New Zealand, 3 Kids, Work from HOME… A lesson in…

I already showed you some impressive work from one of my favorite Imaging guys ever, Chris Davis… What can i say about this guy beside he is unbelievable talented, does 2 libraries for us (HotAC, Turbulence), 2day Breaky Production and much more custom stuff for clients around the world… Beside all that he has 3 (!!!) Kids and works from home. As a father of 2 I can’t tell you how impressed I am.
Chris was so nice to share some of his latest work and as always I am blown away! Great inspiration for you breaky producers… Learn how to organize your day, create awesome Imaging and be a cool dude – Enter Chris…

2Day Breakfast Promos:
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JMSM Promos:
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JMSM Promos Artists:

1. How do you balance all this? What is the routines? How does your day look?

Three preschoolers, one metropolitan breakfast show, and worldwide imaging. It seems like a crap load to manage from home, and sometimes it is…but it is doable, -you just need determination and a lot of caffeine on your side.

A typical day starts at the crack of dawn, checking multiple email accounts and forming a plan of attack. Nothing can be too rigid given the nature of live radio, so it’s important to remain flexible. Much of my mornings work for the breakfast show has been prepped in advance, which helps with this. This also frees up time to listen to the show and cut audio grabs for promos as well as the daily wrap, showcasing the highlights of the show at its conclusion. From the show end I move into planning phase once more, liaising with the production team and preparing for the next show.

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My work with Benztown balances nicely with my breakfast show work and family commitments. I prefer to do this at the opposite end of the day, once the kids are tucked into bed and my phone has stopped ringing. Early in the week I focus on getting scripts written for the HotAC and Turbulence libraries, then once the audio comes through I spend my nights producing it and uploading it to Benztown. I also have the task of producing audio for B98 in Little Rock, Arkansas, which slots into my schedule, monthly. I enjoy the contrast between my work for Benztown and that of my breakfast show work. No doubt it keeps me on my toes, but I feel I have become stronger in my craft for it.

Not forgetting of course the most important aspect, my family –this is what I do all this for after all! Making time for them is also important, so freeing up my late afternoons and weekends is my way of ensuring that I can have the best of both worlds. Call it a work-life balance if you like, but I call it my breakfast/Benztown/babies balance!

2. What can people do to achieve this kind of organization, life style?

When you’re juggling so many balls in the air at once it’s important to be able to look at the bigger picture and prioritize everything in a logical manner. Implementing some form of routine or system can be helpful with this.

Maintain your focus. Working from home comes with its distractions and interruptions. Try not to let these get in the way of the task at hand. It’s about getting stuff done, not letting work pile up but also at the same time being flexible. You also need to trust in your own ability and skillset. Doubting yourself at every turn is counterproductive and not good for the soul.
When working from home in particular its important you remember to take time out for yourself and your family. At times it can feel like you are trying to make up for being placed at home, so you feel obliged to compensate for this by overworking yourself. Try scheduling some ‘you/family time’ into your day.

I’m a firm believer that drive and determination can get you almost anywhere in life. This kind of lifestyle may not be for everyone, but for those who do want it, if you want it bad enough and work toward it, it is achievable.