How To Avoid Blogger’s Burnout

After reading the title, you might think, do bloggers burn out as well???

While some of you might say, oh, I thought it was just me!

Yes, folks, we bloggers also burnout sometimes!

Blogging involves a lot of hustling and grinding. It is a long-term game, and there are very few signs to keep you motivated to stay on track. There comes the point when many bloggers get dejected because they can’t see the growth they dreamt of.

They start devoting all their waking hours to blogging. Or they keep thinking of it all the time. They reach a point of exhaustion and get completely disillusioned. And that’s why a lot of blogs get defunct soon.

Signs of Blogger’s Burnout

Here are some warning signs that indicate if you are on the verge of burnout-

1) You are not happy with the progress. The search engine ranking, page views, etc., disappoint you, and you check them ten times a day, hoping for improvement.

2) You can’t think of new blog topics.

3) You have a list of new blog topics, but you don’t want to work on them anymore. Nothing satisfies you.

4) You have developed massive writer’s block. You just can’t start writing.

5) Your personal life has taken a toll. You have less time to spend with your friends and family. You have no time for your hobbies.

6) You have become short-tempered and resentful.

7) Your health is declining, and you feel lethargic all the time.

If these signs resonate with what you are experiencing, then hang on. You are not alone, and you can manage to beat your burnout.

Beating the Burnout

Often, when the outcomes are not encouraging, we work ourselves to the brink of exhaustion. But if you want your work to be sustainable, it’s important to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Set Realistic Targets

A blogger must write consistently. That doesn’t mean that a blogger should keep writing all the time. It means that you have to figure out a pace that’s comfortable for you and allows you to stick to a posting schedule.

Your writing targets should be your own. Don’t compare yourself with anyone else. Take into account the time and energy you have to devote to your day job, your family, and other priorities.

It takes a bit of trial and error, though. If you are a new blogger, it might take you a couple of months to find how much you can write every day or week.

Divide Time

The hours that you have set aside to work on your blog should not be completely consumed for writing. You have to allocate time for planning, research, communication, and networking, etc.

You can also plan your tasks in a way that you get short breaks from writing. For instance, check and reply to your mails every two hours, instead of answering them all at the end of the day. Also, avoid replicating the same content pattern every working day. Bring some variety to your work. It avoids boredom and fatigue and keeps you recharged.

These are not hard and fast rules; it’s all about what you find convenient. The best schedule is the one that you can stick to.

Work Without Distraction

When you work, don’t give in to distractions. Work in a noise-free environment. Let your family know that they should not barge into your room while you are at work.

Stop checking your phone while working. Avoid watching (cat videos on) Youtube or reading other stuff when you should be writing. Focus on the task at hand to complete it within time.

Learn to Unplug

A blogger stays glued to screens for several hours a day. It’s important to stay away from your gadgets once you are done working. Don’t let blogging permeate into other spheres of your life through your gadgets. Don’t rush to reply to every comment, mail, or message outside your work hours.

Stop checking WordPress notifications on your smartphone while spending time with loved ones. Don’t hunt for new blog ideas on your off-days. When you go on vacations, try to completely stay away from the virtual world. The whole turning off process is important for the rejuvenation of your mind.

Sometimes, You Have to Say No

You can’t do everything under the sun. Accept that. Sometimes, you might have to turn down the offer of writing a guest post because your schedule is too packed. Or you have to say no to writing content for your friend’s business, as you have holiday plans with your kids.

Learn to say no without guilt. Stretching yourself too thin will deteriorate the quality of your work. And it also affects your mental peace.

Take Help

You can connect with fellow writers and bloggers if you find yourself in despair. All bloggers develop their own way to strike a balance. You don’t have to copy them but take some cues from their working style.

Also, don’t shy away from reaching out to others when you need specific help for blogging. You can’t do everything on your own and achieve great results.  Do you need an SEO audit? Then reach out to a specialist instead of breaking your head over it. Need to push more content? Hire another writer!

Reaching out to others doesn’t diminish your value but adds value to your work.

Be Patient

You can’t progress from running a sprint to covering a marathon in a day (or even a week or a month). It takes time to create big things.

If you are new to blogging, it will take time to understand SEO, WordPress, email list, and what not! Even when you figure these things out, you won’t get overnight results.

Your Work is a Part of Your Life

No matter how passionate you are about your work, it’s only a part of your life. You must not put your health, family, love, and hobbies at stake for blogging. Give your best when you sit to write, but remember that you work to live and not the other way round.

After all, the taste of success is sweet only when you have good health to enjoy it and your people around you to share it with!