9 Productivity Tips to Help Improve Your Music Production Skills

9 Productivity Tips to Help Improve Your Music Production Skills

How’s your music production going? If you’re finding it hard to stay motivated, then it’s time to take a break and learn how to boost your productivity.

The following tips aren’t technical. These suggestions are all about productivity. While you might think that productivity has little to do with the finished product, you’d be wrong.

Staying productive keeps you on your toes. It helps you avoid mental fatigue and burnout.

By simplifying your daily routine and establishing a regular schedule, you can get more done while also creating your best work. To get started, use these 9 simple productivity tips to improve your music production skills.

#1 – Set a Schedule

Set a schedule and stick to it. If you’re serious about music, you’re going to need to work at it each day – even if you can only devote an hour to your music production on certain days.

Write this schedule down on a weekly calendar and place it somewhere that you’ll see it every day – such as the fridge.

#2 – Get a Good Night’s Rest

A lack of sleep leads to a lack of energy and mental focus. If you can’t get a good night’s rest, you’ll find it hard to think clearly. You’ll be sluggish and unmotivated – and less likely to stick to your schedule.

One way to improve your sleep routine is to follow the previous tip – set a sleep schedule. Go to bed at the same time each night and you’ll soon find it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

#3 – Take Regular Breaks

When you do start working, take regular breaks. Don’t work on the same track for hours at a time. Every so often, you need to step away from the task and clear your head. This is good advice anytime that you’re sitting for an extended period.

Typically, you should get up at least once per hour. Stretch your legs and get your blood flowing again. Just a one-minute break can help restore your focus and clear your mind.

#4 – Get Rid of Distractions

Distractions will drain your productivity. If possible, eliminate all distractions while you’re working on your music.

Turn off the television, even if you have it on mute. You might even want to turn off your phone or put it on vibrate.

#5 – Set One Goal for Each Day

You should always work toward one goal each day. Even if you have other tasks that you’re working one, you should have one main goal for the time that you’ve got available.

The goal might be as simple as working for an hour without getting distracted. Or, you might try to complete the hook on a song that you’re working on.

The goal could also be part of a larger goal, such as completing a new track. In that case, your daily goal would be to complete a certain portion of the song.

#6 – Don’t Multitask

Multitasking slows you down. Don’t try to do two things at once. For example, don’t go back and forth between two different songs during a period of work. Focus on one task at a time.

This same rule applies to any task that you’re trying to accomplish – not just music production.

#7 – Create Your Own Deadlines

Another suggestion is to set your own deadlines for your projects. You could set a deadline of two weeks for your next song – or less. It can be hard to judge your progress on a project when you don’t have a deadline.

Sometimes, this is a necessary step to ensure that you don’t spend too much time on a project. When you overwork a song, you run the risk of adding too much to the track.

#8 – Reward Your Hard Work

At the end of the day, you should reward yourself for completing your tasks or making progress on a song. The reward could be something simple, such as watching a television program or eating a snack.

The reward isn’t important. It’s the act of rewarding yourself that creates a connection between hard work and pleasure. Your brain will know that if you stick to your goals, there is a payoff at the end.

The power of reward has been studied and researched. It really does work.

But, you need to deserve the reward. Also, decide on the reward before you start your work. This will give you something to look forward to throughout the day.

#9 – Review and Plan

The last tip is to review your progress and start planning for the next day. This is a step that you’ll complete at the end of your work day.

Think about what you’ve accomplished and what you still need to get done. You don’t need to take notes unless you think it will help you stay on track the next day.

After reviewing your progress, start planning for the following day. Think about your one main goal for the next day.

In addition to these tips, the following video gives a few more helpful ideas for boosting productivity for music producers:

Once you get on track and start producing quality music, you’ll be ready to start making a living from your original work.

By licensing and selling your music, you move toward the goal of making music a full-time career. We’ve got an upcoming webinar that teaches the most effective techniques for selling music. Reserve your spot. Click here to register for this upcoming webinar!

Source: ArtistPR Music Production