Time management and producing audio files
On today\u2019s episode, I share some behind-the-scenes details on how long it takes for me to produce audio.\xa0
Time management is a topic I both love and struggle with.\xa0 I love the idea of it.\xa0 Who doesn\u2019t want a perfectly-balanced schedule?\xa0 Every day, I have to make a to-do list, set priorities, and make tough choices.\xa0 I have more ambition and tasks on my to-do list than I have time to get it all done.\xa0 Over the years, I have created to-do lists, refined my processes, improved my time-management skills, ended up with realistic expectations, and made progress. \xa0
One of my favorite books of all time is Time Management from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern.\xa0 It really helped me understand how I spend my time, how long it takes me to do things, and when to choose one task over another.\xa0 I would recommend this book anyone looking for ways to improve their self-awareness and time-management skills. \xa0
I give myself about 3 hours per day to work on my business.\xa0 My family gets the rest of the time.\xa0 How did I come up with this number?\xa0 I studied myself.\xa0 I took notes about how long it takes me to do things, and I try not to bite off more than I can chew. Knowing how long it takes me to produce audio is essential. \xa0
When I\u2019m recording a project, I\u2019ll work for maybe an hour at a time. Noise cuts into my work day.\xa0 I don\u2019t record when loud noises interrupt my audio, so an hour can quickly turn into longer than an hour. \xa0
If I\u2019m recording a podcast interview, it might take me up to 2 hours to do pre-interview stuff, record the interview, and give post-interview directions.\xa0 I ignore the jets, garbage trucks, and so on during podcast interviews.\xa0 It\u2019s not a professional sample of my work that\u2019s recorded in my professional home studio.\xa0 I\u2019m in my office with a podcasting microphone.\xa0 It\u2019s a conversation with an interesting person who uses their voice to advocate, educate, or entertain.\xa0 I give myself some grace and upload podcast interviews with different standards.
I produce audio of varying lengths throughout the week.\xa0 Whether I\u2019m auditioning for something or working on a project, it takes time to get from reading the content with my eyes to having a finished audio file.\xa0
With the exception of podcast episodes, everything starts off the same way.\xa0 Before I can record anything, I have to read the content with my eyes, including directions.\xa0 Does the client want a conversational read?\xa0 Do they want it to sound more clinical?\xa0 Directions are important. Pronunciations are important too.\xa0
It takes time to set up my recording space.\xa0 I have a dedicated space for recording voiceover projects and solo podcast episodes.\xa0 It takes time to get myself in the space, open up my recording software, pick a template, and plug in my audio interface.\xa0 Then, I have to set the script up too.\xa0 If it\u2019s something short, like 15-30 seconds, I might record two or three takes.\xa0 I like to batch my recordings.\xa0 If I\u2019m going to go to the trouble of getting set up and asking everyone in the house to be quiet, I\u2019m going to record as much stuff as I can.
In closing, I have developed my business time management skills over the past 3 years during my journey from pharmacist to voice actor.\xa0 A 30-second audition might take 10 minutes to produce.\xa0 Knowing how long it takes me to produce finished audio files is essential.\xa0 I\u2019m ok with only working about 3 hours per day for now.\xa0 If and when I have more time, I understand how I spend my time, how long it takes me to do things, and when to choose one task over another.\xa0