Are You Due for a Blogging Break?

Blogging has become one of those social mediums that everyone's expected to take part in, especially if you're, I don't know, writing a book? Because doing even MORE writing is exactly what you want to do when your current project is sucking you dry. Here's a blog post I dug out of the archives that talks about blogging, blogger burnout, and what you can do to get your awesome blogging skills back on track. 

Bloggers, you know how it is when you write that perfect blog post. The one that makes everything come together. The one that ties up all of your funny little thoughts, adds a pretty blue bow and sends it out into the world. It’s a beautiful moment. A fabulous moment. One you swear you’ll never be able to get enough of.

So what do you do the day you realize that you’d rather kiss a mosquito than sit down and write one more stinking blog?

Goodbye inspiration. I'll miss you!

 

Welcome to Blogger Burnout

I can honestly say that in my mind, blogger burnout was like catching the plague. Or scaling Everest in a pair of high heels. Unlikely at best, and something that when it happened, only happened to OTHER people. I mean, really. How on earth could you ever get tired of blogging?

Personally, I’m blaming blogger burnout on the social media craze. It’s not enough to keep a blog. You have to promote it. Watch your readership grow. Suddenly, blogging’s about as much fun as doing your homework.

I can tell you exactly what point of the year homework stopped being fun when I was in school. It was usually somewhere around Day 3.

There’s a reason schools let kids out on summer vacation. And give them a full week at Christmas (as much as parents might fervently wish otherwise). And why employers have paid vacation time built into their employment plan. If you’re doing a job, day in and day out, over and over again, you’re going to start burning out. Burnout leads to decreased productivity, lower quality work, and all sorts of other nasty things no one really has time for.

We can all agree that we deserve a vacation. The question is, why do we seem to think that vacation doesn’t extend to our blog?

Symptoms of Blogger Burnout

The main symptom of blogger burnout is pretty easy to spot. You get more excited about digging out toe lint than you do about writing another blog. You suddenly develop BOSS level procrastination skills. If your fridge is shiny, your bathroom squeaks, the dog’s losing weight and you haven’t written a word in days, you could be suffering from blogger burnout.

Of course, those aren’t the only symptoms of blogger burnout. There are still people with a teeny tiny spark sitting at their keyboard plugging away, not realizing what waits for them if they don’t get that vacation. When you’re burned out, what you write simply doesn’t make you happy. It’s just verbal vomit on the page you’re going to have to clean up later. “Good enough” becomes your new motto.

Burned out bloggers discover that coming up with new blog ideas feels like pulling teeth when they used to come in a flood at all hours of the day. Your brain feels fuzzy and numb. Writing a single blog can take hours. I don’t care how many people tell me they spend all day writing a post. Unless you’re writing an essay it shouldn’t suck your entire day. If it does, it’s time to take a step back and figure out what the heck’s going on.

Time for a Break?

Whether blogging’s your passion, your hobby or your job, sooner or later you’re going to need a break. A few weeks away from your blog to stop it from rotting your brain. And make sure you have a wonderful weekend!  

Image provided by Grant Cochran/FreeDigitalPhotos.net