How to create an effective production workspace to maximize productivity
Whether you are producing your music at home or in a professional studio, productivity is an issue that many people within the electronic music industry face on a daily basis. With a plethora of distractions to take your attention away from the music, it can occasionally be a challenge to get mentally focused in order to produce incredible tracks. So what are some methods for improving attention in your production studio? And how can you practically apply these tips to avoid procrastination? That’s what this article is going to discuss.
Firstly, the furniture in your studio is something that can either destroy or improve your focus whilst producing music. If the chair is wobbling, you won’t be focused on your Digital Audio Workstation. Likewise, if the legs on the desk are wobbly or damaged, it can take your attention away from the valuable time spent in the production studio. In order to enhance your productivity as a music producer in the studio, it’s undoubtedly worth investing in extremely comfortable furniture that will encourage you to work hard in order to pursue your ambitions. By ensuring that everything is the correct height & comfortable to work in, you will essentially eliminate the distractions regularly faced by producers around the world.
Having natural light in the studio is another great way of enhancing your productivity. As a lot of studios are often in a bedroom, basement, or a similar setting, it can be quite a negative space to work on something that you truly love doing. Natural sunlight naturally boosts your mood, and thus causes you to be more productive & eliminates creative block. If having a window or sunroof in your studio is not feasible, consider taking regular breaks to go outside and enjoy the sunshine (if the weather is good). By adjusting the natural light in which you operate in, the workflow of your music production is going to be a lot more efficient.
In addition to natural lighting, setting the studio at a comfortable temperature can impact your levels of productivity enormously. If it’s snowing outside & it’s freezing cold indoors, the chances are that you’ll be more focused on keeping warm than you would be on producing music. Likewise, if it’s incredibly hot, you’ll be sweating and unable to concentrate due to the extremity of the heat.
Despite the natural adjustments that you should be making to your studio, having an element of personality within it can encourage you to work a lot harder whilst producing a new track or mastering a project. Ultimately, it should be a combination of your personality accompanied by a professional aesthetic. For example, you could have posters of your favourite sports team as a (hopefully) constant reminder of success. Or alternatively, having images of landmarks around the world may motivate you to work harder due to a vision that you want your tracks to be heard on a global basis. By determining what additions will make you productive, it will inspire new realms of creativity towards your music.
Have you ever lost your phone? A portable charger? Or even an XLR cable? The struggles of being extremely disorganized can severely take its toll on a producers productivity within the studio. Of course, some people may find this type of setting comfortable. However, if you are constantly interrupting your workflow during a production session, it will impact your natural productivity on unprecedented levels. Only include what is necessary on your desk so that absolutely everything is easy to find whenever you need it. Also, removing anything that is likely to be a distraction (such as a TV) will allow you to focus solely on your music.
If you are sitting at your production desk for extended periods of time, investing in the proper equipment may be an extremely good investment (if you are able to afford it). Keyboards & mouses specifically designed for comfort will allow you to work at your station for hours on end without getting tired. It’s also worth getting a suitable background rest to ensure that you are always maintaining a great posture. Likewise, reducing the blue-light on your laptop or desktop screen will reduce the level of RES (repetitive eye strain) that you have to suffer. By getting ergonomic products designed for your body, the long-term benefits will be absolutely incredible for anybody wishing to pursue their career for long periods of time.
Finally, having a reasonable area for relaxation is a great way to wind down after a tiring production session for what can often be 10-12 hours for those doing it professionally. Consider investing in items such as a Ping-Pong table, Apple TV for Netflix, or even some beanbags to sit back & relax on. As long as you are not spending the majority of your time in the relaxation room, it will yield a multitude of benefits as it’ll be giving your brain the opportunity to relax after multiple hours of concentration.
Having an extremely comfortable production workspace is absolutely essential for success within the electronic music industry. As you are (hopefully) spending the majority of your day there, it needs to be a place which you feel comfortable working for extended periods of time every single day. By investing generously in products such as ergonomic keyboards, suitable lighting, and motivational aesthetics, you can increase your productivity and have a much more prosperous music career that can potentially last for decades.