How the Best in Broadcasting Maximize Productivity
I was burnt out, and I did not understand why. Many years ago, as a 24-year-old radio host and music director, I worked long days, nights, and weekends but could not finish the job.
A nearby college advertised a time management course, and I signed up. There were so many takeaways that my hand cramped from notetaking. At the end, the teacher patiently explained why I was not getting the job done:
“You are trying to do too much.”
It was apparent to her, but the simple truth that 25 hours do not fit in a 24-hour day was an epiphany to a young person starting out. That was my first a-ha moment in learning to manage time efficiently, and I have tried to learn more ever since.
What are your tips and tricks for getting more done in less time when you wear a lot of hats and juggle multiple roles?
Here is productivity advice collected from high-performance performers you may know about our business.
Gary Berkowitz, Berkowitz Broadcast Consulting
- Keep a regular schedule. Up early. To bed early.
- Daily exercise
- Be at my desk by 8 am
- Always break for lunch
- Always end the day with a clean, organized desk. Ready for tomorrow.
Most important. I keep a yellow legal pad with a to-do list written in pencil. It includes everything I need to do, who to call back, and other essential things. As they are done, I cross them out. No computer, no high tech, even when I travel.
Kelly Corday, program director and host, KCBI 90.9 Dallas
- Up at 5 AM
- Physical work outside
- Check email and prioritize the day while listening to the morning show
- Creative work before 2 PM, organizational work after 2 PM
- Voice tracking from the home studio
Chris Kelly, 2 Guys Named Chris Show
- Prep from 4-6 AM and afternoons
- Divide content into A or B material
- Organized content into categories: Personal, Entertainment, Crime, Trump, Sex, Parenting, Relationship. Etc.
- Use only 60% of each day’s plan on-air
- Post-show: endorsements and email
Coryelle Thomas, social media manager and host on JP Coryelle and Husker Nick, KX 96.9 Lincoln
- Scheduling content posts vs doing it in real-time
- Same tasks in the same order every day
JP, host on JP, Coryelle and Husker Nick KX 969 Lincoln
- Same tasks in the same order each day
- Planning with the team right after each show
- Voice track, podcast, website, and edit audio for the next day after planning
- Always on a to-do list
Dave Ryan, The Dave Ryan Show KDWB Minneapolis
- The four of us prep for a couple of hours immediately after each show
- No meetings, no emails or calls from 10-12 daily
- We don’t voice track other shows or hold other duties
- Use Sales Force Chatter for private communication/show collaboration
Steve Harvey, The Steve Harvey Morning Show
- Care about every minute of every hour of every day and make them as productive as possible
- Account for minutes to eat, socialize, or have a moment to collect thoughts
Ryan Seacrest, On Air with Ryan Seacrest
- Moved closer to work (LA to NY)
- Only one sick day in 17 years
- Try not to think about how much there is to do
Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash
