What I've Learned as a Content Producer
Life is a strange thing and it has a way of showing us up just when we think we have a handle on things. Three years ago I got into live streaming/content production, thinking I could make a quick buck. Of course, that hasn't happened yet but I've learned - or had reinforced - certain lessons that I can take with me going forward both as a content producing live streamer and as a working professional (the two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive). Here are some of the things that live streaming has taught me or reinforced as essential habits.
Always show up early. 30 minutes is good, an hour is better. You never know what each day will bring you and the earlier you leave for work the more likely you'll be able to handle it, whether it's a snarl-up in traffic due to a wreck or an unexpected update forcing you to reboot your machine. Both can take up a significant amount of time and instead of panicking over being late, you can coolly and calmly handle the situation and still have a chance of starting on time. My wife has shared with me since the start of our marriage: To be early is to be on time; to be on time is to be late; to be late is to be in deep doo-doo. Whether it's your employer or an established audience being ready before your scheduled start time is essential to success.
It's not all about you, or them. Whether it's your audience or your employer. If you're ill, don't work! Keeping yourself fit is as important as showing up every day you're expected, however, if you are sick it will show up in not only your content but your work. If you happen to work in an office, your coworkers will appreciate you not getting them sick, too. We live, work, and produce in a community. Your fans will understand, and so too (hopefully) will your employer. They'll appreciate knowing that they have employees who aren't trying to get their fellow employees or customers sick.
Enjoy what you do! Getting enjoyment from your work, whether it's live streaming music, games, or podcasts or working a 9-5 j-o-b, if you aren't enjoying it this will show up and people will take their cue from you. You'll find work interactions tenser, and in terms of an audience, you'll find you won't have much of one. Eventually, you'll also find you don't have a career but drudgery. Everyone can eventually find something they both enjoy doing and can make a career out of if you put in the effort. If you find something unenjoyable, then don't stick with it.
These are important lessons I think we can all take to heart whether we're working at the grocery store or have a multi-million dollar streaming contract. I hope you've enjoyed this article, feel free to leave a comment!