I told you on Monday that I was back from a blogging break. But I’m not quite sure that I’m ready to be here, but here I am, still writing.
Why am I burned out? I keep thinking about this because I love blogging so much. I have had such a great time with it and for some reason I keep dreading having to sit down and write a post. Here are some of my reasons why I think I burned myself out on blogging during the last 3 months:
1. I started doing too much. I was blogging 7 days a week & doing blog design 7 days a week. That’s a lot of work.
2. Because I had started doing blog design (which I love) I wasn’t able to write back to all of the people who were commenting. I was getting between 20-30 comments a day and it was too much for me to write back or visit every.single.blog. It was overwhelming.
3. Then my comments started dropping from 20-30 a day to 7 or 8. I couldn’t understand why. So I started beating myself up for it being my fault & I spent an unhealthy amount of time worried about making sure I was writing the “right blog topics” or “commenting back to everyone.” I think this compulsion started to seep into the blog posts, maybe they weren’t good, maybe people just were too busy to visit, maybe maybe maybe maybe. There were too many “what ifs” going through my mind. And it was driving me insane.
4. I was wanting to do more reading like I used to do in the evenings until I started blogging. I was missing sitting down and reading a “real” piece of literature, not staring into a computer screen. I wanted to sip hot tea or hot chocolate and just enjoy my evenings instead of obsessing over my blog.
5. I was letting blogging control whether or not I watched a movie or read a book or went somewhere after Lboy went to bed on the weeknights because if I didn’t get my blog post written then people wouldn’t visit and then my blog numbers would drop & then all my hard work would go down the drain.
6. I took on an insane amount of blog designs in a short amount of time & then my computer crashed in the middle of all of it. So I was upset that I promised these people a product & then couldn’t deliver in the time frame promised to them.
7. Having a crashed computer is stressful. Dealing with customer service reps who are stupid is not fun. Shipping your computer back to have it fixed only to have it return to you STILL broken is stressful. It just makes you want to throw your hands up in the air & be done with it all! (I wrote this post a few days ago as a scheduled post so:**Update** Sony Extended Warranty Services contacted me yesterday and told me that I am getting a BRAND SPANKIN’ NEW COMPUTER! And it will still be pink!)
8. I was getting frustrated when Lboy would want me to do something with him when I was trying to get my designs done or a post written. I was letting my blog come first, it was no longer a hobby just a poorly paid job and my salary was a messy house, microwavable suppers, & an unhappy baby.
This week I’ve still been reading at night, I just jot down a blog idea during the day so I’m not spending a lot of time brainstorming, and then I write it after Lboy has gone to bed and then immediately get off the computer so I can enjoy my evening.
I’m also not checking my email during the day while Lboy is awake. I don’t even turn the computer on until after he has gone to bed. I will only be writing back to people M-F from 7:30-10:00 PM CST. And I am going to MAKE myself stick to this!
I’m also thinking about switching to only writing a blog post on Monday, Wednesday, & Friday. And when I have my blog designing computer back I am going to only take 2 blog designs a week, instead of 6. These new plans already make me feel less stressed.
If it gets too much and I continue to let myself make this be a controlling hobby and I turn it into a job, then I’m not going to do it anymore. It’s kind of like that rule, “If you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all.” Well my new motto is going to be, “If you can’t be moderate with your blogging, then don’t blog at all.”
But now I must go, because I have a good book to read (acutally I have 4!) and a hot cup of orange zinger tea waiting for me in my favorite chair in the house & the puppy is all curled up at my feet ready to snuggle!
Besos,
Kate
I'm there, or kinda there. I'm so frustrated. I started out blogging and loving it. I love reading and writing the reviews that I do (mostly book blogger, but also mama reviewer). And even though I have fairly good statistics, the comments aren't there. They used to be and I just don't know what happened. I have put in some effort to comment hard on the blogs that I enjoy most, but still it seems that my posts just aren't getting the attention they used to. I decided to try a few new giveaways to see if that put in some enticement. These were/are some incredible products/books and get this, NO ENTRIES! None! They were facebook announced, Prizey announced, Tweeted about and nada. I'm so depressed and frustrated about it. I don't care to be a top crazy popular blog, I just want to be something you know?
Oh I love me some orange zinger tea!
That said. I think it's fantastic the new rules you made. And I agree, it looks like you were doing TOO much. No wonder you burned out.
As far as comments….I think there are just SOOOOO many blogs and good blogs out there that people are spread out. But, I think about Pulsipher Predilictions. She has well over 1000 followers, and when she DOES post she always has a ton of comments. BUT, she only posts like once a week, if that. If your content is honest, funny or whatever, your followers will always be there. Whether you post every day, once a week, or once a month. So just relax, enjoy your real life. And when you post, don't worry about "topic" or the perfect post. Just write what is going on with you, or what you WANT to write about. We'll be here.
I have cut back a little bit from what I was once doing in the blogworld. I don't read every.single.blog on my blogroll, everyday, anymore. And – while I feel a little guilty about it sometimes – I'm not super great at getting back to folks who leave comments on my blog / visiting their blogs. As a general rule, I think everyone is busy, and we understand that we're all juggling as best we can.
I purposefully don't hold myself to a post schedule. There are some weeks that I might post 5 times, and some only 2. That helps me from feeling "pressure".
It sounds like you're setting some great guidelines for yourself. Hope you find your balance again soon! 🙂
I think blogging is always changing as is our motivation for doing it. I hope you find the right fit for your life!
I so understand what you are going through! I have had to take a step back from blogging too and re-evaluate why I am doing this. I am doing this to have fun not to get all stressed out over the fact that I didn't have anything to blog about. Life happens and I want to be living it not just talking about it. I also wanted to start reading again too, and now I try to do the same thing you are. Finding balance is really hard to do sometimes, it is something I always struggle with! I hope you find yours too!
This is so true, it is hard to find the balance, my blog isn't as popular as yours so I don't have as much maintenance but I do find it seeping into daily life with my kids and I've been getting a little to frustrated if naptimes don't go as planned lately. I think it is great you have been able to step back and reprioritize. First time here, great blog, BTW. Happy SITS Saturday!