12 Effective Ways To Avoid Blogger Burnout

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[This article was originally published in May 2021 and has been republished with some of the best updates.]

Have you taken a break from blogging? What do you do to avoid blogger burnout?

Blogging has been a completely unexpected journey for me. I started blogging back in June 2020 simply because I want to find something productive things to do other than my translator job. Now I am a part-time blogger – and I’ve had lots of ups and downs.

As I look back on my blog, I am amazed at how far I’ve come. I have learned a lot in the last 6 months of blogging and I have developed habits that help me keep my mind healthy and free me from those blogging blues. 

What is Blogging Blues?

If you’re not familiar with the blogging blues, bloggers call it “blogger burnout.” It is a situation where there is constant self-doubt, the feeling that nothing is ever enough, the competitive streaks, the anxiety before hitting publish, and you’re too focused on your blog, without taking time to rest properly and recharge yourself, and eventually, you’ll end up burned out. That stuff is real.

Actually, blogger burnout can strike unexpectedly. You’ll be so motivated to write, edit, promote, and work on your blog tasks. Then you can’t just start typing one day. You had writer’s block, were exhausted, and were easily distracted.

Are you there right now? Ever been there?

Honestly, I never thought I could experience “blogger burnout.” I just thought I needed to dedicate more time to my blog because it’s still new. And I end up spending days focusing on the growth of my blog and learning almost everything in one sitting.

After experiencing blogger burnout, this didn’t just last a few days, but it went on for weeks. At that time, I didn’t write a single blog post and I couldn’t be bothered with social media promotion. I just did nothing. Instead, my focus shifted to watching movies and reading mangas.

If you’ve ever suffered from blogger burnout, you’ll know that it’s not a great situation to be in. Every blogger has the potential to burn themselves out. And if this is something you haven’t yet experienced for yourself, it’s better to be prepared for it just in case that day does come (let’s hope you never have to!).

How I Avoid Blogger Burnout?

I decided to do something about my situation and motivate myself to get back into enjoying working on my blog again. I still had a passion for blogging. If I didn’t, then I certainly wouldn’t be still doing it in 2021. 

So, here is a list of things that have helped me avoid blogger burnout. These are also things that I see in the bloggers that I admire the most for their ability to stay sane, be creative, and thrive in this blogging world.

Take a day off

It’s really okay to take a break from your blogging life (not for a long period of time tho). Being consistent is good but if it makes you feel overwhelmed or lose motivation, then take a day off.

All the way off. Don’t write, don’t look at your blog statistics, and don’t promote an older article. Step away from your keyboard. 

I know some of you may feel guilty (I feel so guilty for being unproductive). When you have too much work to do, stepping away from it feels almost blasphemous. But stepping away for a day seems logical. Try to put the guilt aside and forget about your blog for just one day.

If you noticed, I took a break from blogging this month for two straight weeks to focus on my life and other projects. Once it was done, I felt refreshed with new ideas.

Just think of it as a study. If you study too much, you’ll end up getting headaches or stress. And for that, I did a post on how to reduce stress.

Say No

Say no. Say no again. Say no again and again and again. And say it often.

Saying “no” is difficult because it feels like turning down an opportunity. At the same time, there’s a fear that if you say “no” too often, people will despise you and stop requesting you.

Even if you feel guilty saying no, it is beneficial to your health. If you’re going to keep saying yes, then you’ll end up stressed with a lot of things on your plate. And that is not a good thing, especially for your mental health.

This is true both in my blog life and my personal life. Try saying no when you already have a lot of things in your life.

Log out of everything

Don’t be a slave to your inbox.

As a blogger, I tend to check my email more than twice a day. There’s a sense of urgency that can send you scrolling through your inbox dozens of times during a working day.

If you check your email at the beginning of your day and respond only to what you really have to respond to, you’ll enjoy much higher productivity during the workday. This can have the added benefit of shortening your workday in the long run.

I try to limit myself to checking email twice a day, and when I check it, I clear it out all the way to the bottom of my inbox. Like, zero. This is really good for my mental health.

Set rules for social media

It’s not a secret anymore that we’re so addicted to social media. Some of us use social media as an essential tool for marketing strategy, so it isn’t something that can be ignored. But there is an effective way to take control of your social media workload.

Turn off notifications.

Notifications are designed to distract you, to take you away from what you’re doing. You can turn off notifications and still maintain a social media schedule that is ongoing throughout the day. And personal social media during work hours should be avoided.

Have someone who really understands you and blogging

I am so thankful that my blogging supporter is my close friend who I’ve known for nine years. We have different careers but I’m so grateful that she understands my thoughts and struggles with blogging better than anyone else.

Find someone who really understands and can relate in some tiny way. It is one thing to talk about this stuff, but it’s another thing to talk about it with someone who really understands blogging and understands you.

Slow your roll

What does your publishing schedule look like? If you’re like most of us, you’re aiming at posting once or twice a week. Maybe once a month.

A good to avoid blogger burnout is to publish less often. I know. I have mentioned in my post that as a blogger you need to stick to your blogging schedule. But your audiences are not machines. They are limited in the amount of information they can take in and they will tolerate occasional breaks in a breakneck schedule.

Do your own experiment. If you post three times a week, try posting one post a week for a month. Then check your stats to see if there was a negative effect. You may be surprised.

Not everyone makes it to the top on the first try

Think back to when you started your blog, what was your definition of success? What realistic goals do you have?

Sometimes our definition of success changes as we go along. We learn things or have realizations that cause us to rethink what we’re doing.

If you haven’t given much thought to your definition of success, it may be time to do so. You may realize that you’re burnout because you’re aiming too high or in the wrong direction.

Patience is a virtue

Blogging is a long-term commitment.

Being successful at blogging is not something that is going to happen overnight. In many cases, it takes an incredible amount of effort, time, and dedication to reach your goals.

That may seem obvious. But if you think about it and accept it as fact, it can have a positive effect on your day-to-day life as a blogger. Setbacks won’t seem so tragic, and successes will be more measured.

Explore nature

One blogging secret that you might not know is that you will spend hours staying at home in your office and write, write, write! If you’re like that, then try going outside for a while. Go and walk in the neighborhood, walk with your dog, or go to a nearby café.

You can also use this time to be mindful and take deep breaths while you walk. You might find inspiration or simply be grateful for the world around you.

Spend time with friends or family

Time is limited so make the most of it by spending time with your loved ones. You could always have a deep conversation or have a day out with your friends. Last week I went to visit a coffee shop and also a big orchid garden with my friend. It’s really awesome!

Whenever I feel down, I always message my friend and ask to hang out. The feeling after that is unbelievably tiring (I’m an introvert) but I always end up getting this feeling of relief.

You can also ask them for moral support about your feelings and emotional state if you feel like it’s getting a hold of you.

Comparison is not an answer

With many blogs out there, you know that it’s going to be a competition. But comparing your blog with other blogs is not good for your mental health.

Trying so hard to be successful can cause you to go into a state of being burned out. I used to compare my blog to other successful blogs, and I would end up working so hard that I ended up getting burned out. But I stopped for a moment to consider what that was doing to my brain and changed it into a positive way of being inspired.

Be organized

Lastly to avoid blogger burnout is to be organized. You can use a planner to write down your daily blogging schedule.

I like to use the weekends to plan my blogging tasks and write down any keywords or ideas for the posts I need to write, as well as when the scheduled post will be released.

These 12 tips to avoid blogger burnout are helpful. But the best plan, as it applies to your blog, is one that you’ll stick to. So whatever you find that sparks your excitement about your blog, stick to it.

When you burn out, change things up and see what gets you back on track. It’s a very personal thing, and once you find your groove, you’ll be able to find your way back into it any time you need.

Again, breaks are important. Try out these tips and once you feel refreshed, you’ll be able to go back to blogging!

Any tips you have to avoid blogger burnout? Let me know in the comments below!