Editor’s Note: In 2013, Zack shared this post as a followup to his first wildly popular guest blog/video. Both of them are favorite posts of mine, so here is this one again for your enjoyment!

Signal & Noise

As 2012 was coming to an end, I felt as though my brain was full. There wasn’t any more room in it. I can’t take any more information. My head was filled with noise and trying to find anything of any substance was difficult. I would do my best to remember what I was going to the store to buy, but when I walked in the door I couldn’t remember. I’d sit in meetings with my studio manager where she would ask about the direction for the new year and I’d draw a blank. “I don’t know.” My mind was filled with thoughts but I couldn’t string them together in a coherent way to save my life.

Each year I take the month of December off from social media. I like to disappear, go work on stuff, and come back feeling fresh. Nearing the end of 2012 I knew I needed to leave all of that behind sooner than December and most likely stay off of it until the spring. My mind was stuck on static and the volume was set to eleven. I had been working on a Q&A blog with a goal of answering 1,000 questions after which time I was going to check the @#$% out. I reached my goal, said farewell to my online friends and colleagues, and got to work on several projects that had several loose ends. I wanted all commitments and loose ends taken care of before Christmas. I need to build as much space in my schedule, my life, and my work to let the smoke clear.

This was all happening as I was opening a second studio location that we lovingly refer to as “The Lab.” My main studio is filled with a lot of production work. The work is consistent and I have an amazing team who sees that it runs smoothly. The problem is I can’t “work” there. There’s a lot of hustle and bustle going on. We are under a tight NDA from our main client so I can’t just have anyone coming in and out of there due to the stuff we shoot. My brain needs space. My work needs space. I need a place where I can turn my music up, brew some coffee, cover the walls with stuff, set up lights and leave them for a few days, etc. I found a great little space that allows me to have my own production area, and a small shooting space.

I finished my Q&A goal, bought some cheap table tops and legs at Ikea, set up my stuff, and I got to work. It’s been nine weeks now. I’ve learned some things that are helping build signal in my life and keep the noise down to a manageable level. I realize that some of these things seem so obvious but I, as a forty year old man, am having to tell this stuff to myself, so maybe you could use this info, too.