I cover a lot of things in the 2024 wrap-up post that I won't reiterate here, but I do want to say that I've been trying a new organization technique the past few days and it has been working great.
The book Deep Work by Cal Newport talks a lot about the value in distraction-free work. I feel like a lot of what I did with the Two Hour Track Challenge and other things was training for this kind of stuff and I've just lacked the focus without streaming. Heck, the main reason why I streamed (aside from chatting with people) was because it helped me focus.
In the last chapter of the book, Cal suggested a technique where you schedule every day in 30 minute blocks. Whether that's make a video or write a song, or write this post, or heck clean the bathroom.
It sounds like an excessive approach to your day, but it's helped keep me focused on the current task. This helps ensure I don't get too scatterbrained trying to do 3 different things at once, which would end up with me getting zero things done.
Doing the Two Hour Track Challenge was great training for learning that you can get a TON of work done in 120 minutes if you focus. Blocking time out like this has helped supercharge it even more. Just gotta remember to block in frequent breaks because 2025 is the year where I don't burn out again. 🤞
Plus, if you are super productive during the day, you can end the day at 6pm and have a chill evening guilt-free!
I pushed Drones for Drones to distro today. I put the album in the !Albums folder on the drive if you wanted to hear it. It's been so fantastic for helping me focus both at home and at work. The album doesn't have liner notes yet (I usually take a census of Patreon supporters right before I publish to Bandcamp).
More progress on game development too. The game still doesn't look like much, but the essence of the gameplay is there and that makes me happy! Going to keep putting time into that when I can fit it in the schedule.
Finally, the Two Hour Album Challenge starts on Wednesday! I'm really looking forward to giving it a go. It's been a while since I did a timed challenge and it's a bit scary. It'll be great, I'm sure.
Off to do some donations, thanks again for your support! <3
-ben