5 Important Ways to Refresh Your Mind While Blogging

This is a guest post by John Mak from Simply1Software.com and with this post you are going to learn how you can easily REFRESH your mind while blogging..making you say..YEAH!! These are some great ways to tackle the major signs showing your absolutely no interest while blogging.

If you’re a blogger, chances are that you spend countless hours behind your computer, staring at your monitor. While this is a necessary and enjoyable part of a blogger’s lifestyle it can often lead to mental burnout, staleness and even eye strain.

Today, I’d like to talk about a few ways to avoid mental burnout and to help you get the most out of blogging.

Practice Makes Perfect…But Only So Much

In July 2007, a paper in the Harvard Business Review called “Making of an Expert” by K. Anders Ericsson talked about the 3 main elements that go into producing an expert in any given endeavor. These 3 elements are deliberate practice, world class coaching and enthusiastic family support.

While most of us have no control over the last 2 elements we do have complete control over the first element, deliberate practice. In the 2008 book, “Talent is Overrated”, author Geoff Colvin expands on the concept of deliberate practice and concludes that about 90 minutes a day of this type of practice is what most people can tolerate and benefit from. Keep in mind that this is not your ordinary, go-through-the-motions type of practice. It is focused, intense and mostly uncomfortable since you will be constantly pushing the boundaries of what you’re capable of. In theory, this practice goes on daily over a period of years, resulting in a world class performer.

Is This Going to Hurt?

Now, certainly I’m not asking you to endure ninety minutes per day of arduous practice for years on end in order to become a successful blogger. This example just serves to illustrate the point that you shouldn’t, nor do you need to, sit in front of your computer for hours every day. While you’re working you should be free from distractions such as TV, radio, music, email and the telephone so you can focus completely on your blogging. Keep a set time for when you will stop. You will be surprised at how much more work you get done and how much better the quality will be.

When that time is up, stop what you’re doing, get away from the computer completely and do something else. This time away will serve to refresh and rejuvenate you. Legendary direct response copywriter Gene Schwartz would only write for 33 minutes at a time. He would set a timer and when that 33 minutes was up he would go for a walk, eat lunch, or do anything but won’t write. He would go back and write more at a later time.

Go Ye and Do Likewise!

Here are a few things you can and should be doing away from the computer that will help refresh your mind and give you renewed energy to be a better blogger:

1. Move: This is probably the most important thing. Go outside and take a walk or go to the gym. The physical exertion will release endorphins into your bloodstream which will help to improve your cognitive functioning, improve your sense of well-being, reduce pain and allow you to relax when you get back to work.

2. Listen to Music: “Music has charms to soothe a savage beast.” Suffice it to say that nothing can clear your mind better than just sitting back and getting lost in good music. Just don’t listen on your computer! Go in another room or, better yet, listen while you’re out walking.

3. Visit a Friend: Man is a social animal and connecting with friends and family is a crucial element of our overall mental health. Working from home is an isolated, and sometimes lonely, activity. It’s vitally important to keep up outside social connections to stay fulfilled. If you can, visit people in person so you get out of the house and maybe get a walk in at the same time.

4. Watch Something Funny on TV: Laughter is indeed the best medicine. Research shows that laughter and humor strengthen your immune system, reduce stress, boost energy and reduce pain. Much like exercise, laughter and humor release endorphins that improve your mood and sense of well-being.

5. Contribute: Find out if someone (family, friends, community) needs your help. Much like visiting a friend, this will help you overcome the isolation that comes with blogging or working from home. Plus, if you do something physical, like help someone move, you get another chance to release some endorphins!

These are just a few ideas that might help you to refresh and rejuvenate your mind as a blogger. Remember, you don’t have to be a slave to your computer in order to become a success.

Albert Einstein once said that anyone can be an expert if they just pick one subject and study it diligently for 15 minutes a day. I’d like to hear from you. If you’re a blogger or work from home, what are some ways that you refresh you mind so you can be a better blogger?


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39 thoughts on “5 Important Ways to Refresh Your Mind While Blogging”

  1. Hey John,

    Sometimes we forget that we need to take a break just to stay refreshed. In our busy lives we can’t just get up and visit a friend when in fact a pile of work is on our desk left to get done its not practical.

    But then again sometimes this is exactly what we need accomplish our tasks. 😉 Shane

  2. Nice article buddy!! Awesome tips,

    A blogger should not be a blogger full time, he have to enjoy his life other than blogging, Sitting full time infront of PC will not make a successful blogger 😉 , so going out , talking with some friends, listening to musics are excellent ways to get refreshed!
    Once again thank you for this awesome Post!! 🙂

    1. Good Zohan! It’s nice also to share your work with a peer group. It is important to be in a small team in order to accomplish more and be productive!
      John

  3. Thanks for the great tips, I am guilty of spending too much time in front of the computer but in the last few weeks, have made a conscious effort to spend less time in front of the screen and have ended up getting at least as much done – in less time! The saying that the job always stretches out to fill the time available is very true.
    How do I refresh my mind when I want a short break in between work sessions whilst I am still at my computer? I play some of the brain training games that are available on the Lumosity website. You can pay a subscription but several games are available for free!

    1. Thank you Alison! It’s great when we know how to manage our time. You can work for two hours and do something productive and someone else could work double or tripple time to get the job done. It’s all about us. What we want and how fast we need to achieve it!
      John

  4. Great tips sometimes I get so burnt out that I feel my brain is not working at times and I literally will click between websites not knowing what the heck to do next. Getting out and walking seems to work for me; I am able to get some fresh air and clear my mind.

    1. Clear mind equals better results! Like you said sometimes I am opening Facebook and after a while i realise i need to shut down the computer and do something that will free my mind’s memory!
      Thanks for sharing Danny!

  6. Well Written John!
    I always have a recess of at least an hour after every 2~3 hours and like to spend this time with my children. Playing with my children relieves my stress.

  7. Because blogging or any computer activity is largely brain work it’s essential to balance out the intensity of it with equally intense body and soul activities. I really believe in the practice of setting a time to stop, but you should also have a plan for what you’re going to do when you stop. There’s no point turning your screen to stand-by and then going and watching TV mindlessly. Also, you should have some occasional selfless activities planned to totally take you away from yourself. Helping out a friend or neighbor for a weekend is the best way I know of totally refreshing myself.

    1. Hi James and thank you for sharing your experience with us! Definitely a good relaxed weekend with friends and family would be good to recharge the mind batteries.

  8. Well these are all true facts, not only with blogging but other things too. For me, having a walk and visiting the marketplace is the best reliever… good post and very nicely stated.

    1. Aybi, music is something that could change your state very quickly! When I was a kid I’ve learned to play the piano and sometimes I play with my old band jazz and rock music. Nice to see you around!
      John

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