This week I ran into quite a few hurdles. I had planned a week full of productivity and production, but sickness – both physical and mental – did what it does best and got in the way. I am not too anxious about the future, though, since I spent the time knowing that I had to rest, then reset once I was feeling better and re-envision the future of my project.

Great Expectations not Quite Met: The Production Journal

This week’s plan had my week full of activities – researching for episode two, creating social media channels, and most importantly filming and editing my first episode. Unfortunately I prioritized the quickest work first so when I got sick it meant that my longest and most important task (filming and editing the first episode) had to be pushed to next week.

Luckily, though, I had two factors working in my favor: one, I had planned to finish all of my work a week earlier than it is due and two, I made one of my weeks lighter on work (which just happened to be this upcoming week). So even though I am behind, it is more like I am behind on being ahead – and if all goes well this coming week I should be continuing on as planned.

To see this week’s production journal that breaks down every task I did (and did not) do, look at the document below:

Learning from the Creators: Competitive Analysis

To make my channel preform at its peak and reach the audience I want it to I need to look at how the creators with similar channels are successful. In my analysis I looked to five channels and their sub count, average and peak viewership, titles, descriptions and keywords, thumbnails, audience comments, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (if there are any).

For most of these notes I looked to their twelve highest performing videos. Some key takeaways I had from this analysis were keywords that are relevant (and that will connect me to their channels), which thumbnails were on their most popular videos, using the description not only for keywords but to timestamp different sections (which is also a new built-in tool for YouTube), and sticking to my niche once it is established.

See my full competitive analysis here:

Connecting to my Audience: Social Media Creation & Content Planning

If there is one thing that I am not naturally good at (well, there are many things of course) it is social media. Even though I am a part of the most active generation of users and I grew up during its creation, I do not use social media nearly as much as my peers. It my be due to the fact that I know how harmful it can be to mental health and productivity (which is something that I will actually explore in one of my videos) but the fact of the matter is if you have an online presence, you need to be active. Luckily I have taken a course in Social Media Strategy so I have the training I need to connect and engage with my audience.

I decided that I will use three main social media outlets: YouTube (of course for my videos, but the community tab as well), Instagram, and Facebook.

YouTube. This will not only be the place where my content lives, but where I can most directly reach my viewers via comments and the community tab. I will be replying to as many comments as I can as they pop up and have planned posts for the community tab that include previews for my videos, reminders to connect on other social pages, and polls for video topics.

Instagram. My Instagram will be used more as a tool to gather new viewers, promote my content, and share messages and photos that relate to my message/brand. Posts will include weekly spreads, any pages that I create that spark joy, previews to new videos, and content that it topical (like a Thanksgiving post about gratitude).

Facebook. Originally I had made a Facebook business for my channel, but I decided to scrap that and create a group instead. This page will serve to create a community where my viewers can share their creations, goals and progress, ask for advice, and encourage each other to make progress towards creating systems that will improve their life. Posts will include links to new videos, weekly spreads and progress reports, and questions about how others work best (ex. what music they listen to while studying, photos of their workspaces, ect.). Making the shift from a business page to a group has sparked lots of excitement for what is to come as the community grows.

To see a peek at what content I will be creating over the next month view my content calendar below:

Setting Goals in Action: Episode Two Research

This week, of course, I continued on with my research in preparation for writing the script for episode two. This research centered on taking care to plan each minute of your day with regards to the processes you planned to reach your goals, living the life that you want to live (not the life that someone else lives or says you should live), and setting aside time for rest to avoid burnout and stress.

One of the main readings this week was Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Healthy Life by Hector Garcia and Fransec Miralles. This book came to me at a time when I was in great need – I was nearing the end of my trip in India where I was filming a documentary and I was inches away from total self-destruction led by neglecting my needs. The ideas explored in this book are the exact counter to that issue: ways to do what you love while maintaining a healthy and stress-free life.

One of the topics that I will explore in-depth in my video will be the seven requirements to reach a state of flow (knowing what to do, knowing how to do it, knowing how well you are doing, knowing where to go, perceiving significant challenges, perceiving significant skills, being free from distractions).

Another topic will cover how to concentrate on a single task at a time (no screens during the 1^st or last hour of the day, turn off your phone during flow, tech fasting day, Pomodoro, set email times, doing an enjoyable ritual before work, and bundling ritual tasks).

The book also has many excerpts from people who have lives a fulfilling and balanced life, as well as some exercises that promote wellness. One of my favorite activities that I have instilled from this book is the sun salutation stretch that should be done every time you wake up or begin a new task:

Other readings for this episode included peer-reviewed articles on models of goal-oriented behavior, scheduling for motivation, time blocking, defining your own success, and breaking down goals into very tiny, very achievable tasks. See my full updated annotated bibliography here:

Next week is the real deal – my first episode will be filmed, edited, and uploaded and my social media channels will start being active. Stay tuned for that and more!