How to Deal With Blogger’s Burnout
Part 3 of 4
If you’re like me, you’re passionate about the topic(s) you blog about, and you’ll never lack for material. I have file folders and binders stuffed with ideas for blog posts. Sometimes, the sheer amount of ideas I have overwhelms me, and I panic at the enormity of sifting through it all and composing something coherent… day after day, week after week, year after year…
I tell myself, “I’ll take a week off to gather my thoughts.”
Then I feel guilty.
“I can’t take time off!” I chide myself. “My readers rely on me! How can I tell people they should be blogging several times per week and not do it myself?”
All conscientious bloggers experience this mental tug-of-war in which feelings of inadequacy, guilt, panic, and responsibility battle with, “my readers can’t live without me.”
I’ve been blogging regularly on multiple blogs for five years, and I’m a strong believer in taking time off to refresh and rejuvenate. It doesn’t have to be a long time; a few days off brightens my spirits and helps new ideas gel.
You may be thinking, “But Laura, this conflicts with what you advised in Part 2: “Consistent updating is the key to retaining readers.”
Yes, consistent posting is important. But I also know that readers can sense when you’re blogging out of a sense of duty, and not for the sheer joy of blogging. If you feel the passion dissipating from your blogging, by all means, take a break. Your readers will survive without you (it’s hard to admit, but it’s true).
Just because you take a break doesn’t mean your blog has to lie dormant. I always keep several guest blog articles in reserve; when my creativity well runs dry, I post those. Or I publish more generalized, newsy articles and press releases that don’t require much thought.
It’s not a perfect solution, but it keeps my blog going during times I’m feeling unmotivated and uninspired… or when life happens… or when I truly am on vacation and away from my computer.
I’m anxious to learn from you, dear readers. Do you struggle with blogger’s burnout? If so, how do you handle it?
In our next post, you’ll learn a surefire way to conquer blogger’s burnout.
Also in this series:
I am suffering from bloggers burnout and I have only been blogging for 5 months! Ugh- it’s hard to see progress.
I am suffering from bloggers burnout and I have only been blogging for 5 months! Ugh- it’s hard to see progress.
Sometimes it feels as if you’re moving at a snail’s pace. I always tell people that you need a marathon mentality to blog, not a sprint mentality. Generally, it takes 6 months to 2 years to build a strong, loyal following, I know; kind of depressing, but it’s the truth. Hang in there!
Sometimes it feels as if you’re moving at a snail’s pace. I always tell people that you need a marathon mentality to blog, not a sprint mentality. Generally, it takes 6 months to 2 years to build a strong, loyal following, I know; kind of depressing, but it’s the truth. Hang in there!
Since I picked my MWF schedule, I’ve tried to avoid “taking breaks,” even if I’m away on holidays. I’ll ask some blogger friends to guest post, as you’ve suggested, as it gives me a break (other than formatting and posting their article) and allows me to “share the love” and feature some great blogs that I read. Often, I’ll just go digging through my writing files for old pieces that I’ve already written and haven’t found a home for anywhere else. Those fit good in Random Fridays, and give me a way to show my readers what I write about when I’m not in “blogging” mode. 🙂 Overall, though, I don’t think I’ve experience burnout; I just enjoy blogging too much!
Since I picked my MWF schedule, I’ve tried to avoid “taking breaks,” even if I’m away on holidays. I’ll ask some blogger friends to guest post, as you’ve suggested, as it gives me a break (other than formatting and posting their article) and allows me to “share the love” and feature some great blogs that I read. Often, I’ll just go digging through my writing files for old pieces that I’ve already written and haven’t found a home for anywhere else. Those fit good in Random Fridays, and give me a way to show my readers what I write about when I’m not in “blogging” mode. 🙂 Overall, though, I don’t think I’ve experience burnout; I just enjoy blogging too much!
Good to hear, Bonnie, and thanks for sharing what you’re doing that’s working for you.
Good to hear, Bonnie, and thanks for sharing what you’re doing that’s working for you.
[…] In our next post, we’ll interrupt our goal-setting activities to discuss a common malady that afflicts all bloggers. […]