6 Signs Of Blogger Burnout And 9 Cures
Blogger burnout is real. Everyone experiences burnout in their jobs… yes you heard me… everyone! And bloggers are no different. (Even though I wish we were)
In psychology, burnout is a state of stress physically, emotionally and mentally from prolonged feelings of stress.
Maybe you’ve noticed a change in your emotions, relationships with others or you’re questioning whether blogging is even for you anymore. These are all valid and I promise you are not alone!
Keep reading to learn about the signs of blogger burnout, how they all interact with each other and how you can cure it!
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6 Signs of Blogger Burnout And 9 Cures
1. Exhaustion & Fatigue
Exhaustion & fatigue show up in many more ways than just feeling tired. Not only does it show up as headaches, dizziness, and muscle weakness, but also as impaired decision-making and judgment.
It is so important to make sure that you take care of yourself and listen to your body so you don’t also have long-term health effects from experiencing blogger burnout.
You may notice this if you find yourself…
- Feeling drained by the thought of your blog
- Feeling drained when you have to work on new posts and engage with users
2. Foggy Brain
You’re probably not surprised to hear that the term “Foggy Brain” isn’t a medical term, but rather a way to describe feeling like you’re in a haze. This is what can happen from prolonged symptoms of exhaustion and fatigue if gone unchecked.
“Foggy brain” has effects on your ability to think and can often leave you feeling confused and mentally disorganized. Not to mention the struggle to put your thoughts into words!
You may be experiencing a foggy brain if…
- You’re experiencing writer’s block
- You have ideas but no motivation to write them
3. Negativity & Cynicism
Individuals experiencing blogger burnout tend to feel very negatively towards completing tasks, in this case: feeling negatively and cynical towards your blog.
Negativity is a scary thing because it can so easily metastasize into other areas of one’s life without even recognizing it. If a cynical attitude and negative view go unchecked it’s almost inevitable that there will be spillage.
You may notice that you’re feeling stressed out by social media, or hearing the opinions of others is a waste of time, or that the words “never” and “always” become slightly more common in your vocabulary.
So, what does this look like for you as a blogger…
- You feel resentful about doing anything for your blog
- Feeling frustrated with your results and stats from the blog
4. Overly Emotional & Sensitive
When you’re feeling overwhelmed by work it is really easy to be overwhelmed by other seemingly small things in other areas of your life.
This can show up within yourself if you’re having trouble letting go of negative thoughts of being overly critical of yourself. But this can also show up in your relationships with others.
Examples of this can be anxiety in group settings, trouble receiving feedback from others, feeling self-conscious in physically or emotionally intimate situations or even feeling overly empathetic towards others.
Try looking out for…
- Feeling frustrated with your results and stats from the blog
- You feel impatient or quick-tempered
- You’re withdrawing from friends and family
5. You Don’t Enjoy Blogging Like You Once Did
So, what happens when you add up feeling exhausted, foggy-brained, negative, and emotional? You get a lack of enjoyment of what you once loved to do.
For us bloggers, a huge part of what we do comes from passion and creativity.
But, if you’re feeling burnt out and exhausted by your work it is nearly impossible to get inspired by anything!
Bloggers and business owners aren’t exempt from losing interest in what they do and used to love.
What you may notice as a blogger…
- You’ve lost interest in your blog
- What once felt fun now feels like a chore
- Even doing some simple keyword research feels like a total drag
6. Wanting To Give Up
Sometimes blogger burnout reaches the point of wanting to give up. If you’re feeling like this you’ve probably been burning at both ends for a really long time.
Maybe you need to step away for a little while, or maybe you just need to ask for help!
If you’re reaching this point you may want to ask yourself: is this temporary or is it time to move on? Either one is okay!
This might look like…
- It feels impossible to keep up with the responsibilities of your blog
- You’re struggling to find time for yourself
Now let’s discuss some cures for blogger burnout...
9 Cures For Blogger Burnout
So, you’ve found yourself in creative slumps, writing blocks, and just down-right not wanting to do anything with your blog. All of these signs of burnout are completely normal to feel in any job.
Sometimes burnout is inevitable, but there are ways to mitigate the impact in the long term.
Keep reading to learn about ways we help reduce the effects of burnout!
Cure 1: Unplug
I’m sure we’ve all heard this a million times as bloggers… “Just try to unplug and step away from technology.”
Most of the time this just makes me roll my eyes and scoff at whoever says this to me, but honestly, it saves me from being overwhelmed by technology.
But being able to step away from electronics will ultimately be better for your emotional, mental and physical well-being.
Try setting designated times and safe zones where electronics are not being used, including phones, laptops, tablets, and television. My safe zone is our family’s kitchen table, so no one uses any electronics at the table during any meal times.
Don’t let your work, social life, and downtime all turn digital!
Cure 2: 80/20 Rule
More commonly known as the 80/20 Rule, but officially the Pareto Principle, says that 20% of the input accounts for 80% of the output. Input being time, resources, and effort while the output are the results and rewards.
This theory may be something that you have heard of before, as it can easily be applied to all aspects of life. It means that even the smallest inputs can produce great outputs.
In blogging specifically, it is important to determine which actions are worthwhile for your 20% of input. Track your 20% to see what happens in the 80% after and then decipher which actions or activities provide the most favorable results.
If you want to learn more about this, check out How to leverage the 80/20 rule for blogging success.
Cure 3: Take Breaks
It seems like such a simple solution to preventing burnout, but as I’m sure many of us know it can be so difficult to step away from work.
Not only do many people assume that they have a much higher capacity for work than they realistically do, but it has become a part of our culture to pride ourselves on business.
Especially as bloggers, it is sometimes hard to feel like we have real reasons to step away from our computers and take time away. Start small by giving yourself time to completely disconnect from work during lunch breaks and giving yourself at least one day of the week off from blogging.
There is mistaken pride in getting to work early, working late, working through lunch or taking time away from other things to work more. Contrary to popular belief, working more does not always equate to better results.
You don’t need to put all of your time and effort into your blog in order to make it successful. Take the mornings for yourself and enjoy a cup of coffee outside, take the dog for a walk or dedicate that time to pampering yourself to start the day! It really could make all the difference.
Cure 4: Create Healthy Habits
This suggestion may not be specific to your career as a blogger, but it is definitely something that will help you grow in all aspects of your life! Here are some healthy habits that I have tried to implement into my blogger lifestyle that help me prevent blogger burnout:
As a blogger, it can be so easy to just wake up and get straight to work. Then, next thing you know it’s 4pm and you’re still in your pajamas! Make a habit of getting up and getting ready every day, it’ll help you feel much better and energized!
Exercise is oh so very important in leading a healthy lifestyle! Making a habit of doing something active at least once a day can improve your overall health and wellness exponentially.
Maybe you get a new gym membership, or if the gym seems daunting you can try following along with your favorite YouTubers’ yoga routines or taking the dog for a walk!
On the topic of wellness, a great form of mental exercise is actually meditation. Taking just a few minutes each day to be still and have time without distraction is proven to have lasting benefits.
Lastly, I have made it of huge importance in my life to have a creative outlet outside of my blog. While many people start their blogs based off of their hobbies and passions, it so quickly becomes work.
Find things outside of your blog that help you relax and get the creative juices flowing! Try painting, cooking, journaling, scrapbooking or anything else!
Cure 5: Allow Others To Help You
Asking for help can be hard to do, especially when you put so much of yourself into your blog. But, maybe an outside perspective is just what you need to help you get around this roadblock!
Consider the option of outsourcing! You can’t do everything yourself, and hiring a virtual assistant, intern or freelancer might be the logical next step.
If you’re still tight on money and getting the blog started you could also look for a VA through a virtual assistant placement site like this.
Look at what you find yourself struggling with. Maybe if you enjoy the content creation but don’t enjoy the social media aspects of the business you could find yourself a partner to do that work for the blog!
Another way to allow others to help you without giving up parts of your blog is by joining communities and online groups with other bloggers. Facebook is full of groups that share their content and lean on other users for general blogging or for your specific niche.
It is important to have friends that are also fellow bloggers to discuss things with so you can develop a sense of understanding and support.
Cure 6: Find Passion Outside Of Your Niche
Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the niche of our blogs that we lose our passions elsewhere. I know I am definitely guilty of this!
Many people, myself included, start to hyper-fixate on whatever is right in front of them. In this case, it is our blogs! When we hyper-fixate on just one thing we start to lose interest in other important areas of our lives and can even lack inspiration because of it.
Last year when I was working on a beauty blog I noticed that everything I did was centered around finding content and ideas for the website. I slowly stopped practicing art and stopped exploring other hobbies of mine.
Try one of the hobbies we suggested earlier or pick up a hobby that you maybe didn’t even realize you stopped until now!
Try reading a new book or educating yourself about a new subject to diversify what you give your attention to.
Cure 7: Create A Designated Workspace
It can be really difficult to stay focused if you do not have a workspace that is completely designated just for blogging. Even if your desk is in your room there is still that constant temptation of bed.
Aside from the temptation of laying in bed, it also prevents you from separating work and relaxation because you do both in the same space.
Just like if you blog from the couch in your living room and then watch television there to unwind as well. There is no separation!
Also, try sprucing up your workspace with things that make you happy and give you inspiration! On my desk, I always have a vase of flowers and pictures of my family to keep positive vibes around.
Cure 8: Reevaluate & Refocus
When you’re feeling burnt out it can be difficult to remember why you even started your blog. Try making a vision board to ask yourself things like:
- Do my current actions align with what my goals were at the start?
- Have my goals changed over time?
- What is my definition of success when it comes to my blog?
- Do I still get more pleasure than displeasure from my blog?
After you answer these questions it is time to refocus on what your goals are. If you feel that you are ready to refocus and keep chugging along with your blog, that’s great!
Cure 9: The Ultimate Cure, Sell Your Blog
If you feel like it may be time to move on to something new, selling your blog is the ultimate cure for blogger burnout! Bloggers just like you are selling their websites for profit every day at Niche Investor (formerly BlogsForSale.co).
Curious about selling your blog?
Check out the Sell My Site page to get a free business valuation to find out how much your blog may be worth.
6 Signs of Blogger Burnout And 9 Cures – Conclusion
If you take away anything from this post I hope it is that everyone experiences burnout and you are not alone! There are simple steps that you can take to come out of this slump, and you are never out of options.
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