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Overthinking your music journey can become super easy when you see everyone doing a million things. You open Instagram and see everyone's new music, show videos, and promos, and you're like, "What should I be doing?" Well, I am here to say you're already doing really well.
Something that has helped me a lot on the productivity side of things is working on stuff when I feel like it. If I hear a track and think, "I should remix this," that's exactly what I'll do. If I hear someone talk about a new free plugin, I'll get it and use it to make a new track. The list can go on and on. My most played track ("Movement Edit") was made in 45 minutes this way. I was inspired, I knew what I wanted from it, and I was really excited to work on it. It's not complicated, work when you feel like it.
Another tip I was given is to stop overcomplicating things, especially spending too much time on sound design if you're trying to build your discography. Find a preset, tweak it a bit, and you're done. If you want, set aside some time to learn about sound design, but not when you're in the middle of making a new track. You won't believe how many people overcomplicate making a track. Build yourself a default template in Ableton so you can get started right away. Use the user library to store your groups for easy access. For example, create a 4-bar drum loop that's basic but has your favorite drum samples. Then drag that whole group to the user library so that for your next tracks, you can simply drag it out and start preparing your basses right away.
The main reason I wanted to write this article is because I know a ton of people struggle with this. Just simplify it. Let me say it again: simplify it. The way you'll improve is by making a ton of music, so skip trying to make everything perfect and just make music. Not feeling the idea of a new track? Whatever. Who cares? Move on to the next.
Another important thing to keep in mind is not to get caught up with a single track you're working on for months and months. If that happens, just stop and move on. However, you should also have those tracks where you spend hours and days trying to perfect them because they will teach you a lot. My remix of "Agony x Dissent - Marionette" hit version 16. I spent countless hours on that song because I wanted to make the best thing I possibly could. I sent it to my friends for feedback, I sent it to feedback streams, and every time someone suggested a change, I did it until I felt there was nothing else it could possibly need. You need those tracks because they will level you up as a producer. But not every track. If you only have 10 tracks, just grind and keep generating new ideas.
At the end of the day, this is an art, and everyone progresses at their own pace. I hope this resonates with the right people and helps break through the belief that the more time you put into a track, the better producer you are.