Blogger burnout impacts all of us. Whether you have just started blogging, or it is your full-time job – it will happen at some point. Reading the signs and knowing when to stop will always have you picking back up stronger, instead of causing more harm in the long run. At the end of the day, your content is only as good as the person behind the content. If you are struggling, eventually it will show. In 2020, I had 3 months off to grieve the loss of a loved one; yet my annual stats had doubled in comparison to 2019. Blogger burnout and taking a break does not lead to fewer views. So here are some tips on how to know when to stop for a while.
You Are Finding Blogging A Chore
If a hobby is becoming a chore, then you know you need to have to time off. I am not talking about a job you really do not want to do (for example, I hated having to SEO over 100 old posts), but when everything becomes an effort. Like homework when you were in school. Then you know it may be worth stepping back. I don’t about you but I find that everything takes longer when you don’t want to do it; cue extreme procrastination. Reducing the hours you put in might be the easiest solution.
You Are Not Progressing
I will tell you what, for me, blogger burnout always happens when I am not making progress. Whether it is posts written, sponsored posts/collaboration, or just stats – it is easier to have a motivation to keep going. During a lull, it is tougher to put the time in. I deleted 100 blog posts from my early blogging days and saw quite a drop in stats. You start to regret the decision and wonder why the hell you did it. Self-doubt can also be another cause of blogger burnout for sure. If you are doubting yourself more than usual – stop for a while. And on that note, when you are making decisions, make sure it is the right one. I always justify decisions to myself – especially the big ones. It makes it easier to slow down the rate of self-doubt because that in itself can be crippling.
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You Never Stop Comparing Yourself With Others
We all compare ourselves to others – especially those within the same niche and size bracket. Blogger burnout can also make this worse. The way I always see it is this: I will always see my blog as its worst – tech issues, layout issues, even performance issues. Therefore, so many other blogs will ALWAYS look better. They just will. For this reason, comparing yourself to others is double-edged. It may make you work harder, but in the long run, you will become more exhausted, and quicker. Step back for a while, and focus on bettering yourself – at your own pace.
You Are Taking The Litte Wins For Granted
Like I have said about not progressing, blogger burnout can happen by not appreciating the little wins. It can be so difficult to set monthly and yearly goals – yet not the day to day wins. Just a nice email or positive comment can be all it takes to cause a spring in your step, but sometimes the overarching fear of “I must do better” takes over. Make a list at the end of every week of things that went well, and it may be just easier to keep working hard.
You Want To Quit All of The Time
Blogger burnout can drag all of the enthusiasm out of blogging, making it so difficult to find reasons to continue. Stepping back and appreciating the little wins can make you lower your self-doubt. Quitting can sometimes be an irrational decision with falling out of love with your own work; but should you follow through, quitting could be something you could seriously regret. Take the time out, appreciate the fact you are burning out and consider whether quitting is really the right thing to do.
You Are Running Out of Content
Trust me, however much you feel like this is possible, chances are there is not. Getting to know other bloggers in your niche, finding out what is trending and falling in love with your blog again will all help towards creating more content. Blogger burnout could be caused by a dry spell in content, or not knowing what to post. However, there are many places you can turn to when you need post ideas. Should you still need help: I have 500+ Blog Post Ideas to get you started!
Your Targets Are Not Achievable
Blogger burnout could simply become a factor of complete exhaustion. Setting targets is a regular part of being a blogger, yet it can be so difficult to set targets that are relative. Rome was not built in a day (such a cliche but so true), yet it is perfect for us bloggers to want to do more than is possible. My issue – I NEVER factor in how long things take – it is almost always longer than you think. This will then always get you thinking about what needs to be done, instead of what has been achieved. Shift your mindset, set 3-4 things per day for a week instead of 10-15, underestimate what you can do and the end of the week will always end on a positive note instead of an “I could do more”.
Down Time is Down Time
If you have tried to avoid blogger burnout, the first questions you need to ask: How much time do I blog a week? Secondly, has this workload increased recently? Usually, the two are interlinked. Blogger burnout can be caused by any change in your blogging routine and could be a sign it is too much. Re-visit the number of hours you put in. Consider disabling all social media notifications on your phone, put your phone/laptop in another room or allocate some quality time to spend with someone else. Just avoid screens for a while. Do anything but blog. Separate the time off, and you should benefit greatly.
Break Up The Little Things That Need To Be Done
Don’t try and attack everything that is one go. You will be overwhelmed. Get all your jobs done in little chunks and become efficient with your time, and you will find it easier – guaranteed. I have a notepad in every room to write down ideas as I get them, then spend 10 minutes a day collating them and writing down what needs to be done every day; that works for me. Organisation is key! I allocate days to create Pins, create Instagram posts, answer Blog comments and schedule all of my Tweets. When everything has a place and a plan towards it, getting the jobs done is so much easier.
Fall In Love With Your Blog Again
Stepping back from your blog is sometimes all it takes to fall in love again. I find that I have serious separation anxiety from my blog, so I need to prepare for time off. Know what has to be done before a weekend and schedule whatever I can. Time off is such an essential though. You need to see what other people see when you read your blog, instead of flaws and problems. Appreciate your content and why you started a blog in the first place.
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Blogging can be easy at times, but just as difficult. Acknowledging the problems and noting red flags in your wellbeing is crucial to ensure you are not doing any harm. As I have mentioned, everyone gets blogging burnout – accept it and use it as a way to come back stronger.
