I love this guy. DJ Carlo is a former world champ, with a great channel on DJ skills. I’ve written before about enjoying DJing as a hobby, and it makes a fun non-work way to procrastimake.

In this video, he shares five top tips for beginner (or experienced) DJs, with obvious parallels to academia, teaching or educational leadership.

See you after the video…

1/ Clean Your Library

To me, the hardest part of academic study (and hobbyist DJing) is keeping the library organised. Papers and logins everywhere, reference managers, subscriptions and app integrations. It can be overwhelming, and still something I struggle with, especially in researching a very dynamic field (AIEd) in alignment with more established fields (International Education), that are going through periods of change.

With new stuff published weekly, getting it to make sense in the grand scheme of things feels messy. Taking a moment (or an afternoon) occasionally to clean up and get organised can help the paper (and the mix) take shape. Organised in, organised out…

2/ Practice

OK, maybe this is the hardest part. Getting into habits of deliberate practice in research, writing and mixing. Not trying to take on the whole thing at once, but developing the skills that plug together to allow for a meaningful flow. Something I’ve found useful is the “five minute rule“: instead of worrying about the scale of the task at hand, setting focus for five minutes on a single achievable task. More often than not, the momentum of this minor achievement allows for more work to flow.

3/ Adapt

Only change is constant. Technological advances in DJing and research, and an ever-more saturated market of apps, publications and tools (especially in the age of AI), creates new challenges and opportunities. Swallow the pride and allow yourself to be a novice at a new method; it might pay off in the long run.

• Post: AI Tools for Academic Research (July 2023)

4/ Invest In Yourself

This should be obvious, but how often to we slog through instead of investing time to make time? Are we working with the best tools and learning we can afford? When I see the monthly renewal fees come in for a multitude of tools and subscriptions, it can be eye-watering, but represents in investment in myself. Does this bring joy? Is the cost of the investment worth more than the time it saves? Does this investment in tools or learning reduce opportunity costs?

5/ Look After Yourself

Actually, this is probably the hardest part. I’m a worrier, perfectionist and natural introvert. Managing study on top of family and an intense job with many big projects doesn’t do well for my wellbeing, and I can fall into traps of stress. Taking time out for health, family, creativity and friends is critical, and requires constant effort, or the screen takes over.

Mixing is one creative outlet, though I can’t allow it to become a new cause of frustration. Get active, get outside and get connected offline. Enjoy the moment, celebrate small (and big) successes, and lift others.

Honestly, a big part of getting back into mixing is the encroaching mid-life crisis, so I’ll end this post with my mix, “Silver Fox”. Late 90’s trance bangers with a modern twist. Still fresh after 25 years, unlike my hair.