January 28, 2011 5 Tips For Managing Your Work Load As An Independent Artist
So, you’re living the ultimate independent artist lifestyle. You write and record constantly releasing something cool every few weeks. You rehearse with the band and throw gigs regularly. You draw great album art and design your own t-shirts. You make wicked YouTube videos, and write great blog posts. You Tweet and Facebook and keep up with some great blogs and inspirational artists. You take care of business, track merchandise levels and order new stock in time. Oh yeah, and you take care of your physical health, have a happy relationship and a day job.
How exactly are you supposed to do that?
1. Keep it manageable and consistent
Divide your work. Keep it regular and consistent. Read and respond to blogs, tweets and facebook posts when you’re having your morning coffee. Walk or jog to work. Have an allocated evening for songwriting, rehearsing and business. Edit and post videos on Sundays. Don’t do anything on Saturdays unless you have a gig. Doing a little bit every day accumulates over time. Keep it steady and manageable instead of burning out.
2. Excecute an inspiration immediately
So your plan was to work on the new track today, but then you saw an amazing TV show that gave you a great idea for a video. Forget that tune for a while and make the video. You can get things done fun and fast if you immediately follow the idea that struck you. If you don’t do it then the moment will pass and on your “video day” you’re struggling.
3. Divide work
Play to the strengths and interests of the various band members. One of you might be more into business, where as one of you is an amazing visual artist and one of you is the eye catching entertainer, that everyone wants to connect with online. Great! Have separate areas to look after and trust that person to care of them. You’ll get so much more done and it’s probably going to work much better, when everyone is not sticking their fingers in every pie.
4. Extend your band beyond musicians
Do you have friends or relatives that are great with a video camera, or are aspiring entrepreneurs? Offer them a job in the music business! You probably know some great people that are going to be an excellent extension to your band even if they are not playing an instrument.
5. Connect everything
Is your job helping your musical career? Do you have a camera with you at rehearsals? Are your blog posts and lyrics contemplating on the same issues? If everything you do becomes part of your art, producing it becomes much easier. Live one life, not several parallel ones.
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independent music | tagged connect, independent artist, managing time, music career
Reader Comments (2)
Great article I just posted this out to my network.
I really love point 1. The way I like to think about it is that you decide what actions are going to move you fastest towards your goal and then schedule time to consistently make progress on each.
- Chris
Good Post! Even an old Pooch like me needs to remember to Manage my time much better :)
Thanks!
PP