3 Methods To Steadiness Your Music Profession With Your Day Job

We bought into music as a result of we find it irresistible. 

No, scratch that. We bought into music as a result of we couldn’t not get into it. As a result of there’s one thing in us that simply feels proper at dwelling after we choose up our instrument, or stroll into the studio, when our creativity will get to soar and we get to be ourselves in that very distinctive means that solely occurs when it’s us and our music. 

Musicians know the sensation. Trade professionals know the sensation. You understand that feeling. That’s why you’re right here. All of us chase it. However typically we now have to place it on the again burner due to work or life or no matter else—and that feels terrible, doesn’t it? 

However whenever you’re working full time and making an attempt to handle all the opposite little items of life, it may well really feel exhausting to attempt to slot in your ardour. It begins to really feel extra like a chore and fewer just like the factor that actually lights you up, till it turns into increasingly more troublesome to make it a each day a part of your life once more.

First, you’re not alone. All of us really feel this at one level or one other and everybody struggles to prioritize the issues they love. It doesn’t imply you don’t find it irresistible, it simply means you would possibly want a bit assist discovering time for it. And also you’re additionally not alone in juggling your day job with music. Most musicians are on this stage proper now. 

There’s a complete neighborhood of musicians hustling to make this their actuality, however in the event you’re not cautious, it may well begin to really feel overwhelming. So, how do you break the cycle and steadiness your music profession together with your day job?

Excellent news? It’s completely doable.

Construct out a inventive schedule

I do know, it’s not very romantic to schedule creativity is it? However creativity is a self-discipline far more than it’s a magical whim of inspiration, and whenever you’re juggling a full-time profession, you might need to schedule it in. That’s okay! 

It’s necessary to create time the place you’ll be able to work in your passions. That is the place your inventive schedule is available in. Ideally you’ll schedule this for a similar time on daily basis in order that it turns into a routine and a behavior, but when your work schedule modifications, so can your inventive schedule. No matter works for you. 

Beginning is straightforward. When do you’re employed? 9-to-five? Nice. When do you get up and when do you get dwelling? Now we’re at eight-to-six. I do know that your inclination is to now discuss all the opposite stuff you do in that point that stop you from having a strong hour or two to work in your music however take a step again and put these apart for now. We are able to make time for all of these issues. Proper now, simply consider the open time you could have. 

What time do you could have open each earlier than you get up and after you get dwelling?

The secret is to establish the time you need to dedicate to your music at first of every week after which observe via. No excuses—that is your time for you. It is going to virtually positively imply making modifications like rearranging the best way you do issues, waking up earlier, asking for assist out of your companion, and getting intentional about your time, however we’re going to make it occur. As a result of that is your ardour, and it’s necessary.

Be intentional

It’s one factor to put aside chunks of time for work, it’s one other to be totally intentional about what work you’re doing. It’s the distinction between simply feeling busy and truly getting issues performed.

Now that you just’ve recognized you could have an hour from 7-8am out there and an hour from say, 8-9pm out there, what are you going to do with that point?

So ask your self: What’s going to maneuver the needle probably the most? What can I do on this allotted time that actually makes probably the most sense? This is determined by how a lot time you could have as nicely. So in the event you solely have half-hour, that’s a great time to create social media content material. When you have 4 hours, that’s a good time to work on a few of your bigger objectives like reserving a tour or recording music.

That is really one of the necessary components of balancing your music together with your nine-to-five is that this intentionality. Realizing precisely what you need to accomplish and why (i.e. the way it truly will get you nearer to your objectives) is what retains you transferring ahead vs. feeling such as you’re caught spinning your wheels.

It’s additionally what lets you get issues performed in a a lot shorter period of time. Should you solely have 45 minutes to do your networking for the day, you’re going to be very intentional about that. You’re not going to get distracted or mindlessly scroll social media, you’re going to remain centered.

Discover the in-between occasions

That is the golden little secret of everybody who’s facet hustling. It’s the in-between occasions that we so usually neglect about or take without any consideration, however that maintain probably the most productiveness. Ever discover how when you could have 4 hours to do one thing you are taking the entire time however when you could have an hour to do the identical factor, you continue to get it performed? It’s like that.

So take into consideration all of the small moments you’ll be able to dedicate to your music profession. It might be your lunch break, the place you are taking that hour to eat at your desk and work in your music. It might be hanging at a close-by espresso store for a pair hours earlier than or after work to keep away from rush hour visitors (win-win!). It may be the half hour between conferences the place you find yourself losing time scrolling IG however you would as an alternative be contacting press or brainstorming your subsequent advertising transfer. Begin to concentrate to all of the moments you usually overlook. That is really the place you’ll discover probably the most alternative, and earlier than lengthy you’ll begin to uncover extra alternatives and time opening up on your music. You simply need to make it a precedence and take intentional steps, and also you’ll be amazed at how shortly it begins to fall into place.

Angela Tyler is the founding father of MP Co. (previously Muddy Paw PR) securing placements on Forbes, Enterprise Insider, American Songwriter, PopWrapped, & extra. She loves dessert, her rescue canine Sawyer, and discovering new music.