June 25, 2025 • 24 mins
Staying consistent with podcasting becomes especially challenging during summer months when family obligations, home repairs, and world events compete for attention and energy.
• Summer creates unique challenges for content creators with disrupted routines and family priorities
• Home repairs and family health issues can quickly derail a podcast schedule
• World events and news cycles create additional distractions that drain mental energy
• Downloads and listener engagement naturally dip during vacation seasons
• Batch recording provides a buffer but requires significant advance planning
• Recording shorter episodes can help maintain consistency with less production time
• Finding creative recording spaces like your car can work when home isn't quiet
• The 23-minute episode length balances monetization potential and listener attention spans
• Involving older children in the podcast process can create both bonding and productivity
• Focusing on progress rather than perfection helps maintain momentum
• Remembering your "why" provides motivation during challenging periods
Be good or be good at it.
Ideas from:
https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/podcast-ideas-from-grow-radio-7240277072038834177/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello and welcome back to the Trading Post.
I'm your host, trader Stu.
This episode is brought to youby the Michigan Renaissance
Festival.
If you haven't went and checkedthem out yet, be sure to do so
this fall.
Metro Trading Association.
I work for them full-time andthe whole point of this podcast
was to explain trade.
And then I thought you knowwhat I'll explain a little bit
(00:20):
more than that too.
So Metro Trading Association,thank you.
I'll explain a little bit morethan that too.
So Metro Trading Association,thank you.
And Networking with Kids.
That's my own personal.
Well, it's me and the doc, docMary from Suzy Q's Kids.
We run the Networking with Kidsfirst Thursday of the month at
the Jungle Java there on HallRoad, clinton Township.
(00:41):
If you're in the area, be sureto stop by.
It's from 4 to 6.
Bring the kids, it's free, letthem play, hand out business
cards and uh mingle for a couplehours and bounce.
So all right, let's get into it.
All right, real quick.
I say real quick every time,don't I?
It's never real quick.
I am a victim of summervacation podcast fatigue, not
(01:09):
fatigue lacking, slackingperhaps.
Maybe, basically.
You know how hard it is to stayconsistent with something when
something else comes up and I amrecording this actually on a
Wednesday morning and having tosubmit it on a Wednesday morning
because I had my, had someinsurance worked into my house,
(01:29):
had a huge hailstorm come by andjust had some leaks.
And Drywall painter guy came byand if you haven't used his
name Al, I forgot the name ofhis company because he didn't
give me a business card becauseit's through insurance work I'll
be sure to ask him and I willhighly recommend this guy if you
ever need a drywall, if you'rein the metro Detroit area,
whatever, uh, drywall paintingthis dude, you can't even see it
(01:51):
.
You can't I, and I know whereit was, you know, I know where
the leak is, I know whereeverything, all the problems
were.
And let me tell you, you can'teven see, like, um, like even a
line or even a bump, nothing.
And I had him fix a couplethings in my, uh, my bedroom and
finish up a paint job that mywife tried to attempt, uh, in
(02:13):
the kitchen, and so while he wasout doing insurance work, he
stayed longer and I paid him,you know, to do extra, right,
because he's already out.
So it just made sense, um, andit cost me far less because he
was already out than it did if Iwas to have someone just come
out and do it.
But uh, definitely recommendthis guy if you're interested.
(02:35):
If you need drywall andpainting work done, hit me up.
You know, uh, dm me or whateverand uh, I'll give you his
number, all right.
So that being said, creatingepisodes with kids underfoot and
vacations on the calendar,that's where I'm at.
(02:55):
I was going to do this podcastin the basement and with the
kids being home summer break.
Well, my father's always home,but you know what I mean.
And then I had to be on for ifAl needed me for questions like
I don't know.
For an example, I have askylight and one of my first
things I did when I got in thehouse, I broke the skylight
(03:15):
blinds.
I tried adjusting them up anddown.
I was like, oh cool, here's apole to adjust the blinds, and
then I did it and I fell off the.
And then I just hung there forthe last four years because
their cathedrals ceilings.
I couldn't get up there to fixit.
I really didn't care, because Iwound them up enough to get out
of the way and you just forgetabout them.
You know what I mean.
So, anyway, he was like hey,while I'm up here, do you want
(03:37):
these gone?
I was like, well, that's what Ithought.
So you know, stuff like that.
I had to be kind of on for that.
And then, of course, there'splanning for camping trips, and
then I got sick as a dog, mywife got sick as a dog and my
(03:57):
toddler got sick as a dog.
So there went a week or two andthen, you know you, just one
one thing happens after anotherand by the time you know it, I
was ahead a week on myrecordings and then, uh, you
know, all hell broke loose.
And well, here we are, back tobeing behind again, and so what
I really got to do is get fourweeks ahead, a whole month
(04:18):
ideally, and um, but I likerecording, like current event
stuff, you know.
So I don't know, if I was outfour weeks ahead, what would
that put me at the end of Julyalready?
And I just feel like there's somuch in between.
But maybe I can't do it likethat Anyway.
So let's get into it, trying tostay motivated, staying
(04:46):
motivated or just trying not toget behind on what to do with
the kids, and I found an articleabout it all and I'm going to
inject my own personal thingsthat instead of somebody saying
that this is what it should be,then I'm going to give you, like
what's happened with me ifyou're trying to do a podcast
for your business and then justgo from there.
So the summer challenge and whypodcasting gets harder.
(05:12):
Then you got family time versuswork time.
The kids are at home, like Isaid, the routines are disrupted
and vacations pull you awayfrom your usual workflow and I
want to say not even vacations.
The war, world War III, has gotme sucked in.
You ever seen that movie, 1984?
And it's just constant.
You know what they call theoceania and europa?
(05:36):
I think it was.
They called it uh, or in asia,or asiatic anyway.
I thought there was like threedifferent like players in the
war and they gave updates everyday on who was winning, who was
losing, and I think it was allbull crap or fabricated it.
From what I remember, and Ifeel like this is what's going
(05:57):
on right now.
Everyone's attention is onwhatever Trump says does and
Putin says does.
Whatever Trump says does andPutin says does.
Zelensky says does, uh, kimJong-un, whatever says does and
uh, what was the other onePresident Xi of China says does,
and it's exhausting at fourplayers and it's just like
(06:21):
everyone's trying to followeverything and then they're
going to throw some naturaldisasters in there and pretend
and play like volcanoes nevererupted before and earthquakes
never happened again.
And maybe it really is morefrequent, or maybe it's just
that the media is focusing moreon it.
Because I thought on average,there's like 400 earthquakes
(06:42):
around the planet at any giventime going on or something crazy
like that.
But now they're just like ohlook, this one was a 4.0 and 6.0
and a 2.5.
And earthquakes or earthquakeswarms now they call them.
They got to add a title andlabel everything to make it
palatable for the media.
(07:03):
Make it, you know, palatablefor the media in the.
You know the one in with thevolcano and earthquake, or the
volcano in Hawaii erupts all thetime.
Suddenly it's got worldattention.
And then you know volcanoes inthe Pacific and supposedly on
July 5th there's gonna be a bigevent according to the stars or
predictions or that cute fortuneteller.
(07:25):
And yeah, it's just.
There are so many differentthings to look at that I've just
reached pure exhaustion towhere I just follow one thing
and then that's it.
Once that episode is done, Ihave my coffee and I try and go
do something else, and thatusually never happens to be fair
.
I'm not lying that when I saymy garage is unwalkable and it
is where it is.
So, all right, I digress.
(07:47):
Also, don't forget listenerbehavior shifts.
Right.
If your downloads and engagementthey dip in the summer and the
holiday seasons because peopletravel and they relax and
they're not maybe going to workback and forth or they're
working from home, they're notcatching your podcast to and
from work, to and from gettingkids from school, or to and from
(08:08):
kids soccer, baseball,interject, whatever sports
entertainment venue thing thatthey're doing, right.
So people not only you, butpeople, your listeners are.
They're gone too during summerbreak when the kids are off,
right.
And then, of course, I'mstruggling with right now it's
(08:29):
personal motivation and yourtime temptation to take break.
It's real man, but consistencyis key to keeping your audience
engaged.
So you know everything you readis consistency.
So you know, really, if youthink about it once, a Tuesday
is not that freaking hard man.
But let me tell you what.
Once you get into it, tuesdayscome up quick.
A week flies by, especiallywhen you've got the kids.
(08:51):
You've got, you know, keepingthem entertained.
Right now we're looking for aplayground structure.
I'm looking for a guy, or acrew really, that can take down
a playground, move it and thenreassemble it.
I figure by the time I get thetools, my shoulders can't handle
too much work over my head, sothere's that limitation from
(09:13):
some injuries.
I got in the military and thenyou got to, you know, either buy
or rent a flatbed trailer, aU-Haul or whatever, and by the
time you do all that you're upto at least probably a grand.
You're going to do a few times,a few days or whatever.
And then you got to do it, youknow, get it assembled, and so I
might as well spend the extrawhatever one or two grand, I
(09:35):
don't know just to have it donefor me, man, and it's done and
it's done right, and I know whatthey're doing and they're going
to do it in a fraction of thetime and I don't got to try and
deal with my toddler trying tocome over and deal, you know,
and deal with him to try and getup on the playground before
it's done, or he's mad becausenot spending time with them.
You know it's a whole thing.
(09:55):
So I can luckily afford alittle bit more than me doing it
myself.
Some things are just worthgetting paid getting done.
Just pay for it and be donewith it.
You know, and I think that aplayground structure when my
kid's safety is at hand here,and I don't want any temptations
of me taking short shortcuts oryou know not, or not knowing
(10:17):
what I'm doing or how to fastenthings or all that stuff, and
there's a lot of parts and uh,just pay guy who does it every
day?
They do.
I think it was two a week ortwo a month or something like
that this guy I'm talking to.
So you know there's that allright.
So here's a couple practicaltips for staying productive.
One batch recording I just wentover this record multiple
(10:37):
episodes in advance before thesummer chaos hits.
Yeah, easier said than done.
So maybe next time next yearI'll be ahead of the game and do
that.
But, like I said, maybe a week,or I tried a week ahead and
that caught up with me.
So I need more of a buffer.
So maybe two weeks to a month,okay, so we'll do that.
Shorter episodes, that you know,take more focused approaches
(11:01):
and it takes less time toproduce them, but you keep.
You have to keep your contentflowing.
So what that means is, you know, if you try and aim for half
hour episodes, maybe do two 15minute or something like that
for me.
Me, I try and stick to the23-minute rule.
That seems to be the powerhousebetween monetization, listener
and how long listeners canlisten for, and you can put
(11:25):
commercials in there, mid-rollsand things like that.
So I always personally aim forabout 23 minutes at least, no
more than 27, 30 and keep her atthat, but okay, whatever.
And then I don't know aboutthis one Best of replay episodes
.
You create highlights or re-airyour popular episodes to
(11:45):
maintain schedule without extrawork.
Okay, maybe I can see that moreon like a video type podcast on
YouTube, but I don't know howwell that would go over on a
traditional podcast.
Audio only.
It says flexible schedule orflex scheduling.
Adjust your release schedule ifneeded, but communicate your
(12:06):
changes clearly to your audience.
Okay, well, I didn't if youguys are listeners on Tuesdays.
Sorry I didn't let you know,but here you are a day late.
I should have done it earlier,I don't know.
So I guess next week, if Idon't do another upload then I
got sidetracked again.
Managing your kids and work.
So create boundaries, set updedicated workspace and
(12:29):
communication, or communicateclear rules with your family.
That's easier said than donewith a two-year-old.
The 10-year-old gets it andactually that comes with the
10-year-old.
Engage kids with the process.
Involve your older children,yup in the simple tasks or
explain your work so theyunderstand when you need focus.
The 10-year-old does likehelping out.
(12:52):
He gets excited aboutpodcasting.
He wants to learn, he wants todo it one day, so that works for
him.
Finding quiet time Again easiersaid than done with my
2-year-old.
We're trying to work on hissleep schedule.
But work early in the morning,late at night or during kids'
naps and activities I have triedall of those and all of those
(13:13):
don't work.
Sometimes, early in the morning, I'm like cool, I'm up at five,
I'll knock one out.
And then my wife comes downwith them and she's like, hey,
can you watch him?
He's up early and I need totake a nap.
Okay, I always, you know, yep.
And then family comes first.
Man, late at night, you thinkyou got it, oh, okay.
Then the two year olds up until11 midnight, you know,
sometimes one, uh.
(13:34):
Or during his naps.
Well, I'm not home during naps.
I'm at work, but there's that.
And then plan activities have alist of activities ready to
keep kids occupied while youwork.
Again, easier said than done, Itry and knock these out.
Actually, I get so darnsidetracked so easily that I do
(13:54):
these while I'm in my car in theparking lot.
At work, I try doing them atparks, but then you've got to
schedule that or work aroundthat.
I tried several other things,even at my desk at work, but
then I get sidetracked.
As soon as I open my computerto do a recording, it's a wrap.
I get sidetracked with emailsand LinkedInin and alignable and
the phone rings and nope, Ineed a podcast.
(14:18):
Studio is what I need at rv orwhatever like that, or at work,
and that's the first thing Ijust go do, right, but uh, the
car works fine.
Um, the audio is here and therethere, but uh, you know I'm
working on it.
At the dGA mics I see one ofthe guys I follow on YouTube,
prepper News and CanadianPrepper.
He records his with a DGImicrophone, at least I think he
(14:41):
does.
He may have other microphonesoff the camera that you can't
see and he does this sponsoredby DJI.
I don't know, but he seems tohave pretty decent audio.
So, heck, that's what I'mrolling with, all right.
So staying motivated andaverting avoiding burnout.
Set realistic goals, um, yeah,well, except that you may not be
(15:04):
as productive as usual and aimfor progress, not perfect
perfection, and you know what?
And that's what I'm doing.
I just try and keep hitting theball forward, man, because as
soon as you get overzealous withthe whole, trying to edit and
make everything perfect, it'snot going to work, you're not
going to do it, you're going toget burnout and you're not going
to record anymore and you'regoing to be, man, what could
(15:25):
have been.
And all you had to do was notbe such a stupid stickler about
trying to overedit every episode, every word, every nuance,
every breath intake, every um,every blah, blah, blah.
Right, so that's what I used todo, and it's exhausting, and
then I quit, but then you getthe fire in you.
(15:46):
That's who I am.
I am a YouTuber at the time Apodcaster.
I'm something, man, andsomething's going to click One
day.
It's going to happen, and oneday I'm going to actually build
a little revenue off of this.
And just stay at it, just keepkicking the ball forward, man or
the can or whatever, yourwhatever.
Uh, take breaks.
(16:07):
Uh, regular breaks help youboth.
Help both of you and yourfamily stay happy and productive
.
I don't know, yeah, take breaks, but I don't have enough of a
schedule yet to warrant a break.
I spend a lot of time with myfamily as it is, so I think I'm
good there.
Celebrate your small wins andreward yourself for every
episode completed or milestonereached.
Okay, well, I'm not one ofthose guys.
(16:29):
That's like everyone gets atrophy.
I was at the very beginning ofthat generation.
I'm an 81 baby, so I didn't gettoo caught up in that.
Everyone gets an award and whenthey were trying to do that, I
felt stupid or whatever.
I'm like.
I don't deserve that.
That guy, jason, he's a he's akiller dude.
He's the one who needs this.
I didn't do anything.
(16:50):
I just was out in the fieldrunning around picking
dandelions or whatever.
You know what I'm saying.
So leverage your podcast forfamily entertainment.
It says, uh, podcasts for kids.
Introduce your children topodcasts to keep them
entertained and give yourself abreak.
Um, yeah, the two-year-old hasno time for that Family
(17:11):
listening.
Use podcast time as a way tobond and share interests with
your kids.
I don't know why this hasanything to do with your podcast
.
Maybe it's to like say, hey,daddy's going to go make a
podcast real quick and, um,you're going to hear me on the
air real soon.
Is going to go make a podcastreal quick and you're going to
hear me on the air real soon.
So in the meantime, listen toyour child bedtime reading
podcast.
I guess I don't know.
(17:31):
Prepare for vacation.
We don't really vacation, wecamp on the weekends.
But either way, plan ahead,schedule content release while
you're away or let your audienceknow you'll be back soon.
And teasers and trailers.
Drop a teaser for the nextseason or upcoming content to
keep your listeners excited.
See, I don't go by seasons.
(17:53):
I do seasons by category.
You know category one is allabout trade, barter and how it
helps business.
Season two is networking, salesand marketing.
You know ideas, whatever.
And then season three is theexperience of using a podcast
(18:13):
for growing your business, whichis what you're listening to
right now.
This is a season three podcast,so I try to keep it to three.
Motivation and mindsetConsistency is key.
Even if you're not at your best, showing up regularly builds
(18:34):
trust and loyalty with youraudience.
So the only one I notice ifthey don't upload an episode is
my prepper guy Only because hedoes current events and news and
I actually look forward to thenext thing he says because he's
pretty well on track with theCanadian Prepper guy.
Everything else I don't have.
I personally don't followpodcasts to like say, oh man,
(18:58):
they didn't upload an episodefor me to listen to on Wednesday
morning.
That's not me.
I know some people are.
But whatever Model resilienceand balance your work and family
and set a powerful example foryour kids and your listeners.
So that kind of yeah, so I'lluse my lawn mowing focus for
(19:23):
that.
I don't.
I hate yard work.
I'm allergic to grass pollen.
The other day I finally brokedown and I was like man, screw
it, I'm going to wear.
It was like a baklava what dothey call it?
Or balava and over my nose tokeep the pollen out, to filter
it.
And it worked.
I hated it because I didn'thave to take it off anyways to
weed whack, because every time Ibreathed out I'd fogged up my
(19:44):
safety glasses.
So in the long run it didn'treally work, but it did work for
the lawnmower.
So maybe I'll just do that.
But whatever, let's see whatelse we got.
Remember your why.
Reconnect with the reasons youstarted your podcast.
This will fuel your motivationduring tough weeks.
(20:04):
Well, I mean, I just told youmy why.
So there's that Call to actionSharing your tips.
Encourage your listeners toshare their own summer
productivity hacks In the summerin your comments or on social
media.
It's a good idea.
I actually like that.
A little social media presencethere and how they keep their
(20:28):
productivity for doing podcastson the up and up.
Stay connected.
Remind listeners to subscribeand check out upcoming episodes,
even in this schedule is later.
Cool, I like it.
I guess you could do this tooin the summertime.
Wrap up with a quick recap ofeverything that you went through
(20:51):
in your episode.
Every episode you create thissummer is a win, no matter how
small.
Keep moving forward and enjoythe journey.
Yeah, you know what I like this.
I'll even tell you my sourceson where I found this stuff.
Podcasting tips for busy parents.
How work-from-home parents canstay productive when kids are at
(21:14):
home.
How to take a summer breakwithout losing momentum.
Take breaks for seasons.
Five strategies to take a breakfrom podcasting without losing
listeners.
A secret tool to entertain yourkids this summer my origin story
.
So, yeah, I like that.
That was you know whatproductive I think.
I think it was a good idea.
Everything makes sense for meand I'll try and use it.
(21:37):
I mean, like I said, keepingyour motivation going.
It's not about motivation, it'sabout is it motivation going?
It's not about motivation, it'sabout is it motivation?
I guess if you're so motivatedto where you live, will you
breathe, ate, slept, podcasting.
That's all you could thinkabout.
I guess you would automaticallystay on topic right there on on
schedule.
(21:58):
But if you can't, or if it's notyour number one, so, like I use
this as a marketing tool, I usethis one.
So, like I use this as amarketing tool, I use this for
educational purposes and I usethis for my um.
I try and be real, becauseeverything on social media or
YouTube podcasting I guess it'sall social media it's fake.
I think it's fake.
They're like you know look atmy perfect life or look at how
(22:22):
easy it is for me to do this andpodcasting isn't that hard.
If you just do this, it's allbullcrap fake.
So, unless you have a team thatdepends on you, which I don't
ever really want to get to, Isay that and watch me get to
like an editor, or you knowsomeone who does all my social
media, which would be awesomeone day, I guess.
(22:44):
Maybe I don't know if I couldpay them without having to
depend on episodes though Idon't want to depend on episodes
to make paychecks.
That sounds like it takes allthe fun out of it.
And a lot of times you hearthese people who get these
million-dollar offers, thesecontracts, but they can't talk
about what they want to talkabout, they can't release what
they want to release about, theycan't release when they want to
release and they can'tinterview who they want to
interview and they're like well,I don't want it then and I want
(23:05):
the money, because that's thewhole point of me.
Wanting to get into podcastingis to do that.
So you know, as they say, onceyou got all your bills paid, um,
the rest of it, all the money,is just for showing off, and one
day maybe I'll get there andunderstand that, but you know
right now I'll take the money.
So maybe I don't know.
(23:28):
I say that, but we'll see whathappens.
At any rate, whatever you do,be good at it.
Hello and welcome back to the Trading Post.
I'm your host, trader Stu.
This episode is brought to youby the Michigan Renaissance
Festival.
If you haven't went and checkedthem out yet, be sure to do so
this fall.
Metro Trading Association.
I work for them full-time andthe whole point of this podcast
was to explain trade.
And then I thought you knowwhat I'll explain a little bit
(00:20):
more than that too.
So Metro Trading Association,thank you.
I'll explain a little bit morethan that too.
So Metro Trading Association,thank you.
And Networking with Kids.
That's my own personal.
Well, it's me and the doc, docMary from Suzy Q's Kids.
We run the Networking with Kidsfirst Thursday of the month at
the Jungle Java there on HallRoad, clinton Township.
(00:41):
If you're in the area, be sureto stop by.
It's from 4 to 6.
Bring the kids, it's free, letthem play, hand out business
cards and uh mingle for a couplehours and bounce.
So all right, let's get into it.
All right, real quick.
I say real quick every time,don't I?
It's never real quick.
I am a victim of summervacation podcast fatigue, not
(01:09):
fatigue lacking, slackingperhaps.
Maybe, basically.
You know how hard it is to stayconsistent with something when
something else comes up and I amrecording this actually on a
Wednesday morning and having tosubmit it on a Wednesday morning
because I had my, had someinsurance worked into my house,
(01:29):
had a huge hailstorm come by andjust had some leaks.
And Drywall painter guy came byand if you haven't used his
name Al, I forgot the name ofhis company because he didn't
give me a business card becauseit's through insurance work I'll
be sure to ask him and I willhighly recommend this guy if you
ever need a drywall, if you'rein the metro Detroit area,
whatever, uh, drywall paintingthis dude, you can't even see it
(01:51):
.
You can't I, and I know whereit was, you know, I know where
the leak is, I know whereeverything, all the problems
were.
And let me tell you, you can'teven see, like, um, like even a
line or even a bump, nothing.
And I had him fix a couplethings in my, uh, my bedroom and
finish up a paint job that mywife tried to attempt, uh, in
(02:13):
the kitchen, and so while he wasout doing insurance work, he
stayed longer and I paid him,you know, to do extra, right,
because he's already out.
So it just made sense, um, andit cost me far less because he
was already out than it did if Iwas to have someone just come
out and do it.
But uh, definitely recommendthis guy if you're interested.
(02:35):
If you need drywall andpainting work done, hit me up.
You know, uh, dm me or whateverand uh, I'll give you his
number, all right.
So that being said, creatingepisodes with kids underfoot and
vacations on the calendar,that's where I'm at.
(02:55):
I was going to do this podcastin the basement and with the
kids being home summer break.
Well, my father's always home,but you know what I mean.
And then I had to be on for ifAl needed me for questions like
I don't know.
For an example, I have askylight and one of my first
things I did when I got in thehouse, I broke the skylight
(03:15):
blinds.
I tried adjusting them up anddown.
I was like, oh cool, here's apole to adjust the blinds, and
then I did it and I fell off the.
And then I just hung there forthe last four years because
their cathedrals ceilings.
I couldn't get up there to fixit.
I really didn't care, because Iwound them up enough to get out
of the way and you just forgetabout them.
You know what I mean.
So, anyway, he was like hey,while I'm up here, do you want
(03:37):
these gone?
I was like, well, that's what Ithought.
So you know, stuff like that.
I had to be kind of on for that.
And then, of course, there'splanning for camping trips, and
then I got sick as a dog, mywife got sick as a dog and my
(03:57):
toddler got sick as a dog.
So there went a week or two andthen, you know you, just one
one thing happens after anotherand by the time you know it, I
was ahead a week on myrecordings and then, uh, you
know, all hell broke loose.
And well, here we are, back tobeing behind again, and so what
I really got to do is get fourweeks ahead, a whole month
(04:18):
ideally, and um, but I likerecording, like current event
stuff, you know.
So I don't know, if I was outfour weeks ahead, what would
that put me at the end of Julyalready?
And I just feel like there's somuch in between.
But maybe I can't do it likethat Anyway.
So let's get into it, trying tostay motivated, staying
(04:46):
motivated or just trying not toget behind on what to do with
the kids, and I found an articleabout it all and I'm going to
inject my own personal thingsthat instead of somebody saying
that this is what it should be,then I'm going to give you, like
what's happened with me ifyou're trying to do a podcast
for your business and then justgo from there.
So the summer challenge and whypodcasting gets harder.
(05:12):
Then you got family time versuswork time.
The kids are at home, like Isaid, the routines are disrupted
and vacations pull you awayfrom your usual workflow and I
want to say not even vacations.
The war, world War III, has gotme sucked in.
You ever seen that movie, 1984?
And it's just constant.
You know what they call theoceania and europa?
(05:36):
I think it was.
They called it uh, or in asia,or asiatic anyway.
I thought there was like threedifferent like players in the
war and they gave updates everyday on who was winning, who was
losing, and I think it was allbull crap or fabricated it.
From what I remember, and Ifeel like this is what's going
(05:57):
on right now.
Everyone's attention is onwhatever Trump says does and
Putin says does.
Whatever Trump says does andPutin says does.
Zelensky says does, uh, kimJong-un, whatever says does and
uh, what was the other onePresident Xi of China says does,
and it's exhausting at fourplayers and it's just like
(06:21):
everyone's trying to followeverything and then they're
going to throw some naturaldisasters in there and pretend
and play like volcanoes nevererupted before and earthquakes
never happened again.
And maybe it really is morefrequent, or maybe it's just
that the media is focusing moreon it.
Because I thought on average,there's like 400 earthquakes
(06:42):
around the planet at any giventime going on or something crazy
like that.
But now they're just like ohlook, this one was a 4.0 and 6.0
and a 2.5.
And earthquakes or earthquakeswarms now they call them.
They got to add a title andlabel everything to make it
palatable for the media.
(07:03):
Make it, you know, palatablefor the media in the.
You know the one in with thevolcano and earthquake, or the
volcano in Hawaii erupts all thetime.
Suddenly it's got worldattention.
And then you know volcanoes inthe Pacific and supposedly on
July 5th there's gonna be a bigevent according to the stars or
predictions or that cute fortuneteller.
(07:25):
And yeah, it's just.
There are so many differentthings to look at that I've just
reached pure exhaustion towhere I just follow one thing
and then that's it.
Once that episode is done, Ihave my coffee and I try and go
do something else, and thatusually never happens to be fair
.
I'm not lying that when I saymy garage is unwalkable and it
is where it is.
So, all right, I digress.
(07:47):
Also, don't forget listenerbehavior shifts.
Right.
If your downloads and engagementthey dip in the summer and the
holiday seasons because peopletravel and they relax and
they're not maybe going to workback and forth or they're
working from home, they're notcatching your podcast to and
from work, to and from gettingkids from school, or to and from
(08:08):
kids soccer, baseball,interject, whatever sports
entertainment venue thing thatthey're doing, right.
So people not only you, butpeople, your listeners are.
They're gone too during summerbreak when the kids are off,
right.
And then, of course, I'mstruggling with right now it's
(08:29):
personal motivation and yourtime temptation to take break.
It's real man, but consistencyis key to keeping your audience
engaged.
So you know everything you readis consistency.
So you know, really, if youthink about it once, a Tuesday
is not that freaking hard man.
But let me tell you what.
Once you get into it, tuesdayscome up quick.
A week flies by, especiallywhen you've got the kids.
(08:51):
You've got, you know, keepingthem entertained.
Right now we're looking for aplayground structure.
I'm looking for a guy, or acrew really, that can take down
a playground, move it and thenreassemble it.
I figure by the time I get thetools, my shoulders can't handle
too much work over my head, sothere's that limitation from
(09:13):
some injuries.
I got in the military and thenyou got to, you know, either buy
or rent a flatbed trailer, aU-Haul or whatever, and by the
time you do all that you're upto at least probably a grand.
You're going to do a few times,a few days or whatever.
And then you got to do it, youknow, get it assembled, and so I
might as well spend the extrawhatever one or two grand, I
(09:35):
don't know just to have it donefor me, man, and it's done and
it's done right, and I know whatthey're doing and they're going
to do it in a fraction of thetime and I don't got to try and
deal with my toddler trying tocome over and deal, you know,
and deal with him to try and getup on the playground before
it's done, or he's mad becausenot spending time with them.
You know it's a whole thing.
(09:55):
So I can luckily afford alittle bit more than me doing it
myself.
Some things are just worthgetting paid getting done.
Just pay for it and be donewith it.
You know, and I think that aplayground structure when my
kid's safety is at hand here,and I don't want any temptations
of me taking short shortcuts oryou know not, or not knowing
(10:17):
what I'm doing or how to fastenthings or all that stuff, and
there's a lot of parts and uh,just pay guy who does it every
day?
They do.
I think it was two a week ortwo a month or something like
that this guy I'm talking to.
So you know there's that allright.
So here's a couple practicaltips for staying productive.
One batch recording I just wentover this record multiple
(10:37):
episodes in advance before thesummer chaos hits.
Yeah, easier said than done.
So maybe next time next yearI'll be ahead of the game and do
that.
But, like I said, maybe a week,or I tried a week ahead and
that caught up with me.
So I need more of a buffer.
So maybe two weeks to a month,okay, so we'll do that.
Shorter episodes, that you know,take more focused approaches
(11:01):
and it takes less time toproduce them, but you keep.
You have to keep your contentflowing.
So what that means is, you know, if you try and aim for half
hour episodes, maybe do two 15minute or something like that
for me.
Me, I try and stick to the23-minute rule.
That seems to be the powerhousebetween monetization, listener
and how long listeners canlisten for, and you can put
(11:25):
commercials in there, mid-rollsand things like that.
So I always personally aim forabout 23 minutes at least, no
more than 27, 30 and keep her atthat, but okay, whatever.
And then I don't know aboutthis one Best of replay episodes
.
You create highlights or re-airyour popular episodes to
(11:45):
maintain schedule without extrawork.
Okay, maybe I can see that moreon like a video type podcast on
YouTube, but I don't know howwell that would go over on a
traditional podcast.
Audio only.
It says flexible schedule orflex scheduling.
Adjust your release schedule ifneeded, but communicate your
(12:06):
changes clearly to your audience.
Okay, well, I didn't if youguys are listeners on Tuesdays.
Sorry I didn't let you know,but here you are a day late.
I should have done it earlier,I don't know.
So I guess next week, if Idon't do another upload then I
got sidetracked again.
Managing your kids and work.
So create boundaries, set updedicated workspace and
(12:29):
communication, or communicateclear rules with your family.
That's easier said than donewith a two-year-old.
The 10-year-old gets it andactually that comes with the
10-year-old.
Engage kids with the process.
Involve your older children,yup in the simple tasks or
explain your work so theyunderstand when you need focus.
The 10-year-old does likehelping out.
(12:52):
He gets excited aboutpodcasting.
He wants to learn, he wants todo it one day, so that works for
him.
Finding quiet time Again easiersaid than done with my
2-year-old.
We're trying to work on hissleep schedule.
But work early in the morning,late at night or during kids'
naps and activities I have triedall of those and all of those
(13:13):
don't work.
Sometimes, early in the morning, I'm like cool, I'm up at five,
I'll knock one out.
And then my wife comes downwith them and she's like, hey,
can you watch him?
He's up early and I need totake a nap.
Okay, I always, you know, yep.
And then family comes first.
Man, late at night, you thinkyou got it, oh, okay.
Then the two year olds up until11 midnight, you know,
sometimes one, uh.
(13:34):
Or during his naps.
Well, I'm not home during naps.
I'm at work, but there's that.
And then plan activities have alist of activities ready to
keep kids occupied while youwork.
Again, easier said than done, Itry and knock these out.
Actually, I get so darnsidetracked so easily that I do
(13:54):
these while I'm in my car in theparking lot.
At work, I try doing them atparks, but then you've got to
schedule that or work aroundthat.
I tried several other things,even at my desk at work, but
then I get sidetracked.
As soon as I open my computerto do a recording, it's a wrap.
I get sidetracked with emailsand LinkedInin and alignable and
the phone rings and nope, Ineed a podcast.
(14:18):
Studio is what I need at rv orwhatever like that, or at work,
and that's the first thing Ijust go do, right, but uh, the
car works fine.
Um, the audio is here and therethere, but uh, you know I'm
working on it.
At the dGA mics I see one ofthe guys I follow on YouTube,
prepper News and CanadianPrepper.
He records his with a DGImicrophone, at least I think he
(14:41):
does.
He may have other microphonesoff the camera that you can't
see and he does this sponsoredby DJI.
I don't know, but he seems tohave pretty decent audio.
So, heck, that's what I'mrolling with, all right.
So staying motivated andaverting avoiding burnout.
Set realistic goals, um, yeah,well, except that you may not be
(15:04):
as productive as usual and aimfor progress, not perfect
perfection, and you know what?
And that's what I'm doing.
I just try and keep hitting theball forward, man, because as
soon as you get overzealous withthe whole, trying to edit and
make everything perfect, it'snot going to work, you're not
going to do it, you're going toget burnout and you're not going
to record anymore and you'regoing to be, man, what could
(15:25):
have been.
And all you had to do was notbe such a stupid stickler about
trying to overedit every episode, every word, every nuance,
every breath intake, every um,every blah, blah, blah.
Right, so that's what I used todo, and it's exhausting, and
then I quit, but then you getthe fire in you.
(15:46):
That's who I am.
I am a YouTuber at the time Apodcaster.
I'm something, man, andsomething's going to click One
day.
It's going to happen, and oneday I'm going to actually build
a little revenue off of this.
And just stay at it, just keepkicking the ball forward, man or
the can or whatever, yourwhatever.
Uh, take breaks.
(16:07):
Uh, regular breaks help youboth.
Help both of you and yourfamily stay happy and productive
.
I don't know, yeah, take breaks, but I don't have enough of a
schedule yet to warrant a break.
I spend a lot of time with myfamily as it is, so I think I'm
good there.
Celebrate your small wins andreward yourself for every
episode completed or milestonereached.
Okay, well, I'm not one ofthose guys.
(16:29):
That's like everyone gets atrophy.
I was at the very beginning ofthat generation.
I'm an 81 baby, so I didn't gettoo caught up in that.
Everyone gets an award and whenthey were trying to do that, I
felt stupid or whatever.
I'm like.
I don't deserve that.
That guy, jason, he's a he's akiller dude.
He's the one who needs this.
I didn't do anything.
(16:50):
I just was out in the fieldrunning around picking
dandelions or whatever.
You know what I'm saying.
So leverage your podcast forfamily entertainment.
It says, uh, podcasts for kids.
Introduce your children topodcasts to keep them
entertained and give yourself abreak.
Um, yeah, the two-year-old hasno time for that Family
(17:11):
listening.
Use podcast time as a way tobond and share interests with
your kids.
I don't know why this hasanything to do with your podcast
.
Maybe it's to like say, hey,daddy's going to go make a
podcast real quick and, um,you're going to hear me on the
air real soon.
Is going to go make a podcastreal quick and you're going to
hear me on the air real soon.
So in the meantime, listen toyour child bedtime reading
podcast.
I guess I don't know.
(17:31):
Prepare for vacation.
We don't really vacation, wecamp on the weekends.
But either way, plan ahead,schedule content release while
you're away or let your audienceknow you'll be back soon.
And teasers and trailers.
Drop a teaser for the nextseason or upcoming content to
keep your listeners excited.
See, I don't go by seasons.
(17:53):
I do seasons by category.
You know category one is allabout trade, barter and how it
helps business.
Season two is networking, salesand marketing.
You know ideas, whatever.
And then season three is theexperience of using a podcast
(18:13):
for growing your business, whichis what you're listening to
right now.
This is a season three podcast,so I try to keep it to three.
Motivation and mindsetConsistency is key.
Even if you're not at your best, showing up regularly builds
(18:34):
trust and loyalty with youraudience.
So the only one I notice ifthey don't upload an episode is
my prepper guy Only because hedoes current events and news and
I actually look forward to thenext thing he says because he's
pretty well on track with theCanadian Prepper guy.
Everything else I don't have.
I personally don't followpodcasts to like say, oh man,
(18:58):
they didn't upload an episodefor me to listen to on Wednesday
morning.
That's not me.
I know some people are.
But whatever Model resilienceand balance your work and family
and set a powerful example foryour kids and your listeners.
So that kind of yeah, so I'lluse my lawn mowing focus for
(19:23):
that.
I don't.
I hate yard work.
I'm allergic to grass pollen.
The other day I finally brokedown and I was like man, screw
it, I'm going to wear.
It was like a baklava what dothey call it?
Or balava and over my nose tokeep the pollen out, to filter
it.
And it worked.
I hated it because I didn'thave to take it off anyways to
weed whack, because every time Ibreathed out I'd fogged up my
(19:44):
safety glasses.
So in the long run it didn'treally work, but it did work for
the lawnmower.
So maybe I'll just do that.
But whatever, let's see whatelse we got.
Remember your why.
Reconnect with the reasons youstarted your podcast.
This will fuel your motivationduring tough weeks.
(20:04):
Well, I mean, I just told youmy why.
So there's that Call to actionSharing your tips.
Encourage your listeners toshare their own summer
productivity hacks In the summerin your comments or on social
media.
It's a good idea.
I actually like that.
A little social media presencethere and how they keep their
(20:28):
productivity for doing podcastson the up and up.
Stay connected.
Remind listeners to subscribeand check out upcoming episodes,
even in this schedule is later.
Cool, I like it.
I guess you could do this tooin the summertime.
Wrap up with a quick recap ofeverything that you went through
(20:51):
in your episode.
Every episode you create thissummer is a win, no matter how
small.
Keep moving forward and enjoythe journey.
Yeah, you know what I like this.
I'll even tell you my sourceson where I found this stuff.
Podcasting tips for busy parents.
How work-from-home parents canstay productive when kids are at
(21:14):
home.
How to take a summer breakwithout losing momentum.
Take breaks for seasons.
Five strategies to take a breakfrom podcasting without losing
listeners.
A secret tool to entertain yourkids this summer my origin story
.
So, yeah, I like that.
That was you know whatproductive I think.
I think it was a good idea.
Everything makes sense for meand I'll try and use it.
(21:37):
I mean, like I said, keepingyour motivation going.
It's not about motivation, it'sabout is it motivation going?
It's not about motivation, it'sabout is it motivation?
I guess if you're so motivatedto where you live, will you
breathe, ate, slept, podcasting.
That's all you could thinkabout.
I guess you would automaticallystay on topic right there on on
schedule.
(21:58):
But if you can't, or if it's notyour number one, so, like I use
this as a marketing tool, I usethis one.
So, like I use this as amarketing tool, I use this for
educational purposes and I usethis for my um.
I try and be real, becauseeverything on social media or
YouTube podcasting I guess it'sall social media it's fake.
I think it's fake.
They're like you know look atmy perfect life or look at how
(22:22):
easy it is for me to do this andpodcasting isn't that hard.
If you just do this, it's allbullcrap fake.
So, unless you have a team thatdepends on you, which I don't
ever really want to get to, Isay that and watch me get to
like an editor, or you knowsomeone who does all my social
media, which would be awesomeone day, I guess.
(22:44):
Maybe I don't know if I couldpay them without having to
depend on episodes though Idon't want to depend on episodes
to make paychecks.
That sounds like it takes allthe fun out of it.
And a lot of times you hearthese people who get these
million-dollar offers, thesecontracts, but they can't talk
about what they want to talkabout, they can't release what
they want to release about, theycan't release when they want to
release and they can'tinterview who they want to
interview and they're like well,I don't want it then and I want
(23:05):
the money, because that's thewhole point of me.
Wanting to get into podcastingis to do that.
So you know, as they say, onceyou got all your bills paid, um,
the rest of it, all the money,is just for showing off, and one
day maybe I'll get there andunderstand that, but you know
right now I'll take the money.
So maybe I don't know.
(23:28):
I say that, but we'll see whathappens.
At any rate, whatever you do,be good at it.
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