This is a guest post by Lauren Bailey from BestCollegesOnline.com .With this post today, she is introducing us to the signs that will help you decide whether you should continue blogging further or take a break for sometime.
If you’re like me, you’ve faced your share of struggles as a blogger. Many of us bloggers work very hard to promote our blogs, our online businesses, and our brands, so it makes sense that at some point of another we will have a hard time making a post or we will have a few days of slow writing and idea-making. At some point, we should take a step back from the computer and relax.
Of course, I don’t mean you should give up! Instead, I mean that you might be better of taking an internet break and doing some relaxing activity to recharge your blogging muscles.
Here are a few signs that you should take that recovery break, relax yourself, and enjoy the fresh air!
Every once in a while, it really pays to just step back and look around.
1. You Are Bored Stiff
Are you rolling your eyes and yawning as you write your latest blog post? Yes? Well, if you find yourself getting bored with your own blogging, then chances are high that your readers are just as bored as you! This is a recipe for blogging disaster, especially in the quick world of the internet, when one bit of bad press can wreck your website for good. When you become bored with your current article or of the current focus of your blog, it’s time to step back and reassess.
Try to rediscover your passion for the topics by getting out in the real world.
2. Your Body Hurts All Over
Bloggers spend a large amount of their time sitting at a computer and typing away. This activity can be oddly stressful on the human body. Repetitive use injuries are common in computer users. Bloggers can suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, strained eyesight, and sore back muscles. Get out of your chair and do some exercises. See a doctor about your wrists. Adjust your computer desk and chair to be ergonomically situated.
3. You Feel Mentally Exhausted
Then of course, there are the times when we are glued to our computers due to some exciting blog news or controversy that we have to pay attention to and blog about if we wish to remain relevant. For example, huge product launches can be important for tech bloggers to follow at all hours of the day, while celebrity news bloggers have to constantly be on the watch for the latest celebrity meltdown.
Having to be in tune to the news for so long can exhaust our mental abilities. When we are tired, we sometimes do stupid things. The last thing you want to do is publish a post that releases incorrect information. If you feel tired while you’re blogging, then you might consider shutting down the computer for the night and getting some sleep. There’s always tomorrow in the blogosphere.
4. Your Ego Is Bruised
Finally, a good time to step back from the internet is when you find that your ego is bruised. For example, if your ideas are criticized by another blogger, or if your posts are proven to be factually inaccurate, then you might want to take a walk to let yourself recover from the emotional strain, whether it be anger or embarrassment.
That way, you can take the break time to draft a response to the criticism in your head. You want to leave your ego out of this one, believe me. It’s not worth it to let your ego drive your response to a critical post. Instead, cool off and come back with a well-written argument that better states your position and supports that position with more evidence. And, if you were, in fact, wrong, then leave your ego so that you can write a solid apology and correction.
So, how was that? Did you find any signs similar to this in yourself? What do you see most common of these in other bloggers maybe your friend blogger? Let us know that by using the comment form below. 😉
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Well, truly said that one can’t achieve success with blogging when you’re not enjoying it.
Hi Lauren,
These are definite signs that a break is needed. Like you, I definitely wouldn’t recommend quitting, but sometimes just backing off for a little while, either by cutting down on posting frequency or even getting a few guest posters can help.
Also, sometimes burn out is a sign that you need to restrategize, it could be that you are devoting too much time to the wrong things that are giving you the right results. Sometimes you need to try something different if what you’re doing isn’t working.
I do agree on the point that sitting on Computer all day and night put stress on all our body and we feel like to leave everything.
at this time we deserve a break, and feel the real world out there.
Lauren,
I usually take a walk or play outside when i face a writer’s block kind of situation. Sometimes, you just have to sleep off and try it on another day.
It is better if you have some posts in your queue just as a backup (for these kind of situations), so that you don’t lose on your blogging frequency.
Hi Lauren,
When any of these things happen, I guess the best thing to do is to go for a walk to relax our minds or exercise to sharpen our minds. Maintaining a healthy mind and body are important apart from blogging.
Thanks.
Edmund
I normally take a break when I can not find anything creative to write about. In times like this, I take blog breaks which can extend up to a week, if not more. I would advise every blogger to do this because without breaks, quality of content can suffer.
I would also add to this list is that if your girlfriend gets naked in front of you and you are STILL babbling on about links and your latest post, you DEFINITELY need to take a break
Get your mind in good mood to get good results. It is hard to think when you are under a lot of stress and may affect the quality of the content.
I try to keep myself recharged all the time, there are days I am so energized I keep going till late hours of the night. I try to make sure that I don’t get bored, but if I find myself sitting too long I step away from the computer every once in awhile.
I do agree with you that if you don’t like your post after posting then how can you expect that other will like your post.Give break yourself during working it will refresh you and your mind will relax for some time.
I always work in chunks of time and give relaxation to mind after some time and i always try to work on those things which make my blogs attractive to other.
This is a fantastic post, I get burnt-out from time to time blogging and taking a break is a great way to get the fire burning again. 🙂