This guest post was written by Mark Seall from TalkClimateChange and EcoWorldly.
Image by Aaron Jacobs
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Blogging is often more of a lifestyle choice than a hobby or a business model, and that choice often has its cost. Time spent writing content is the easy part – the total time and energy commitment for researching, tweaking, ferreting out new stories, obsessively checking stats and participating actively in the blogosphere is too often all consuming.
It’s not surprising, therefore, that bloggers often run out of steam as energy levels begin to diminish and the time commitment takes its toll.
So what recovery options are available for the burnt out blogger? Here are some approaches I’ve found useful in the past:
1. Focus on your longer term goals
When my blogging energy level gets low I often start to wonder why I am putting myself through the torture of a full-time job, busy social life and two blogs at the same time. All of us have a reason behind our blog lives, be it business goals, personal goals, or just for pure fun. Taking a few moments to remind yourself of why you started can bring that original motivation back again. Thinking about your blogging goals, and the benefits of reaching them will help you focus on the positive aspects of blogging, not just the negative.
2. Talking about pure fun, try and put the fun back in to blogging.
If you usually write about serious topics then do an odd post with a less serious focus to lighten up your blog days a little. Your readers will often appreciate a change of pace as well.
3. Plan your time
Sounds obvious, but few bloggers plan their time, meaning that few bloggers can plan proper breaks. Often it feels like I’m running from one blog post to the other, continually under pressure to give my readers something new every day. Taking the time to plan a schedule allows me to plan in non-blogging free time to recharge my batteries.
4. Connect and ask for support
Every blogger knows how you feel, and the blogosphere by its very nature is populated with people who like to openly communicate and connect. Talk to your fellow bloggers, tell them how you feel, and you’ll quickly be rewarded with some warm and wise words of encouragement.
5. Reach out to your readers for inspiration
Your readers can be highly inspirational. Openly asking them for some updated feedback on what they like and don’t like, and what they would like to see on your blog in the future can make you feel better integrated into your blog as a community. After all, your readers and you form a close group with a passion for your given subject. Writing the occasional request-for-feedback post to recreate that sense of community always pays off.
6. Exercise
A high intensity blogging lifestyle tends to mean that non-critical activities are pushed aside. Exercise is not a non-critical activity, particularly for the blogger. Regular exercise will not only help to prevent any long term health problems that may occur as a result of extended computer hours, it also helps to reboot the creative process by pushing your brain’s reset switch.
7.Take the pressure off yourself
The lowest point always comes when blogging pressure > blogging energy. But blogging pressure only comes from yourself. Telling the blogosphere that they can do without you for a day or so while you recharge is often better than continuing to drag yourself down and writing weary posts. If your readers like you, they’ll come back when you do.
8. Unshackle yourself from your desk
Many desks and offices are hardly inspiring places, and it could be that it’s your environment that is wearing you down. Using a notebook PC means you can blog in inspirational places, or use time otherwise wasted. If notebook PCs are not an option for you, then paper notebooks are an excellent way to capture ideas and structure or even write posts for later.
Remember that like any endeavor in life, blogging has its highs and lows, but it also has its rewards. You have to put a lot of energy into it, but you get much more than out of it. The most important thing next time you are running low on energy is to try and actively manage the problem, and never give up!
Further Reading:
Still struggling with the Blogging Blues? Here are a few more articles from the ProBlogger archives that might help:
- Declaring War on Blog Apathy – a six part series
- Battling Bloggers Block – 25 tips for bloggers struggling with how to keep the ideas coming for their blogging.
“Talking about pure fun, try and put the fun back in to blogging.” – how profound! Really good tip that is. Even for the most serious type of a blog, doing a Fun post could be really helpful in finding the blogger’s blogging rhythm back! After all, it takes some rhythm to get out of the blues:)
My tip:
Do not look at your statistics more than once a day.
And it is a toughie for myself to abide by, I am the first to admit
I show my blog to un-technical, non-internet savvy friends. They look at it and think it’s amazing.
Makes me feel like a million bucks. ;o)
Great article. I am a very new blogger and so I have the opposite problem. This is causing a rift in my “live together relationship.” Yet, I am full of ideas and need to do this. Help, I think I am addicted to my web presence. Veronica Romm …my blogs name is Who Knew? Thanks for the piece. Veronica
Blogging should be relaxing not ” oh did i get more then 1c yet? ” how many visitors do i have now (10 minutes after you checked already)…. be passionate about blogging
That is my advice :)
Viva la LC…
Awesome post. I have been experiencing some blogging fatigue myself lately, mostly due to other issues going on in my life.
I have tried a couple of these ideas mentioned but not others, and it’s good to have some other things to try to help make it through the rougher spots :-)
Thanks for such a good post.
I have like a blogging depresion actually, because I have a banned domain that does not appear in google at all. So I don’t have the motivation to write content that can improve that condition…A vicious cicle…
For me, as a non-pro, most important tips given are
1. Focus on your longer term goals
Why ? Because it gives a meaning at what you do. Why do you put so much energy ? Why all this “work” : research, format,… ?
It gives you the strength to go on, and on, and on… You know why you do what you do.
2. Plan
This is for me far more difficult… Planning my posts is easy. I like what I do and have plenty of ideas. Most difficult is… to stop ! Stop and do something else : visit friends, go out, and….
3. Exercise
I have just bought a Polar and new running shoes and have decided to run again. And I find it more difficult than blogging !
This post is supposed to be an application of the tip n°4. I am not used to tell others about my feelings. But I think it is a powerful tip. It makes you feel better…
At the end, key word for me is : balance. Try to give the best to blog, but live a balanced life…. A challenge !
Thanks.
Eric
Another great post Darren. As a new blogger myself, i think tips like these are going to come in very handy for when times are low, and you generally don’t feel like blogging.
Keep up the good work!
It’s kind of like exercise for me. If I skip a day or two, it becomes too easy to just skip another. Pretty soon you have not written anything for a week.
I try to write at least one story a day and hold back a few in case I do need to skip a day.
The picture is the most inspiring part of this post,
great article, as usual. I experience this problem fairly often, usually it is because I am too focused on the blog stats and income and I get burnt out easily. thanks for the tips!
Hi Darrin, its all about the time management. Plan everything the day before and just do it! Also, always have a vacation lined up for the summer time! Thats my trick!
Great post! I’ve realized the importance of exercise recently, when I got cramps in my right leg after a particularly long blogging session. So I now take a break every couple of hours and do some Qi gong exercises. It makes all the difference. Also I think it is good to make a calender to give your work some structure. Then on a bad day you still have something to do. Motivation is often about making a start and getting some momentum.
@a man called anne :
I’ve experienced myself that looking too much at statistics can be a very unhealthy thing … Before you know it you might slip into some sort of statistics checking obsession …
Best to let these things go their own way indeed …
Thanks for this. I’ve been neglecting my blog for the last month, but I’m going to try to get back into the swing of things.
I do find that combined with exercising, blogging can be part of a more productive evening.
I second whoever said that not to look at your stats more than once a day. It’s a sick obsession.
Although I’m a relatively new blogger, I’ve been a journalist since 1991 and a freelance one since 1998, and freelance survival–for me–depends on planning. I keep a list of the blog topics that I’m planning for about two weeks ahead. Also, I often write my posts on the weekend and postdate them for publication during the week. This leaves me time during the week to do other blog-related tasks, from learning more about the blogging world to doing research on upcoming topics.
Get someone to try a guest post. Not only can it be fun, but it can add something different to your blog. I think it’s good when I stumble upon a different kind of writing style every few posts. Spices up your blog a little bit. Also, depending on the subject of your blog, it may provide an unbiased opinion which will generally start up a good debate in the comments section.
I’ve been asking my friend to do it lately as my blog is about a subject which he loves as much as I do.
Great post Darren, the most important lesson I was able to pick after 18 months of daily blogging is “Connect and ask for support” the liftoff you can get from other bloggers the blogs about the same niche is unbelievable until you’ve actually experienced it !
Great tips and for all the great comment tips as well. My method to keep it a bit fun is to schedule time to work on my serious posts and items each week and have them scheduled later in the month for posting, but any day to day or spur of the moment posts that are generally “more fun” to write, I publish them out right away. That way, it doesn’t always seem like a chore to write new content.
I’d like to add a ninth point: focus on one blog. I maintained two blogs for a couple of months, along with other writing projects. I gave one up, at least temporarily, so I could focus on my main blog. It helped me to do that and I find that I’m getting more energy for posting.
This is something that I can relate to. Being new to blogging, I feel that I’ve been pushing myself too hard to come up with posts even in times that I don’t feel like writing. Thanks for the tips. I guess I’ll have to slow down a bit from now. I’m starting to have insomnia already. hehehe
Hello, new guy here, I’ve recently started a blog and actually posted yesterday about when you get wore out and start loosing your motivation.
Motivation and inspiration are two things I believe that need to be maintained to have a successful blog, as most readers will notice when you’ve lost your edge so-to-speak.
“Exercise is not a non-critical activity”
Really? Non-critical? Ok.
Thank you for the great tips. I love the idea of doing a less serious post. And it will cheer up those visitors who are also suffering blogging fatigue.
I’ve been feeling this way for a few weeks now, I think it’s just because of the way the economy is and the fact that the holidays are over with and we have to get back to normal everyday life. I just keep trying to remember why I started blogging in the first place, because I want to share my opinions on things with others, that’s what keeps me going during blogging slumps.
thanhk you, this is a very timely post. i live in Kenya where e the ongoing political crisi has sapped all my energy to blog. I’ll do #8 and step away from the office for a few days
I like the tip about exercising
u r right , pal ! every blogger must fix his/her aim / goal for this particular year and work towards it .
lower stats , lower earnings ——– never ever worry about them —- just keep in mind of ur ultimate goal !
some most impressive goal would like this ——— 10000 feedburner subscribers by the end of this year , increasing the ctr to 30% , increasing the stats etc,.
I personally like Mark’s tip to check in with friend bloggers. This is so important. I often ask bloggers to help me since my eyes only see one thing. If I see a plug-in or a something else on their site, I ask. Many are happy to respond.
I too have been asked about items on my blog and gladly help.
Having connections with fellow bloggers is so important. They give you perspective like no one else. Thanks, Mark for saying this again.
Darren, wise choice in posting Mark’s post! Well written and thought out.
Now, if someone can you tell me how to get my blog noticed , I will be all set!!!
I suppose one must recover from blogger’s block before becoming being bogged down by blogging fatigue. Well now we know the next step of the blogging cycle. :P
As for me, I usually go out on my bike and ride around town. The changing environment really helps to flush out the old ideas in my mind and bring in new ones.
Just enjoy what you’re doing..
nhick
http://www.itrush.com
This really hit home for me, and couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. My daily life consists of sitting at the computer, usually from 8AM to 9 or 11PM everyday, including weekends. I used to find time to exercise but have lapsed right back into spending my entire day behind the computer.
I work 3 different projects right now, including upkeep on 5 different websites and one main site with 6 blogs, all outside of my ‘normal’ job. Needless to say, my Franklin planner is quite busy too.
I’m learning a lot from you on blogging and keeping the fire going. Keep up the great work mate!
This post inspired me to take a step back and figure out how to work in a workout everyday. Seems pretty simple, but for an obsessive-compulsive personality, it isn’t as easy as it seems. :) I’m obsessing on the wrong things, at the wrong times apparently. hahaha
For me, inspiration comes from knowing that i have readers. That helps me to stay focused and positive about it. Unfortunately, my blog is so new that it doesn’t have many readers….and only 12 rss subscribers. :o(
Great tips!
My favorite way is to always have pen and paper and when a idea comes right it down, that way when you get in a slump you can refer to other ideas and bam! Your writing once again as if nothing had ever happened!
I am just coming back from a several month hiatus with blogging (at least on a professional level). I needed time to recharge, regroup and rethink my blogging methodology and do some personal journaling too.
In doing so, I have at least allowed myself to be away from it long enough to break some bad habits and start some new good ones during my return into the blogging world. I also took just enough time to realize that this is something I do love to do, where before I think I just did it to make ends meet.
The thoughtful simplicity of Mark’s writing brought relief to stressed bloggers.
In a competitive environment, generosity feels like hope.
Thank you for featuring a window within the net-world walls.
think we all have been though it and only the true bloggers who blog for fun get though it
The part about exercise is so important, it really is! The other day I was feeling a bit down and I decided to do some exercise, afterwards I felt on top of the world! I was so motivated to do my work and utilise my time adequately. The negative thoughts just…disappeared! Sometimes we forget the most obvious things which can help us. By exercising we are releasing powerful endorphins (the hormones that make you feel GREAT), so for those of you who might not realise the benefits of such a ritual – TRY IT! I guarantee you will feel better. Many of my clients encountered dramatic improvements in their social and professional lives after incorporating exercise and good nutrition into their daily schedule.
This article was as sent from heaven. Right when I was thinking about getting out of my “blogging blues” I stumbled upon this article.
Great post Mark. I’m so excited about it that I don’t even mind commenting after 40 comments
nice post here.thanks
Thanks. As new blogger I needed to hear this cautionary tale. Hope you are all rested and inspired.