at a low. Find the time in your day when your voice is properly warmed up and your energy is at a peak, and you will hit that sweet spot for your recording time.
Establish a Morning Routine
Many people think that working at home means you can sit in your pajamas on the couch all day doing whatever you like, whenever you want. But this is not the case when it comes to podcasting from home. You need to have a morning routine to help get you into the right mindset. Your morning routine can consist of quite a few things, all dependent on your personality and what works best for you.
Perhaps starting with nice breakfast, getting ready and then finally moving into your workspace is the best routine to give you the most productive workday. Or maybe you enjoy doing some type of movement or meditation to refresh your mind and get the day started. Whichever routine you prefer, make sure to get it established as quickly as possible. This way once your routine is complete, your mind and body are triggered to know that it is time to get working and turn on those productivity engines!
Take a Break
Getting the most out of your day does not always mean working every single minute of every single hour. It is important to remember that your brain also needs to rest and recharge. Just because you are working from home doesn’t mean that you can neglect to look after yourself. Taking a break is essential to get a new perspective, revamp your energy, and again finding that sweet spot between over-worked and most productive.
A break can mean doing some exercise, going outside for a walk, having a healthy snack, or even sitting down with an inspiration book or podcast. The key is to do something completely different so that when you come back after 10 minutes or so, you will have a fresh perspective and a renewed energy to tackle your podcast again. Your creativity levels will be back to normal and you will have a ton of new ideas, pushing your productivity through the roof!
Shut Down!
We know that working from home means that you have access to your work 24/7 but this doesn’t mean that you should work 24/7. When you create your podcasting schedule, make sure to account for times when you are done for the day and ready to step away. Finish your scheduled daily work and then turn your computer off and leave your space until the next day. If you get a great idea after you’re done working for the day just jot it down on a small piece paper and leave it for the next day.
However, if you are on a roll, then a little extra motivation is not a bad thing because spending some extra time on your podcast can pay off in the long term. Use that extra motivation to fuel your productivity and really dig into the hard work. This type of motivation is great for batching podcast episodes and getting a lot of tasks checked off your list. Then, once you are done there will be lots of time for you to step away, take a break, and turn your mind off from your podcast for a while. Make time for the other parts of your life that are also important, like friends and family, and get the rest you need to start fresh again the next day!
Featured Image: Cathryn Lavery
