Working in an industry where you have the freedom to work when you want from the comforts of your own home is bliss. I encourage you to think about work more generally for a moment. Whether stocking a shelf in a grocery store, working as a hospital receptionist, or producing fantastic Latte art at Starbucks, these jobs have one thing in common. The common theme here is they require you to leave the house. Sure, Covid-19 brought the office to the house along with a long string of other occupations. However, it is still true that working from home is very common in many sectors. So if you work from home, is good timekeeping in voiceover important? Let’s find out together.
Good Timekeeping Bring Structure
Regardless of the profession, good timekeeping brings structure. Without structure, it is a well-known fact productivity, concentration, and dedication are dramatically affected. Let’s use a voiceover marketing example. It’s time for one hour of marketing, but that is not as fun as recording the new AAA video game, right? So it is exceptionally easy to put it off. Interestingly marketing is actually pretty fun when you get into it. Removing the structure from your workflow is damaging and will ultimately invite bad work ethics that detract from growth. Good timekeeping, in this instance, means setting specific times for undesirable or challenging tasks and not deviating from them.
Day to Day Life of a Voiceover Artist
Picking up on that point about being intentional when you do those less desirable tasks, it is vital to look at the working day as a whole. Do you have boundaries for when you work and when you play? Interestingly good timekeeping is not just about working all the time; it is also about knowing when to rest. Simply rocking out of bed at 11 am to start your day whilst coming back and forth to your computer while you engage with every distraction admirable is not going to lead to productive, successful, and growth-generating results in your business. What is the alternative? Well, good practice means setting when you are going to start and finish work each day and not deviating from it. This includes breaks, weekends, vacations, and public holidays too. Be intentional with those working hours, be it 8 am to 6 pm or 10 am to 4 pm.
Good Timekeeping in Voiceover Summary
Being intentional is key. Here is the thing, we all know the entertainment industry can be pretty inconsistent. Working globally invites some anti-social working hours at times, and this is ok as long as you are intentional. Planning your week ahead of time is the key to this. As an example, if you have a call at 8 pm, maybe start your day at 11 am or after lunch opposed to first thing in the morning. Be kind to yourself, but do it intentionally. Most importantly, don’t be late! Be it to that hour of marketing, starting your day bright and early, a call, a session, or to your rest and relaxation space. Good timekeeping brings structure, and structure brings growth and a happy work-life balance.
Good Timekeeping in Voiceover by Alan Shires
