How to Avoid Blogger Burnout

how-to-avoid-blogging-burnoutWriting a blog is both incredibly rewarding and extremely exhausting.  The need to constantly produce content that adds value to a website is no easy feat.  When you write a post that you know will resonate, and potentially blow people’s minds, it’s a great high.  But when you are on your couch at 11:45pm trying to get a post out before you fall asleep sitting up, it’s a low low.

So how do we avoid the burnout?  I am going to give you the usual tricks, but sometimes I just don’t have the time or the energy to follow them all.  That’s when I feel the burnout creeping up.  What I’ve noticed is that whenever I’m so tired I’m not sure if I’m going to get Wednesday’s post up, I always do.  And I think that’s where some of the anti-burnout magic lies.  I know I’m going to get it done and give it my all, even if it physically hurts.  However, the key is to get to that point so infrequently that it becomes as rare as Santa Claus coming to visit.

When putting in my all to avoid blogging burnout, what are the most effective tactics?

Blog in advance

So simple, so easy, so common sense.  Soooo hard to do sometimes.  But when you do it, it will make a huge difference in how you view your blog and your blogging responsibilities.  It will allow you to follow the 24/48 rule, and put out better content with less stress.

Always be coming up with topics

There are many ways to go about this.  My favorite way is observing and taking notes.  I use my iPhone notes, other people prefer actual pen and paper, and I kind of want to try taking voice memos.  But I really do get most of my post ideas from observing the world around me.  Other options are to set up Google alerts for keywords, or to read as many blogs as possible and “borrow” some of the ideas that really resonate with you.  As long as you give them a 100% different spin and writing, of course.

Give yourself a break

Sometimes I think most of the blogging burnout comes not because of the actual writing and thinking but because of the pressures bloggers put on themselves.  If you’re a small business owner and you set out to blog once a week but customers, invoices, new business prospects get in the way, give yourself a break.  The blogging world will wait for you.

Those are some of the ways I think help avoid blogger burnout.  What do you do when your blogging passions begins to wane?

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3 comments

  1. […] How to Avoid Blogger Burnout by Rebecca Osberg (@RebeccaOsberg) […]

  2. Hi Rebecca, great post on blogger burnout.

    Just thought I would share my thoughts on generating consistent marketing content. Here is how I go about it…

    1. I use Evernote to capture ideas on my iphone. It’s a free note taking app that syncs with your laptop. You just enter your idea into the app and the idea is on your laptop when you are ready to write. It saves you from that dreaded situation of sitting in front of your computer not knowing what to write about.

    2. I use the Reeder app on my iphone to sync my RSS feeds on Google reader. I subscribe to quite a few marketing blogs that help stimulate blog ideas. As soon as the idea comes to me I put it into Evernote.

    I also always write ahead of schedule. I never post something I’ve written the same day and I try to edit it in the morning after I’ve left it for 24 hours. This helps to edit with fresh eyes.

    Cheers

    Chris

    1. Hi Chris,

      I have been meaning to try Evernote forever and a day. Thanks for reminding me. There are so many amazing tools to help us and I just do not take advantage of them enough.

      I also use the reeder app on the iphone for my Google reader. You’re right, it’s a great way to get blog ideas.

      Thanks so much for the comment!

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