Do you ever feel guilty about not posting? Do you leave your Twitter and Instagram on the back burner? Have you ever let ‘real’ life get in the way of you and WordPress? If the answer is ‘yes’, you are probably suffering from Blogger’s Guilt, an affliction described in the Urban Dictionary as:
A fit of guilt, physical discomfort or dysphoria that occurs when one is too busy with an actual social or professional life to properly update one’s livejournal. Particularly prevalent in those who use weblogs as coping mechanisms, artistic or creative outlets or routine social tools. Popular sister terms are “blog guilt” or “live journal guilt”
So how do you get out of that cycle of inaction, writer’s block, and social media isolation? Here are my tips on getting yourself out of that rut, and back to enjoying blogging again:
1. Avoid Comparison
‘Comparison is the thief of joy’, said Teddy Roosevelt, and he was so right. Take a step back and look what you have accomplished so far. You probably will have learnt some new skills that you had no idea about before, such as html, social media, using analytics, researching stories. Whatever you do, don’t start comparing yourself to other people, or bloggers who have been blogging for yonks. That’s where the feelings of inadequacy and guilt will muscle in.
2. Find Inspiration Everyday
There is probably a reason why you started blogging, and the most likely reason is that you are passionate about something. You don’t have to push yourself to find inspiration or content for ‘the blog’, like it is some arduous task. Take a walk, people watch, jot down ideas when they come to you (even at work!).
3. Set Aside Time
Writing a post and putting together images, as well as syncing up all your social media takes some time and concentration. Pick an evening, or maybe a Sunday afternoon to concentrate on your content. Things like checking your analytics, scheduling tweets, or creating Pinterest boards can be done in front of the TV with a glass of wine in hand!
4. Be Social
Time your posts to coincide with weekly Twitter conversations for your blog genre. That way, you have something to set your watch by. For example, if you are travel blogger, schedule a post for #TravelTuseday, if you are a wedding blogger, maybe post something for #WeddingWednesday. There are loads of conversations happening, so getting involved can be a way to find inspiration for your next post too.
5. Schedule
At the beginning of the month, or week (depending on how much you post), write a list in Excel of everything you want to do. You can schedule tweets and Facebook posts in Hootsuite, so you don’t even have to be glued to your phone all week. Jot down a few easy-to-write titles that you can put together easily if you don’t have time. If you have time, write some posts when you aren’t so busy, and schedule them for the week ahead. Planning ahead will clear your mind, and take away the pressure.
Ultimately, I think the best advice is to not beat yourself up too much. If you don’t manage to do as much as you’d hoped one week, that doesn’t mean you failed! Blogging is great because it is a channel for your inspirations and passions, and you are your own boss. Remember that your blog is for you, and to enjoy it!
I hope these tips were useful. Have you ever suffered from ‘Blogger’s Guilt’?
I suffer from this! My life lately has become so busy that my posts have to be ones that do not require too much mental exertion. I am exhausted and sick and all I want to do is blog good content and comment on others’ posts. Life however is not in agreement with my plans.
Don’t beat yourself up. Sometimes we all have busy patches in life, and I think this is a problem loads of bloggers have. Do as much as you can, and break down your tasks in to small chunks when things are less hectic.
Your blog made me smile and resonated with my own experience as a newby blogger learning to discover my own online voice over the last few weeks. As a student studying for my MSc in Strategic PR I am currently undertaking a module on PR and Digital Media. A weekly blog has been compulsory throughout the 8 weeks of the course. Not only have I experienced ‘Bloggers Guilt’ but also what I can only describe as ‘Blogger’s Block’. I have discovered a real joy in blogging but definitely need to get much better at finding that ‘happy medium’ that fits better with my own personal work/life/blogging/tweeting balance – I definitely will be taking onboard some of your tips for my future blogging journey – I wish I had been able to read this blog 8 weeks ago