February’s System

When you have multiple creative pursuits and a full-time job, systems are needed to properly manage energy and time. Systems are vital to consistency and quality. They must undergo testing through trial and error. The first week of February worked splendidly. I produced two blog posts and a video for YouTube. The next week, the system fell apart. I had appointments, and I also felt down on myself when I wanted to do other creative enterprises. Monday was for ideating, and I wanted to write. Due to a busy Friday, a video was never produced. This system wasn’t working in the current environment.

Overall, February saw great production! I maintained a two-week lead on blogging. This resulted in not having to rush anything. I felt posts were longer and of decent quality. Creative juices flowed freely all month. I felt energetic. Even though the routine didn’t survive contact with the real world, I still produced four blog posts (not including this one) and the same number of  videos. 

One issue is that my February plan put filming at the end of the week, when I am fatigued. A solution is to move the filming to earlier. In addition, I’m not sure how to film interesting things regarding myself. I enjoy capturing others. The fix: develop a mindset to just film what I want and not worry about it being interesting. 

One thing I noticed is my ability to create videos related to the blog. I like the idea of video essays, but I never think to capture moments throughout the day. How do I stay in the present moment if I’m questioning lighting, camera angles, and lens choice? Last week, I simplified. I shot a bunch of B-roll on one lens and filmed myself reading a blog post. It’s certainly not a perfect video, but it felt good to stretch that limb again.

I think one of my strengths is simplicity and a willingness to show vulnerability. There are some videos I really am embarrassed to show, but most I have no problem of sharing. A tip from one YouTuber is to create titles and thumbnails first. For March, that will be one of the strategy shifts. Keep it simple and identify the title and thumbnail first. Then script.

March will be a month of both routine and flexibility. Write every day. Yet allow the creative energies to tug and pull me in whatever direction. Mondays and Tuesdays, I can find video ideas, write the title, and design the thumbnail. Keep it simple. One lens. Film and edit before Thursday. I’m not aiming for weekly YouTube videos, but I was consistent in February. To avoid burnout, I’m all about keeping it fun. So if I’m not digging it, that’s a wrap. To be flexible, I won’t force anything or allow myself to feel down about my creative pulls. That’s where February didn’t work. I felt like I failed if I didn’t accomplish that day’s task — even if I did something else. 

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