A Consistent Schedule
The first question an aspiring streamer needs to ask themselves, how much time do I want to spend streaming? This also requires an honest answer. We’d stream anytime of the day, if we could. The truth, however, is not streaming as much as we can but how to be consistent. Streamers-to-be have to build a schedule that works around their lives. If a hefty schedule can work, power to them! I’m envious of that! Scheduling hinges on balancing life and streaming aspirations.
A streamer’s daily life holds greater significance, especially compared to their online presence. If their goal is to be a full-time streamer, great! I encourage and support that endeavor! However, streaming should never come at the expense of your real-life happenings. By real life, I mean the life you live outside of video games, streaming, and online forums. Early on, new streamers often think they should jump right into streaming long hours to ‘make it’, but to become an effective streamer you have to learn to balance your life with that of the new adventure you have dared to tread.
It’s a balance I still struggle with, too. Teaching. Writing. Streaming. Being present for friends and family. Early on, I was obsessed with the idea that I had to stream all the time. I confess, to some extent, I still feel that way too. My obsession, however, led to an unsustainable streaming schedule. I never had time for anything, which led me to being miserable. It led me to not want to stream. While this may not happen for everyone, I do want to warn against the urge to stream all the time. You need a moment simply to breathe. I know I did.
While I still look for the perfect balance for myself, I have to remind myself no matter what, I need to find consistency. That’s the key. A schedule is only a small part of consistency. Consistency in presence, the games you play, how you interact with viewers, and general tone are ultimately what makes a streamer. But starting with a schedule is a good foundation to work with Sticking to that schedule is the hardest part. But once you do, the building blocks of streaming will fall into place. When you find the rhythm of the schedule, you’ll discover the consistency you need to really shine.
So, get to work. Make a schedule. Find the consistency that works best for you.
Jesús M. Rivera 