When you break your routine even for a day or two, it can feel both disconcerting but also refreshing. In my case, I got those dual feelings last week when I took a few much-needed days off from writing this blog. As many of you know, this has been my morning habit for well over two decades. Like clockwork (no pun intended), I’ve woken up in the dark—either in my home but often in a hotel room—to pen a post each early weekday morning.
Sometimes, they’ve already been half-written. But most other mornings, I’m writing them from scratch. And on most of those days, I don’t know precisely what I’m going to write about in those next few hours or so. I must enjoy the pressure of producing under the gun, because I don’t have to write them with that incessant “tick-tick” sound reverberating in my head. But that’s what I’ve grown accustomed to doing.
Typically, this blog goes “live” at 8am Eastern Time (or 9 if I’m running late).
The scene is usually a Starbucks somewhere. I’m comfortable writing in noisy places with people going in and out, music playing in the background, and a cacophony of activity in the air.
So, that’s my routine.
And many of you have told me you’ve made it part of your routines, often over a cup of coffee as you start your day. That pleases me, as you can imagine—that you feel the content is consistently worth reading and that you’ve made it part of your morning activities is gratifying. I thank you, and please know I appreciate your readership and your loyalty.
But I’ve reached the conclusion that living the life of a morning radio host—voluntarily—is something I need to change. So starting this morning, I’m moving to MIDDAY. Most days, this blog will now be published somewhere between 10am-noon Eastern Time. That may not be worthy of a press release or even a LinkedIn post where I regularly read about your promotions, your exploits, and your life changes. This move is hardly in the same strata as a job change, a lifestyle shift, or a physical move to Colorado. But for me, it just may end up being a big deal.
I’ve always been an admirer of midday talent, thinking they’ve got the perfect time slot—one in which you can wake up at a normal hour, and then get out of the building at the end of your show for family time, maybe a round of golf, or even a late lunch with friends. The midday post even allows for going somewhere at night, going to be a little later, and maybe hitting “snooze” once or twice. In other words, the perfect lifestyle “shift.”
And that’s where I’m headed. If this move of mine has rocked your routine, I hope you’ll understand. I hope it takes you less time to make the adjustment than you think.
For me, I’m looking forward to continuing to write these posts and I hope you continue to enjoy reading them. The difference is that I’ll have to lower the window shade at Starbucks on most mornings to block the sun out. I might also get a better night’s sleep. And we all know the benefits that can bring.
I hope that’s a good tradeoff. See you tomorrow.
President & Founder at Jacobs Media
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched – a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created – a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the “connected car” and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media’s commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
