Before I went full-time into music, I was a college lecturer for about 9 years, I toured as a session drummer and did studio running/engineering in the evenings and between term time ... Through a friend of a friend I met a guy called "Joe", we only met the once, he worked from home scoring movies and adverts. I asked him what it's like to score films and essentially work for yourself, all he said was "no one really warned me how lonely and long the hours were but the works great. Just be careful of the loneliness". He lived in a house-share so I never really understood what he meant. He lent me two short books by The Lama Yeshe before I said goodbye to my friend, one called "The Peaceful Stillness of the Silent Mind" and the other "Becoming Your Own Therapist". I think about "Joe" quite often and still have those books, he was right about the lonely thing, I get it now! 🌱
I have the opposite problem. I live with my wife and daughter, so the process of creating music is very often interrupted - everyone needs to pay attention. I'm often nervous about this. But still, watching this video, I would not change anything in my life. I will advise the author of two options. 1. Learn to live with yourself as with another person - learn to enjoy it, revel in it.For many, this is a luxury. (At one time I lived alone and this approach helped me cope with loneliness). 2. Find activity related to other people - become a volunteer, take dance lessons, go to boxing - everything that is impossible to do alone. Thanks for the video, you're great, you're going to be fine!
Hey Will, I just watched your video with my boyfriend who also is music producer. Didn't know you before, but what you said about loneliness really touched me, because me and my boyfriend felt the same way for a long time. To me it seems like your life is a bit too organised sometimes. You're obviously very good in keeping your routines and being a consistent worker, but what is with the time inbetween, where you can let go and get out of yourself. You can try to search, if there are any groups in your area that enjoy a hobby together. You don't have to find a best friend but it brings a different kind of movememt and joy to your life. And now and then, try to do things without any purpose behind, just something that feels right in the moment. I think too much planning and routine can feel a bit like prison after some time. And one day per week where you just follow your gut is not enough! Free your heart a little bit more. My boyfriend also started to cry when we talked about the topic, because it affected him for such a long time. Wish you the best!! 🌻 Greetings from Austria.
I don’t know how much thought you put into this comment or if it was just off the cuff based on your own experiences, but you’ve absolutely nailed my thought patterns, routines, and behaviors-thank you! The question, “What is with the time in between, where you can let go and get out of yourself?” really stands out to me. You’re so right; I do need to get out of myself and do things without purpose. And, you’re absolutely right again-I don’t have to find a best friend - Sometimes it’s okay to just do things, talk to people, and not expect any deeper relationship to come from it. It’s definitely a case of too much planning and, if I’m honest, feeling stagnant in those moments in between. Your comment has really hit me hard, and I’ll definitely be re-reading it to motivate myself in the coming days. I’m so glad you reached out. I’m really happy you and your partner found each other, and it means a lot to know that others have been in a similar position and made it through. It’s a great reminder that loneliness doesn’t have to be an endpoint-just a bump in the road. Thanks again, kind stranger! 🌻
@@WillHattonpowerful thread here. I organize a lot but am learning to plan nothing or free form days. Hard cuz like you I love a routine! But getting there. Planning occasional trips, while actually hard to change my routine, feels great by the end. Great video! Made me think and feel
Thank you for sharing your story Will! I feel that many of your followers, including myself, might appreciate this kind of content. While many people focus solely on well-“polished” content, I believe that sharing the realities behind it and your personal story can sometimes be even more unique. This is truly a valuable video!
Bro, what a treat this video was. Very relatable as I fight a lot of the same demons with loneliness & feeling anxious about running out of time in the day. What I find frustrating is that many of my friends / collaborators do not live near me, so I can't quite get my human interaction fill from that. For me, having a dog and an amazing girlfriend surely help keep me grounded. Thanks for your authenticity and inspiration!
Dude, thanks for sharing your experience too! Totally agree - all the kind folks I've "met" and collaborated with (present company included) are from all different corners of the earth except mine hahaha! I've definitely been thinking about getting a pooch to keep me company, I think it'll get me out the house more often too! Thanks again bud, catch you soon!
Your best vid bro, appreciate the honesty! Def recommend joining a bball/team sport or martial art class once a week to get that interaction and mid week energy boost.
What a refreshing and relatable video. I definitely can resonate with the isolation you mentioned in this. It’s unfortunately one of the reasons I have such long gaps between my videos. You are a great creator Will and looked up to by myself and the rest of the music production RUclips community. Thank you for making this
Thanks so much bud, means the world coming from you, there isn't an episode of yours I've missed! Definitely need to get into the group activities, run club is on the agenda! Thanks for being part of the good side of the community too bro, appreciate you!
As a fellow musician, predominantly touring while trying to keep up with weekly content here on YT.... MAN I actually envy that sense of routine that you have. To be able to say "Wednesday's are for "x" thing" etc feels like such a nice thing to me. I don't have that, I have SUCH an all over the place schedule, hardly home longer than a week or 2, never know what the next day is gonna look like. There's a balance there somewhere.... I hope we both find it!
I hope we both find it! Do you keep a journal or diary? Perhaps that's where you can find my "Wednesday's are for..." If you were to schedule out a thing for every other day of tour, it might give you some routine whilst you're away "Monday's I get a fry up...", "Wednesday's I do Yoga between soundcheck and show time", "Friday's I try to listen to one new album between venues" ? I'm spitballing here!
Watched until the end without pausing and get distracted... This video was so engaging! But you forgot one thing man. Give yourself credit for this incredible determination and dediction you have❤ not many people are capable of this much discipline. Sending you a big hug😊 PS (that park close to your house is wonderful!)
Diego, it's always an absolute JOY to speak with you! I know, I know, I hear you - it's way too easy to be critical foremost before celebrating ourselves. Will strive to do better for myself! Appreciate you man, don't be a stranger - big love!
finally made it to watch this video. good job Will! I really appreciate your transparency. this video is dang inspiring and you are such a hardworking person. the way you get through each week with such a packed routine blows my mind. wish we lived in the same area. just wanna give you a big hug. I truly look up to you and I’m proud of you!!
I absolutely loved this video-you’re so talented, and your passion for what you do really shines through. It’s incredible to see the effort you put into your craft, but hearing about your living and working situation really struck a chord with me. I also work on music full time from home, so I can relate to some of the isolation that can come with this lifestyle. Something that’s brought me a lot of fulfillment is volunteering-I’ve found it’s not only rewarding but also a great way to connect with people outside of the music world. It helps me step out of my bubble and see things from a new perspective. I wonder if something like that might resonate with you too? You’re truly inspiring, and I hope you find more ways to connect and thrive both in and out of your creative work.
I feel you. We need connection and it's challenging without it. I was heading in the same direction as you've gone in terms of work. After my studies for audio in Vancouver I got ill and have spent 14 years on healing. It's given me space, time to reflect and perspective on what matters. We are of course all different, but I think once we are at the death bed (I've been there a few times now, luckily not my time yet), we won't look back at the work we've done, social status or money accoumulated. We'll look back on the connections we've had, the people we've met, places we've gone to, experiences shared, friends, family, community, having loved deeply, helped others, and all that. Thanks for sharing your insight! It's been fun to see your day to day and it seems like you're doing really well for yourself with your work! Hope you don't neglect the other aspects of life too, but you seem to be doing good. Stay safe and be well!
Thanks for sharing! That was a delight. I feel for you, with the loneliness- my life as a husband, parent, and touring musician with several bands is SO different from yours! Even though the creative work is similar in some ways, I have a lot more family obligations, and a lot more change from week to week. Some of your structure sounds really nice, but MAN I am grateful at all the variety I get to experience. Traveling to different places, playing different music for different crowds, hanging out with awesome bandmates in different groups- it's very fulfilling. If there's one thing I would encourage you to do, it's join or start a band. There's NOTHING like making music collaboratively, in person, and performing it for a live audience. The camaraderie would really do a lot to uplift you, I think. It's not always easy, but even working through interpersonal issues is SUCH a valuable life experience.
The last part is really interesting. Because me personally, the professional life you live is the life I want to live. But I work 50hrs a week managing a pizza shop, married with a beautiful wife, and I just WISH I could buckle down and get back to producing music full time like I used to before when I was single and not in the workforce. I know it’s tough sometimes, but be grateful for the phase you’re in right now, because it won’t always be like that. You’ll find love, and connections, and everything you want because you’re clearly a good person with a lot to offer. Just wanted to send you that message. But my main piece of advice is: Call your grandpa!
I know how it is, I ended up focusing on my wifes career first and then when that was sustainable (took 12 years), now i'm finishing my degree for MP and finishing it up now. Good luck with finding the time and stability cause thats what really helps. lol Essentially buying time to invest in yourself :)
Thank you for sharing, it's all about perspective for sure! The pastures aren't always greener, we're all living our individuals experiences with drawbacks and points that are attractive to others. Thanks again!
I found this video very helpful. As a content creator and as a musician I really enjoyed your vlog. It's really insightful in looking into other peoples workflow and how others work. and make a living and do their lives. Great Video!
Hey Will! I've been in your shoes before when I lived solo, had a fully remote job, and was focused on creative projects that led to an isolated lifestyle. I found that focusing & being intentional with my support system, deriving less fulfillment from my career/music (mindset shift from expecting meaning -> nice to have), and keeping active hobbies with social elements (climbing/run club) were really helpful. Keep it up man, love your work. ❤
I REALLY appreciate your perspective and advice, thank you!! I need to take all of the words you said into consideration, there all areas I can improve, as you can already tell! I've recently noticed a weekly run club in my area and think that will be the first go-to! Thanks again!!!
I’m currently in exactly the same boat. Live alone now for the first time in years . Work remote and not on same piece of land as the rest of the team. I don’t work in music but studied it at uni and play guitar, drums and piano at night. It isn’t a very social hobby for me like it used to be. I was about to say take up golf and then I saw you at the range. Joining a club is good as you can play with randoms and get a good chat. It’s really good in the summer, less good in winter. Thanks for the video.
This might honestly be my favorite video of yours. So incredibly vulnerable, but also very relatable. I work from home almost full time and spend my spare time making music. Even though I'm happily married and have a few friends, I can definitely relate to the solitude. Love this man. Wish we lived in the same area, so we could get each other out of our routines from time to time! 😅
Maaaaan I hear u about how this can be such a lonely existence!!!! For me I try to alleviate some of that by working from a few different places/coffee shops every week. I find that helps break up some of the monotony of the day. Ofc I still get some days where I don't feel like doing anything. I guess my job is to figure out how to balance the productive days with the unproductive ones 🤷♂ Ps: you know my old lecturer Thomas Trueman!
Great time management, and great perspective in life, Will!! One heck of a schedule. This is insane how much work musicians have to do nowadays because the industry is almost gone. Even though we were getting ripped-off years ago by the record companies, you could just do the music, and have less hats to wear. Hopefully it will change, and artists can just do their art... :-(
This is the best video I saw in the last 3 months. I m so much connected. Thanks for sharing and speak out the truth ! Your life is very nice , but the trap is that when you meet people , you feel uncomfortable because you get used (and you like) being by yourself. At least this happens with me. I like you man, you re such a nice producer and human being . I watch all your videos !
Your video just showed up in my RUclips home page and I wanted to watch it for the “music creator” stuff, but you really got me with your story. I guess there’s a lot of us feeling some kind of loneliness due to our very own different circumstances. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one feeling this way. Thank you for sharing, you’ve got yourself a new follower🤘🏻
Wow! Watched the whole video, very insightful. Really felt the meltdown. Been watching your videos for years you are super inspiring and super talented. Wishing you all the best!
Thanks for sharing this, man. Such an honest and insightful glimpse into your life. It’s clear from your work how much you care about music and enjoy helping others on their musical journey! I can relate, I sometimes get into cycles of not speaking to anyone or even going outside when I’ve got a lot of work on. It’s always inspiring to hear how others navigate this.
Respect for an honest video dude. As long as you're clear on your 'why' then it's all good. What bothers me most is your keyboard angle - that's a recipe for RSI right there! Keep it flat and avoid future injury 🙏
This video has really helped me, I recently quit my job and have been pouring my time into music production. Theres really a lot of similarities in your thoughts about being isolated. Brilliant video.
Music producer here (even though I'm less of a content creator for now). This video resonated with me so much, to the point that I just want to be your friend haha! It really made me feel like I was a part of your life for a moment. Thankfully I have enough friends, but none of them shares the same interests or passions I have, so it often comes down to just spending a saturday evening together. So I know the feeling of loneliness very well. I'm also trying to figure out a good schedule/routine for this job and I guess I found your video exactly for that reason, so it's a good example to help me find some kind of balance in my life. Times are tough, when it comes to this job. Especially when loneliness hits hard. But as someone who has been in a terribly toxic relationship and has had countless of people who left me behind, trust me, the work on mental health is a priority. And after I let go of those people, man, I felt so good and liberated to just enjoy my own company. Sometimes our need to be more social will trick our mind into thinking we need someone, inviting the wrong people into our life. With that being said, from someone who is far more behind than you in this field, I think you're doing a great job and you inspired me to find a similar balance in my life, or at least work towards that goal. Thank you!
For sure, this really resonated with me. I've recently been renewing my vowels with therapy, so to speak and am working with my therapist to better understand the folks who left me behind and those who I shunned out of fear etc. For a lonnngggg time I lived in this space of "everyone leaves" but through trauma, childhood relationships, that wasn't always the case! That can definitely all crop up again in the loneliness so I try to keep in mind the bare minimum drink water, eat well, exercise! Somedays, I do the bare minimum only and that's fine - otherdays when the capacity is there, I'll make sure I check in with family or try an activity here or there! It takes courage and the road is long, thanks so much for sharing with me. The future is bright for us both!
Some times as creative artists, mixing business with our art is not that easy to find Ballance in our lives. Reminding ourselves of our end goal but at the same time, finding the time to connect and enjoy special moments wether in solitude or with others is a fundamental need not a want. Its great Will that you recognise this and looking for ways to make improvements in your lifestyle. I found this video so inspiring and want to thank you for your transparency in sharing. All the very best in your present and future ventures. 😊❤
Thank you so much for such a thoughtful message-it really means a lot. You're absolutely right; finding balance as a creative, especially when mixing art and business, can be such a challenge. It’s easy to lose sight of those fundamental needs, like connecting with others or even just taking a moment to enjoy solitude. I’m glad the video resonated with you, and your encouragement means the world to me. I’m definitely still figuring things out, but hearing from people like you makes the process feel less isolating and more like a shared journey. Thank you for your kind words and support-I truly appreciate it. Wishing you all the best as well!
Hey Will, loved this video. You are very talented filmmaker, its beautifully put together film. Your film touched as it was so honest and open and refreshing to see behind the curtain of content creators. From the outside it looks like you have a double whammy of a completely remote job plus living alone, must be hard to not have much human contact. Dont really have any advice other than to say things will change, they always do so until be kind to yourself ! You are not alone!
Good video. I'd love to hang out with you. You seem like a genuine and nice guy. I'm an isolated person like you too, and I never see anyone. I feel that man, but you have a strong passion there. Hold onto that because that could become your thread of hope and joy, the only thing if that situation becomes to dire. Your passion for music will still be there. Much love man :)
Enjoyed this Will… yeh, the loneliness is an issue for me too. But the time and space to do work is amazing. I just came out of a 5 year relationship with house stuff, step kids, my kid, partner, ex-partner … it’s such a feeling of freedom, but I ended up missing all the non digital creation chaos. I am where I am but creatively I’m in a good space. Just need to embrace the extra space to be creative more… I fail more than I succeed, but I make a good living out of it… I now have more time to recover from failure. Fail better is my mantra 😀 g
Love this honest and sincere video that offer me a little bit blue but weirdly upbeat and healing kind of vibe! I can't do nothing but write this comment and subscribe!! Please keep up with your great content !!!
Man that loneliness part at the end hit me hard. thank you for sharing, its tough to open up like that. Have you thought about reaching out to other musicians, particularly songwriters so you can do session work together IRL? making music with artists or for pitch. i think you would be great at it, since you seem like a great producer. Most of that scene is probably in london, but that definitely helped me with my loneliness. I used to have a lot of similar days like you, alone grinding out creative work. It was exhausting, but then eventually i got more confident in my work and started sending songs/ideas out to other people and started writing with them. over zoom or IRL. Probably the best decision ive ever made. I still make lots of music alone, but now 2 or 3 days a week i have a songwriting session with a few different people. made a bunch of friends and connections that way, lots of wonderful people out there! Also if you can show publishing companies that you can make good songs they can get you into writing camps with other people as well, and you can meet people that way, its fun!
This video its a perfect example how music producers are working, i can feel your pain man but keep in mind your not lonely and if you are its better beacuse you have all the time with your self ,respect from Greece for your video is really educational (sorry if my English are bad)
This is my favorite video you’ve done. As a full time music producer I don’t think I’ve ever related more to a video 😂 I appreciate how much time and effort must have gone into making this. Just wanted to say THANK YOU. Love all of your content but this one was special💜
Going to have to say, absolutely real ❤ Will, you created an incredibly insightful and relatable video, especially with the meltdown, hella grateful to see you in the space and genre, Genuinely after discovering you after looking for research for uni work, you have been a source of knowledge and inspiration. Keep it up 🫶
First time on your channel. I like day in the life videos. It seems like you have cultivated a large self compassion lifestyle. Not bad depending on your personality type and goals. I've been where you are and now I'm on the other side. Non stop family, work, and self life. You always can add little by little experiences like trying a improv class. I'd like to have seen you make jams in the making. Maybe I'll have to check out another vid for that.
the one thing im getting from this is dont spread yourself too thin. Based on your outro, dont run the risk of getting to burnout from your creative passion by trying to do and be everything. I've had a very similar experience delving deep into music and now solely focus on teaching and practising/writing in my free time. it is super okay to have non creative days, weeks, months... rest is essential for introspection, reflection and recharge, we aren't meant to be ON at all times. human interaction is super important albeit difficult in this quite individualistic age. well done for building yourself a successful platform and keep going mate! great vid
This video is the most real thing I have seen on RUclips and frankly, something that inspires me to tell my story as well. I can empathize with you, it's difficult but I guess we all need to work a little to have a life outside of work (something I suck at right now) loneliness is difficult, but something that has helped me be less lonely, make some new friends, bring work down and do some other things (it's reading, writing and art for me) find communities in non-music related spaces and trust me it'll make your music a lot better as well and your overall wellbeing good. You're amazing and you deserve this! take care of yourself bro! we're here to see you win!
Damn, man. That is one of the best and most accurate looks at what it takes to be a Content Monk. Laughed my head off at the "I went to the coffee shop because I craved human interaction and then a robot took my order." bit. So good. You just gotta laugh. Too much here to unpack in a simple RUclips comment, but I'd love to catch up on a zoom or something in December, if you've got a free hour. More to commiserate, because I don't have any answers. All I can say is, you're weirdly alone, but not alone as well. Plus, I clocked something written on your whiteboard that I'd love to chat you up on. All in all, man...this was one of the best videos I've seen this year. As the kids say, "No Cap."
You just have to laugh, bud!!! I love the term "content monk" I will be stealing it, kindly. Absolutely, I have all the time for another catch-up! On or off the podcast, I'm game buddy!
@ haha. Not a steal: a gift, my friend! Awesome, I’ll hit you up on DM and we’ll put a date/time! Looking forward to catching up! Should we have whiskey at the ready? Haha
haha 45 seconds in and all i gotta say is, you look lik eme when im going to work. work is work and sometimes work can just be a monotonous regardless of what we are doing. so thank you. instant sub. dont know how i've not seen your stuff before
Appreciate your honesty mate ! Not many have the courage to express it . The fact that nobody waits for you at home , hits hard. I was thinking , as a suggestion, and because you re doing lots of walks by yourself. You know who d love them ? A pet . Have you ever consider that as an option to cope with loneliness? Take care now
very great video, i am currently stuying audio engineering, I might have to start planning out my weeks like yo udo, very great video though, thank you for this, gonna look back over the next few days to see if there's anything else to take away from this
Great video, thanks for that! What could really help is finding a social sport activity. I boulder once a week and over the years have made many friends there. It's my little weekend before the weekend. Also, a small tip as a safety advisor, beware of the way your keyboard is placed. The constant flexion in your wrists is likely to cause issues in the long run ;)
Yo great video that's a real take on what it's like for somebody that would consider being a content creator the things that they would consider and what to expect and thanks for just being real and honest that inspires me and I'm sure it will others keep your head up looking forward to more
Your car playlists sounds like mine lol Smooth guitar singer songwritter beach vibes and then boom face melting 808s lol Awesome video buddy! Good to see the life style of a fellow producer, I guess in a way it makes us see we're not so crazy afterall for chasing this unorthodox path and lifestyle. Thanks for sharing! Keep up the amazing content!
I felt the weekly meltdown section in my fucking bones. I speak regularly with a couple friends who are also living alone and making a living from creative pursuits and from those conversations its clear how isolation can really sneak up on you when you're laying out your goals and figuring out how to keep yourself accountable to your schedule. We dont (at least, I did not) think about the implications of how a hyper-focused schedule that feels necessary to my goals would come at the cost of meaningful human interactions. You're not alone.
I really appreciate this vulnerability and shared perspective. Thank you. I recently read that changing your mindset from "Goals" to "aims" will help ground you a little more, especially in creative work. We're such perfectionists that "goals" have us blinkered in a life-or-death project until POP it comes to an end, we fill empty and we have to get back on track with another "goal" to keep the feeling alive. Whereas "aims" allow you to better meander adjacent paths and if you miss your "aim", huh, it might come back around again but if not? Not to worry too much. Maybe it's too early to tell if that'll work but I like the idea!
@@WillHatton Aims is an interesting concept! A mindset shift like that takes a fair amount of time and effort to get to stick. I dont know about you but I like to meander. I like following my gut and going off on tangents. I find the most fun in spontaneous discovery but its also where productivity goes to die haha. I suppose, once again, balance is key. Ill have a think on the idea of aims over goals and see what comes of it. It would be interesting to come back together a little later down the road to share our experience with the concept and how we've applied it to our lives.
Enjoyed this vid dude. Refreshing and honest ❤ I work from home and if my wife didn’t also I’d probably only talk to other humans when I see the posty. Looking forward to see that tape mod!
I love this video. Very open & honest. One thing I wills say is... Even though it may feel lonely, you're living someones dream. To do this, something you love full time rather than the normal 9-5. It's a dream no matter how simple it may seem.
Thank you for the very personal peak into your life. I work IN IT, from home too most days, but with a team on the other side of ms teams it never feels like I am alone. And with wife and two kids II sometimes long dearly for a little alone time. I look at it from this angle: nothing is forever, everything has its time. Lean into it, enjoy, times will change. And one thing, going for walk, exploring unknown places is my way to unwind. Should work beautifully in the uk. I use Komoot to come up with new places to visit. Very helpful way to change things up.
Never seen ur stuff before, but as a music technology student making EDM and considering a similar career, I really enjoyed this vid! Thanks for sharing
Good Video Will, this is the life we choose hard sometimes but there is allot of good in there , love to see your journey, keep the honest content coming. one l sol
Feel yeah man I’m in the same boat as you life is very lonely especially when all you do is work. You ain’t the only one out there having these types of issues. Just keep pushing and things will change. ask yourself what can I do differently and let that sit for mad long and it’ll come out of no where. I’ve been alone for 2 years with no one at all. I do the same type of stuff you do on your free time. There’s no pity for expressing emotions it’s how us humans feel.
Hey Will 🙂 this was a great video, and as someone said here, it's great to see the reality behind doing music full time and your own personal thoughts and feelings. I have these thoughts all the time and love routine as it's great for my mental health, but for the last few years, I've started noticing that routine can make me stagnant and trapped in a sense. I'd suggest treating your work like any other as a Monday - Friday and have at least 2 days off. It's easier said than done as I know myself what music work is like, but definitely having time to enjoy yourself and unwind is also so important. You know what they say about all work and no play 😅 Also, actively making an effort to socialise is also so important. I'm a bit introverted and have gotten more so since I moved out by myself and have no partner or pet etc but sometimes you need to force yourself, or these skills can stagnate as well. I really hope you find a better balance for yourself and take time to have fun also you have a great routine so far and have covered lots of great bases but this is something that we will always refine as our circumstances change over time. Take care of yourself, and feel free to reach out any time!
Good video! One of the reasons why I never went full in on this creative job thing. I love my day job and love my hobby even more because it's just that. One tip I would consider is doing charity work for half a day in a week or so. Very rewarding to give some back while meeting others that need us.
Hey, Will. I really enjoyed this as a musician from the UK (with a very new family!) who has been considering switching to music full-time. Is there a parkrun near you? That might be a great way to keep the fitness up and meet people!
Really enjoyed this mate and it resonated a lot with me as a solo creator and some of the comments are close to home as well. A few years back, I quit my job to focus on music stuff and moved back to my folks place for stability while I grew it, and I'm still here, so I sort of get away with the loneliness in the sense that there are people in the house. But I don't see my friends much and I'm often too burned out at the end of the day to reply to messages so I still feel very isolated. My creative bursts are first thing in the morning so I don't exercise or get outside in the morning, and then I get engrossed in Ableton and again, I'm too tired for anything else at the end. I feel like all my commitment to making music is paying off as I'm making headway with it, but I'm always knackered, isolated and gaining weight from sitting at a desk all day and not exercising. Ironically, where you could loosen your routine up a bit, I'm the opposite - I have ADHD and can't seem to address the admin + additional 'to do list' stuff with any cohesion! I'm going to take some of the more organised elements from your video and try to implement a bit of self discipline, and also reflect on the isolation and try to address that. You seem like a real genuine geezer mate, keep grinding.
Hi Will, I can very much relate regarding the isolating loneliness involved with this. I rely a ton on natural light and house plants, and my pet dog. Also my boyfriend lives with me, who I love, but even still it's extremely isolating and lonely at times. I'm pretty introverted which doesn't help. But I wouldn't trade it for a "normal" job. I used to be a restaurant GM among some other things, and I'd much rather be doing what I love writing music. Just wanted to chime in and tell you thank you for your honesty with your video, and that you're not alone.
Great video, very interesting. Look into your day to day. Music making, can be a lonely place at times.. definitely need to get out and be around others.
Great video! Gotta love someone showing some honesty on RUclips. Myself I decided that I also need to be out "living life" in a way. So my advice would be to try to include more activety that involves other people. Why not play live? Start a band? Make some videos together with someone? I also saw the extreme benefits of having my studio in a separate space than where I live, but that is of course not possible for everyone. But seriously, if I go too long without having my music relate to some real life humans (not counting video calls) I would go crazy. Just my 2cent there since you invited! Good video though, I made a rant video about how RUclips is geting more and more soulless for music youtubers, but this was a nice different video! Thanks!
I’d definitely like to have a remote studio so there is some kind of commute and separation from work and home life! Run club is also on the agenda, for sure! Thanks so much for your time in commenting!
Very hard to get out of this loneliness in the west, in particular. Between the work grind due to rising living costs and the dating scene being impossible... More and more guys have your kind of lifestyle than ever. Thanks for the candid video blog sir. It's very, VERY relatable.
This is brilliant.. yes you are kinda isolated.. but you are doing what you love every day.. imagine feeling that way and doing g what you hate every day on top.. I respect it.. keep going geeza!! Your doing great
The overwhelming presence of digital media in the world has caused us all to become so isolated. I spend more time commenting on youtube videos, hoping to make connections with digital recordings of people than talking to friends. Not gonna lie, this video made me reflect on the past few years. I teach piano for a living, so I'm interacting with people all the time, but it's very surface level haha. Lately, I've been considering filming footage of my music making process on the side as a creative outlet and as a potential to build up for work on the side and this was an eye opening look at the dedication it would take to do that. I've stopped gigging as a keyboardist because I got absolutely drained doing that and I've been looking for other ways to use my creativity productively, but I don't want to burn out on it like I did with gigging. Anyway, thanks for sharing your world, man. I really felt it and it helped me appreciate your video and musical work even more.
Before I went full-time into music, I was a college lecturer for about 9 years, I toured as a session drummer and did studio running/engineering in the evenings and between term time ... Through a friend of a friend I met a guy called "Joe", we only met the once, he worked from home scoring movies and adverts. I asked him what it's like to score films and essentially work for yourself, all he said was "no one really warned me how lonely and long the hours were but the works great. Just be careful of the loneliness". He lived in a house-share so I never really understood what he meant. He lent me two short books by The Lama Yeshe before I said goodbye to my friend, one called "The Peaceful Stillness of the Silent Mind" and the other "Becoming Your Own Therapist". I think about "Joe" quite often and still have those books, he was right about the lonely thing, I get it now! 🌱
Will defintely check the books!
find the balance go out more. thats also taking care of yourself. these are just lessons along the way. thank you for sharing them.
@@Prophesized1 Thank you for sharing too!
I want to do this....
Thanks so much for a look into your day in a life of a full time music creator
I have the opposite problem. I live with my wife and daughter, so the process of creating music is very often interrupted - everyone needs to pay attention. I'm often nervous about this. But still, watching this video, I would not change anything in my life. I will advise the author of two options. 1. Learn to live with yourself as with another person - learn to enjoy it, revel in it.For many, this is a luxury. (At one time I lived alone and this approach helped me cope with loneliness). 2. Find activity related to other people - become a volunteer, take dance lessons, go to boxing - everything that is impossible to do alone. Thanks for the video, you're great, you're going to be fine!
Thank you so much for this video. It was the most honest thing I've seen on RUclips in a long time.
Thanks for your kind words, I tried my best!
Hey Will, I just watched your video with my boyfriend who also is music producer. Didn't know you before, but what you said about loneliness really touched me, because me and my boyfriend felt the same way for a long time.
To me it seems like your life is a bit too organised sometimes. You're obviously very good in keeping your routines and being a consistent worker, but what is with the time inbetween, where you can let go and get out of yourself. You can try to search, if there are any groups in your area that enjoy a hobby together. You don't have to find a best friend but it brings a different kind of movememt and joy to your life. And now and then, try to do things without any purpose behind, just something that feels right in the moment. I think too much planning and routine can feel a bit like prison after some time. And one day per week where you just follow your gut is not enough! Free your heart a little bit more. My boyfriend also started to cry when we talked about the topic, because it affected him for such a long time.
Wish you the best!! 🌻 Greetings from Austria.
I don’t know how much thought you put into this comment or if it was just off the cuff based on your own experiences, but you’ve absolutely nailed my thought patterns, routines, and behaviors-thank you!
The question, “What is with the time in between, where you can let go and get out of yourself?” really stands out to me. You’re so right; I do need to get out of myself and do things without purpose. And, you’re absolutely right again-I don’t have to find a best friend - Sometimes it’s okay to just do things, talk to people, and not expect any deeper relationship to come from it.
It’s definitely a case of too much planning and, if I’m honest, feeling stagnant in those moments in between. Your comment has really hit me hard, and I’ll definitely be re-reading it to motivate myself in the coming days.
I’m so glad you reached out. I’m really happy you and your partner found each other, and it means a lot to know that others have been in a similar position and made it through. It’s a great reminder that loneliness doesn’t have to be an endpoint-just a bump in the road.
Thanks again, kind stranger! 🌻
@@WillHattonpowerful thread here. I organize a lot but am learning to plan nothing or free form days. Hard cuz like you I love a routine! But getting there. Planning occasional trips, while actually hard to change my routine, feels great by the end. Great video! Made me think and feel
Thank you for sharing your story Will! I feel that many of your followers, including myself, might appreciate this kind of content. While many people focus solely on well-“polished” content, I believe that sharing the realities behind it and your personal story can sometimes be even more unique. This is truly a valuable video!
Really appreciate your support, thank you!
Bro, what a treat this video was. Very relatable as I fight a lot of the same demons with loneliness & feeling anxious about running out of time in the day. What I find frustrating is that many of my friends / collaborators do not live near me, so I can't quite get my human interaction fill from that. For me, having a dog and an amazing girlfriend surely help keep me grounded. Thanks for your authenticity and inspiration!
Dude, thanks for sharing your experience too!
Totally agree - all the kind folks I've "met" and collaborated with (present company included) are from all different corners of the earth except mine hahaha! I've definitely been thinking about getting a pooch to keep me company, I think it'll get me out the house more often too!
Thanks again bud, catch you soon!
Your best vid bro, appreciate the honesty! Def recommend joining a bball/team sport or martial art class once a week to get that interaction and mid week energy boost.
What a refreshing and relatable video. I definitely can resonate with the isolation you mentioned in this. It’s unfortunately one of the reasons I have such long gaps between my videos. You are a great creator Will and looked up to by myself and the rest of the music production RUclips community. Thank you for making this
Thanks so much bud, means the world coming from you, there isn't an episode of yours I've missed!
Definitely need to get into the group activities, run club is on the agenda!
Thanks for being part of the good side of the community too bro, appreciate you!
As a fellow musician, predominantly touring while trying to keep up with weekly content here on YT.... MAN I actually envy that sense of routine that you have. To be able to say "Wednesday's are for "x" thing" etc feels like such a nice thing to me. I don't have that, I have SUCH an all over the place schedule, hardly home longer than a week or 2, never know what the next day is gonna look like. There's a balance there somewhere.... I hope we both find it!
I hope we both find it!
Do you keep a journal or diary? Perhaps that's where you can find my "Wednesday's are for..." If you were to schedule out a thing for every other day of tour, it might give you some routine whilst you're away "Monday's I get a fry up...", "Wednesday's I do Yoga between soundcheck and show time", "Friday's I try to listen to one new album between venues" ?
I'm spitballing here!
I can relate to you on so many levels. Thank you for sharing this video, you have a new subscriber! Stay blessed!
Watched until the end without pausing and get distracted... This video was so engaging! But you forgot one thing man. Give yourself credit for this incredible determination and dediction you have❤ not many people are capable of this much discipline. Sending you a big hug😊 PS (that park close to your house is wonderful!)
Diego, it's always an absolute JOY to speak with you!
I know, I know, I hear you - it's way too easy to be critical foremost before celebrating ourselves. Will strive to do better for myself!
Appreciate you man, don't be a stranger - big love!
finally made it to watch this video. good job Will! I really appreciate your transparency. this video is dang inspiring and you are such a hardworking person. the way you get through each week with such a packed routine blows my mind. wish we lived in the same area. just wanna give you a big hug. I truly look up to you and I’m proud of you!!
Beautiful video as always, Will! 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to do this video for the community! ❤
Thank you for taking the time to watch and be so kind!
I absolutely loved this video-you’re so talented, and your passion for what you do really shines through. It’s incredible to see the effort you put into your craft, but hearing about your living and working situation really struck a chord with me.
I also work on music full time from home, so I can relate to some of the isolation that can come with this lifestyle. Something that’s brought me a lot of fulfillment is volunteering-I’ve found it’s not only rewarding but also a great way to connect with people outside of the music world. It helps me step out of my bubble and see things from a new perspective. I wonder if something like that might resonate with you too?
You’re truly inspiring, and I hope you find more ways to connect and thrive both in and out of your creative work.
I feel you. We need connection and it's challenging without it. I was heading in the same direction as you've gone in terms of work. After my studies for audio in Vancouver I got ill and have spent 14 years on healing. It's given me space, time to reflect and perspective on what matters. We are of course all different, but I think once we are at the death bed (I've been there a few times now, luckily not my time yet), we won't look back at the work we've done, social status or money accoumulated. We'll look back on the connections we've had, the people we've met, places we've gone to, experiences shared, friends, family, community, having loved deeply, helped others, and all that.
Thanks for sharing your insight! It's been fun to see your day to day and it seems like you're doing really well for yourself with your work! Hope you don't neglect the other aspects of life too, but you seem to be doing good. Stay safe and be well!
thank you for this video. brutally honest and relatable
keep going.
and id love to see more about the building of the physical tape mod!
Thank you! Will do!
Thanks for sharing! That was a delight. I feel for you, with the loneliness- my life as a husband, parent, and touring musician with several bands is SO different from yours! Even though the creative work is similar in some ways, I have a lot more family obligations, and a lot more change from week to week. Some of your structure sounds really nice, but MAN I am grateful at all the variety I get to experience. Traveling to different places, playing different music for different crowds, hanging out with awesome bandmates in different groups- it's very fulfilling.
If there's one thing I would encourage you to do, it's join or start a band. There's NOTHING like making music collaboratively, in person, and performing it for a live audience. The camaraderie would really do a lot to uplift you, I think. It's not always easy, but even working through interpersonal issues is SUCH a valuable life experience.
The last part is really interesting. Because me personally, the professional life you live is the life I want to live. But I work 50hrs a week managing a pizza shop, married with a beautiful wife, and I just WISH I could buckle down and get back to producing music full time like I used to before when I was single and not in the workforce. I know it’s tough sometimes, but be grateful for the phase you’re in right now, because it won’t always be like that. You’ll find love, and connections, and everything you want because you’re clearly a good person with a lot to offer. Just wanted to send you that message. But my main piece of advice is: Call your grandpa!
I know how it is, I ended up focusing on my wifes career first and then when that was sustainable (took 12 years), now i'm finishing my degree for MP and finishing it up now. Good luck with finding the time and stability cause thats what really helps. lol Essentially buying time to invest in yourself :)
Thank you for sharing, it's all about perspective for sure! The pastures aren't always greener, we're all living our individuals experiences with drawbacks and points that are attractive to others. Thanks again!
Great one. Enjoyed the last part too. When you’re super in the zone it’s hard to be social.
So true!
Great video! Really enjoyed watching!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I found this video very helpful. As a content creator and as a musician I really enjoyed your vlog. It's really insightful in looking into other peoples workflow and how others work. and make a living and do their lives. Great Video!
Hey Will! I've been in your shoes before when I lived solo, had a fully remote job, and was focused on creative projects that led to an isolated lifestyle. I found that focusing & being intentional with my support system, deriving less fulfillment from my career/music (mindset shift from expecting meaning -> nice to have), and keeping active hobbies with social elements (climbing/run club) were really helpful. Keep it up man, love your work. ❤
I REALLY appreciate your perspective and advice, thank you!!
I need to take all of the words you said into consideration, there all areas I can improve, as you can already tell!
I've recently noticed a weekly run club in my area and think that will be the first go-to!
Thanks again!!!
I’m currently in exactly the same boat. Live alone now for the first time in years . Work remote and not on same piece of land as the rest of the team. I don’t work in music but studied it at uni and play guitar, drums and piano at night. It isn’t a very social hobby for me like it used to be. I was about to say take up golf and then I saw you at the range. Joining a club is good as you can play with randoms and get a good chat. It’s really good in the summer, less good in winter. Thanks for the video.
This might honestly be my favorite video of yours. So incredibly vulnerable, but also very relatable. I work from home almost full time and spend my spare time making music. Even though I'm happily married and have a few friends, I can definitely relate to the solitude.
Love this man. Wish we lived in the same area, so we could get each other out of our routines from time to time! 😅
Maaaaan I hear u about how this can be such a lonely existence!!!! For me I try to alleviate some of that by working from a few different places/coffee shops every week. I find that helps break up some of the monotony of the day. Ofc I still get some days where I don't feel like doing anything. I guess my job is to figure out how to balance the productive days with the unproductive ones 🤷♂
Ps: you know my old lecturer Thomas Trueman!
So good! More content like this mate! So honest! Epic work man!
Hey man, thank you for the video. You reach many people through the RUclips, just keep doing what you’re doing. Also great job on your edits 🔥
Great time management, and great perspective in life, Will!! One heck of a schedule. This is insane how much work musicians have to do nowadays because the industry is almost gone. Even though we were getting ripped-off years ago by the record companies, you could just do the music, and have less hats to wear. Hopefully it will change, and artists can just do their art... :-(
This is the best video I saw in the last 3 months. I m so much connected. Thanks for sharing and speak out the truth ! Your life is very nice , but the trap is that when you meet people , you feel uncomfortable because you get used (and you like) being by yourself. At least this happens with me. I like you man, you re such a nice producer and human being . I watch all your videos !
This is so kind, thanks for sharing your experience!
Keep striving to look after and out for yourself!
Your video just showed up in my RUclips home page and I wanted to watch it for the “music creator” stuff, but you really got me with your story. I guess there’s a lot of us feeling some kind of loneliness due to our very own different circumstances.
It’s nice to know I’m not the only one feeling this way.
Thank you for sharing, you’ve got yourself a new follower🤘🏻
Keep it up man!! Kudos from Italy!
Thanks! Will do! ❤️
Awesome insight into this creative world... I love it! And Live for It! Thanks😎
Wow! Watched the whole video, very insightful. Really felt the meltdown. Been watching your videos for years you are super inspiring and super talented. Wishing you all the best!
Lovely video Will, very grounded, and hit home for me! Great vlogging btw loved all the shots and format was sweet.
Thank you bud, really means a lot as always!!! Appreciate ya
Thanks for sharing this, man. Such an honest and insightful glimpse into your life. It’s clear from your work how much you care about music and enjoy helping others on their musical journey! I can relate, I sometimes get into cycles of not speaking to anyone or even going outside when I’ve got a lot of work on. It’s always inspiring to hear how others navigate this.
Means a lot coming from you bud! Thank you.
It's all about interrupting those cycles!
Love seeing your stuff on socials too, keep up the great work!
Respect for an honest video dude. As long as you're clear on your 'why' then it's all good.
What bothers me most is your keyboard angle - that's a recipe for RSI right there! Keep it flat and avoid future injury 🙏
Heavily noted on the keyboard angle, someone else mentioned my screen height too - you guys are the true heroes!
Appreciate the kindness
This video has really helped me, I recently quit my job and have been pouring my time into music production.
Theres really a lot of similarities in your thoughts about being isolated.
Brilliant video.
Thanks bud! Us music makers have to stick together - good luck to you!
This is super inspiring, it’s always great to see the more personal and more relatable side. Thank you
What a great video. It's always nice to see a perspective of whats to come. Thank you for the tips on keeping it fresh and balanced on the daily.
Take the good bits, not the bad!! Happy to help!
Hey dropped a follow. I like this sort of content so I'm intrigued. Thanks for uploading!
Thanks!
Music producer here (even though I'm less of a content creator for now). This video resonated with me so much, to the point that I just want to be your friend haha!
It really made me feel like I was a part of your life for a moment. Thankfully I have enough friends, but none of them shares the same interests or passions I have, so it often comes down to just spending a saturday evening together. So I know the feeling of loneliness very well.
I'm also trying to figure out a good schedule/routine for this job and I guess I found your video exactly for that reason, so it's a good example to help me find some kind of balance in my life. Times are tough, when it comes to this job. Especially when loneliness hits hard.
But as someone who has been in a terribly toxic relationship and has had countless of people who left me behind, trust me, the work on mental health is a priority. And after I let go of those people, man, I felt so good and liberated to just enjoy my own company.
Sometimes our need to be more social will trick our mind into thinking we need someone, inviting the wrong people into our life.
With that being said, from someone who is far more behind than you in this field, I think you're doing a great job and you inspired me to find a similar balance in my life, or at least work towards that goal.
Thank you!
For sure, this really resonated with me. I've recently been renewing my vowels with therapy, so to speak and am working with my therapist to better understand the folks who left me behind and those who I shunned out of fear etc. For a lonnngggg time I lived in this space of "everyone leaves" but through trauma, childhood relationships, that wasn't always the case! That can definitely all crop up again in the loneliness so I try to keep in mind the bare minimum drink water, eat well, exercise! Somedays, I do the bare minimum only and that's fine - otherdays when the capacity is there, I'll make sure I check in with family or try an activity here or there!
It takes courage and the road is long, thanks so much for sharing with me. The future is bright for us both!
Some times as creative artists, mixing business with our art is not that easy to find Ballance in our lives. Reminding ourselves of our end goal but at the same time, finding the time to connect and enjoy special moments wether in solitude or with others is a fundamental need not a want. Its great Will that you recognise this and looking for ways to make improvements in your lifestyle. I found this video so inspiring and want to thank you for your transparency in sharing. All the very best in your present and future ventures. 😊❤
Thank you so much for such a thoughtful message-it really means a lot. You're absolutely right; finding balance as a creative, especially when mixing art and business, can be such a challenge. It’s easy to lose sight of those fundamental needs, like connecting with others or even just taking a moment to enjoy solitude.
I’m glad the video resonated with you, and your encouragement means the world to me. I’m definitely still figuring things out, but hearing from people like you makes the process feel less isolating and more like a shared journey.
Thank you for your kind words and support-I truly appreciate it. Wishing you all the best as well!
Great vid, man, really enjoyed it. I work from home some days but not sure I could do it full time. make sure to take care of yourself above all else.
Right back at you buddy, thank you!
Hey Will, loved this video. You are very talented filmmaker, its beautifully put together film. Your film touched as it was so honest and open and refreshing to see behind the curtain of content creators. From the outside it looks like you have a double whammy of a completely remote job plus living alone, must be hard to not have much human contact. Dont really have any advice other than to say things will change, they always do so until be kind to yourself ! You are not alone!
I’m optimistic they’ll change for the better too, I’m just in transition haha - or that’s what I tell myself!
Thanks for the support!!! Appreciate it
Good video. I'd love to hang out with you. You seem like a genuine and nice guy. I'm an isolated person like you too, and I never see anyone. I feel that man, but you have a strong passion there. Hold onto that because that could become your thread of hope and joy, the only thing if that situation becomes to dire. Your passion for music will still be there.
Much love man :)
I appreciate that man, my DMs are always open!
Big love to you
Enjoyed this Will… yeh, the loneliness is an issue for me too. But the time and space to do work is amazing. I just came out of a 5 year relationship with house stuff, step kids, my kid, partner, ex-partner … it’s such a feeling of freedom, but I ended up missing all the non digital creation chaos. I am where I am but creatively I’m in a good space. Just need to embrace the extra space to be creative more… I fail more than I succeed, but I make a good living out of it… I now have more time to recover from failure. Fail better is my mantra 😀 g
Love this honest and sincere video that offer me a little bit blue but weirdly upbeat and healing kind of vibe! I can't do nothing but write this comment and subscribe!! Please keep up with your great content !!!
And that’s SO wonderful that you did, thank you. Stay in touch!!
Man that loneliness part at the end hit me hard. thank you for sharing, its tough to open up like that. Have you thought about reaching out to other musicians, particularly songwriters so you can do session work together IRL? making music with artists or for pitch. i think you would be great at it, since you seem like a great producer. Most of that scene is probably in london, but that definitely helped me with my loneliness. I used to have a lot of similar days like you, alone grinding out creative work. It was exhausting, but then eventually i got more confident in my work and started sending songs/ideas out to other people and started writing with them. over zoom or IRL. Probably the best decision ive ever made. I still make lots of music alone, but now 2 or 3 days a week i have a songwriting session with a few different people. made a bunch of friends and connections that way, lots of wonderful people out there! Also if you can show publishing companies that you can make good songs they can get you into writing camps with other people as well, and you can meet people that way, its fun!
This video its a perfect example how music producers are working, i can feel your pain man but keep in mind your not lonely and if you are its better beacuse you have all the time with your self ,respect from Greece for your video is really educational (sorry if my English are bad)
Music creation is mostly a rather lonely ride. I can relate! Thanks for sharing.
This is my favorite video you’ve done. As a full time music producer I don’t think I’ve ever related more to a video 😂
I appreciate how much time and effort must have gone into making this.
Just wanted to say THANK YOU.
Love all of your content but this one was special💜
I love you bro. I love this video as well…. Stay strong.. be blessed!
Big love!
Going to have to say, absolutely real ❤ Will, you created an incredibly insightful and relatable video, especially with the meltdown, hella grateful to see you in the space and genre,
Genuinely after discovering you after looking for research for uni work, you have been a source of knowledge and inspiration.
Keep it up 🫶
Always appreciate the kind words and support Kimiuk. Thanks for always swinging by with great video ideas, advice and vibes!
Dont be a stranger!
First time on your channel. I like day in the life videos. It seems like you have cultivated a large self compassion lifestyle. Not bad depending on your personality type and goals. I've been where you are and now I'm on the other side. Non stop family, work, and self life. You always can add little by little experiences like trying a improv class. I'd like to have seen you make jams in the making. Maybe I'll have to check out another vid for that.
Cool to see this! Hope you're taking care of yourself, bud! By the way, that downtempo/boombap track sounded lovely!
Thank you, thank you!! Yes, I'll have to revisit the track soon!
Trying to take care as best as poss and wishing you all the same!
the one thing im getting from this is dont spread yourself too thin. Based on your outro, dont run the risk of getting to burnout from your creative passion by trying to do and be everything. I've had a very similar experience delving deep into music and now solely focus on teaching and practising/writing in my free time. it is super okay to have non creative days, weeks, months... rest is essential for introspection, reflection and recharge, we aren't meant to be ON at all times. human interaction is super important albeit difficult in this quite individualistic age. well done for building yourself a successful platform and keep going mate! great vid
This video is the most real thing I have seen on RUclips and frankly, something that inspires me to tell my story as well. I can empathize with you, it's difficult but I guess we all need to work a little to have a life outside of work (something I suck at right now) loneliness is difficult, but something that has helped me be less lonely, make some new friends, bring work down and do some other things (it's reading, writing and art for me) find communities in non-music related spaces and trust me it'll make your music a lot better as well and your overall wellbeing good. You're amazing and you deserve this! take care of yourself bro! we're here to see you win!
Damn, man. That is one of the best and most accurate looks at what it takes to be a Content Monk. Laughed my head off at the "I went to the coffee shop because I craved human interaction and then a robot took my order." bit. So good. You just gotta laugh.
Too much here to unpack in a simple RUclips comment, but I'd love to catch up on a zoom or something in December, if you've got a free hour. More to commiserate, because I don't have any answers. All I can say is, you're weirdly alone, but not alone as well. Plus, I clocked something written on your whiteboard that I'd love to chat you up on.
All in all, man...this was one of the best videos I've seen this year. As the kids say, "No Cap."
You just have to laugh, bud!!!
I love the term "content monk" I will be stealing it, kindly. Absolutely, I have all the time for another catch-up! On or off the podcast, I'm game buddy!
@ haha. Not a steal: a gift, my friend! Awesome, I’ll hit you up on DM and we’ll put a date/time! Looking forward to catching up! Should we have whiskey at the ready? Haha
@@TheoreticallyMedia For sure - one of WILL be drinking in the morning though! Hahaha
Content monk 😂 like it
Really liked this one. Would love to see more of this stuff. Also you gotta post a studio tour
Thank you!! Ha, it’s basically what you see here in this video, but if that’s what folks want to see 🤷🏻♂️
Great to see it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Thanks for sharing.
haha 45 seconds in and all i gotta say is, you look lik eme when im going to work. work is work and sometimes work can just be a monotonous regardless of what we are doing. so thank you. instant sub. dont know how i've not seen your stuff before
After a while, we all have our gripes huh? Thanks bud, welcome aboard!
Just found out about you through the algo. Awesome content that struck a chord with me; subbed! Oh, and tape mod tutorial, please!
Thanks so much!
Yessir, tape mod will be coming this month!
Super real video from a super cool guy. Appreciate the inside look and wish I lived closer to hang with you!
Appreciate your honesty mate ! Not many have the courage to express it .
The fact that nobody waits for you at home , hits hard.
I was thinking , as a suggestion, and because you re doing lots of walks by yourself. You know who d love them ? A pet . Have you ever consider that as an option to cope with loneliness?
Take care now
Absolutely correct! I need to invest in a dog for sure, a little pal to get some exercise with!
Thanks bud, be well!
Sending you so much love and a big hug. 🫂
Hugs right back at you, thanks!
very great video, i am currently stuying audio engineering, I might have to start planning out my weeks like yo udo, very great video though, thank you for this, gonna look back over the next few days to see if there's anything else to take away from this
For sure, that’s one of the biggest eases of my stress, planning on a Sunday so I know where I’m at for the week!
Great video, thanks for that! What could really help is finding a social sport activity. I boulder once a week and over the years have made many friends there. It's my little weekend before the weekend. Also, a small tip as a safety advisor, beware of the way your keyboard is placed. The constant flexion in your wrists is likely to cause issues in the long run ;)
Yo great video that's a real take on what it's like for somebody that would consider being a content creator the things that they would consider and what to expect and thanks for just being real and honest that inspires me and I'm sure it will others keep your head up looking forward to more
it takes immense self awareness to be this open mate, thanks for sharing
Time is short. Have fun. Thank you for sharing.
Your car playlists sounds like mine lol
Smooth guitar singer songwritter beach vibes and then boom face melting 808s lol
Awesome video buddy! Good to see the life style of a fellow producer, I guess in a way it makes us see we're not so crazy afterall for chasing this unorthodox path and lifestyle.
Thanks for sharing!
Keep up the amazing content!
Great video, well done in sharing so much.
Thank you very much! My pleasure
I felt the weekly meltdown section in my fucking bones. I speak regularly with a couple friends who are also living alone and making a living from creative pursuits and from those conversations its clear how isolation can really sneak up on you when you're laying out your goals and figuring out how to keep yourself accountable to your schedule. We dont (at least, I did not) think about the implications of how a hyper-focused schedule that feels necessary to my goals would come at the cost of meaningful human interactions. You're not alone.
I really appreciate this vulnerability and shared perspective. Thank you.
I recently read that changing your mindset from "Goals" to "aims" will help ground you a little more, especially in creative work. We're such perfectionists that "goals" have us blinkered in a life-or-death project until POP it comes to an end, we fill empty and we have to get back on track with another "goal" to keep the feeling alive. Whereas "aims" allow you to better meander adjacent paths and if you miss your "aim", huh, it might come back around again but if not? Not to worry too much.
Maybe it's too early to tell if that'll work but I like the idea!
@@WillHatton Aims is an interesting concept!
A mindset shift like that takes a fair amount of time and effort to get to stick.
I dont know about you but I like to meander. I like following my gut and going off on tangents. I find the most fun in spontaneous discovery but its also where productivity goes to die haha. I suppose, once again, balance is key.
Ill have a think on the idea of aims over goals and see what comes of it. It would be interesting to come back together a little later down the road to share our experience with the concept and how we've applied it to our lives.
Enjoyed this vid dude. Refreshing and honest ❤
I work from home and if my wife didn’t also I’d probably only talk to other humans when I see the posty.
Looking forward to see that tape mod!
For sure, it’s definitely a lovely existence!
Glad I have the community!!
Top video man. Very honest.
Watching this so I know where to start 👊🏼🙏🏼 thanks for sharing
Appreciate you bro! You’re SMASHING it already!
I love this video. Very open & honest. One thing I wills say is... Even though it may feel lonely, you're living someones dream. To do this, something you love full time rather than the normal 9-5. It's a dream no matter how simple it may seem.
Thank you for the very personal peak into your life. I work IN IT, from home too most days, but with a team on the other side of ms teams it never feels like I am alone. And with wife and two kids II sometimes long dearly for a little alone time. I look at it from this angle: nothing is forever, everything has its time. Lean into it, enjoy, times will change. And one thing, going for walk, exploring unknown places is my way to unwind. Should work beautifully in the uk. I use Komoot to come up with new places to visit. Very helpful way to change things up.
Never seen ur stuff before, but as a music technology student making EDM and considering a similar career, I really enjoyed this vid! Thanks for sharing
Thanks for the kindness, welcome aboard!
Good Video Will, this is the life we choose hard sometimes but there is allot of good in there , love to see your journey, keep the honest content coming. one l sol
Feel yeah man I’m in the same boat as you life is very lonely especially when all you do is work. You ain’t the only one out there having these types of issues. Just keep pushing and things will change. ask yourself what can I do differently and let that sit for mad long and it’ll come out of no where. I’ve been alone for 2 years with no one at all. I do the same type of stuff you do on your free time. There’s no pity for expressing emotions it’s how us humans feel.
Hey Will 🙂 this was a great video, and as someone said here, it's great to see the reality behind doing music full time and your own personal thoughts and feelings.
I have these thoughts all the time and love routine as it's great for my mental health, but for the last few years, I've started noticing that routine can make me stagnant and trapped in a sense.
I'd suggest treating your work like any other as a Monday - Friday and have at least 2 days off.
It's easier said than done as I know myself what music work is like, but definitely having time to enjoy yourself and unwind is also so important.
You know what they say about all work and no play 😅
Also, actively making an effort to socialise is also so important. I'm a bit introverted and have gotten more so since I moved out by myself and have no partner or pet etc but sometimes you need to force yourself, or these skills can stagnate as well.
I really hope you find a better balance for yourself and take time to have fun also you have a great routine so far and have covered lots of great bases but this is something that we will always refine as our circumstances change over time.
Take care of yourself, and feel free to reach out any time!
Good video!
One of the reasons why I never went full in on this creative job thing.
I love my day job and love my hobby even more because it's just that.
One tip I would consider is doing charity work for half a day in a week or so.
Very rewarding to give some back while meeting others that need us.
Well said! I totally hear you! Thanks!!
Hey, Will. I really enjoyed this as a musician from the UK (with a very new family!) who has been considering switching to music full-time.
Is there a parkrun near you? That might be a great way to keep the fitness up and meet people!
Really enjoyed this mate and it resonated a lot with me as a solo creator and some of the comments are close to home as well. A few years back, I quit my job to focus on music stuff and moved back to my folks place for stability while I grew it, and I'm still here, so I sort of get away with the loneliness in the sense that there are people in the house. But I don't see my friends much and I'm often too burned out at the end of the day to reply to messages so I still feel very isolated. My creative bursts are first thing in the morning so I don't exercise or get outside in the morning, and then I get engrossed in Ableton and again, I'm too tired for anything else at the end. I feel like all my commitment to making music is paying off as I'm making headway with it, but I'm always knackered, isolated and gaining weight from sitting at a desk all day and not exercising. Ironically, where you could loosen your routine up a bit, I'm the opposite - I have ADHD and can't seem to address the admin + additional 'to do list' stuff with any cohesion! I'm going to take some of the more organised elements from your video and try to implement a bit of self discipline, and also reflect on the isolation and try to address that. You seem like a real genuine geezer mate, keep grinding.
Hi Will, I can very much relate regarding the isolating loneliness involved with this. I rely a ton on natural light and house plants, and my pet dog. Also my boyfriend lives with me, who I love, but even still it's extremely isolating and lonely at times. I'm pretty introverted which doesn't help. But I wouldn't trade it for a "normal" job. I used to be a restaurant GM among some other things, and I'd much rather be doing what I love writing music. Just wanted to chime in and tell you thank you for your honesty with your video, and that you're not alone.
Hi Will, just reaching out to say good on you for making such an honest video!
Super insightful video - well done.
Much appreciated!
Great video, very interesting. Look into your day to day. Music making, can be a lonely place at times.. definitely need to get out and be around others.
You’re so right! Thanks!
nice and really transparent video! was both educational and enterntaiing for me! enjoyed it
Thank you bud!
Great video! Gotta love someone showing some honesty on RUclips. Myself I decided that I also need to be out "living life" in a way. So my advice would be to try to include more activety that involves other people. Why not play live? Start a band? Make some videos together with someone? I also saw the extreme benefits of having my studio in a separate space than where I live, but that is of course not possible for everyone. But seriously, if I go too long without having my music relate to some real life humans (not counting video calls) I would go crazy. Just my 2cent there since you invited! Good video though, I made a rant video about how RUclips is geting more and more soulless for music youtubers, but this was a nice different video! Thanks!
I’d definitely like to have a remote studio so there is some kind of commute and separation from work and home life!
Run club is also on the agenda, for sure!
Thanks so much for your time in commenting!
this is greatness. love the somewhat desolate reality of the 'me time.' very visceral.
Very hard to get out of this loneliness in the west, in particular. Between the work grind due to rising living costs and the dating scene being impossible... More and more guys have your kind of lifestyle than ever. Thanks for the candid video blog sir. It's very, VERY relatable.
You have good habits and structure in your life. Don't underestimate that. Thank you for this video.
I appreciate you sharing your day in the life. Its realistic.
I can totally relate to this, thanks for sharing
This is brilliant.. yes you are kinda isolated.. but you are doing what you love every day.. imagine feeling that way and doing g what you hate every day on top.. I respect it.. keep going geeza!! Your doing great
One of your best mate. Thankyou
Nice to meet you! Thank you for video ❤
Thanks for your candor
You are the man brother. A pleasure to be a part of your journey 🙏🏻
The overwhelming presence of digital media in the world has caused us all to become so isolated. I spend more time commenting on youtube videos, hoping to make connections with digital recordings of people than talking to friends. Not gonna lie, this video made me reflect on the past few years.
I teach piano for a living, so I'm interacting with people all the time, but it's very surface level haha. Lately, I've been considering filming footage of my music making process on the side as a creative outlet and as a potential to build up for work on the side and this was an eye opening look at the dedication it would take to do that. I've stopped gigging as a keyboardist because I got absolutely drained doing that and I've been looking for other ways to use my creativity productively, but I don't want to burn out on it like I did with gigging.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your world, man. I really felt it and it helped me appreciate your video and musical work even more.