Writer’s block. Exhaustion. Burn Out. Been there? I have.
I have been a blogger since 2013 and a full-time content creator for 5 years now. And although content creation is rewarding, it can be quite overwhelming too. So much of our time and energy goes into the process for we are the writer, photographer, videographer, editor, marketing executive, and CEO of our brand.
Needless to say, it is a stressful job! Therefore, it is crucial to practice self-care, and here are some things that I’ve tried in my journey of content creation.
Self-Care Tips for Content Creators
- Set Regular Office Hours:
It is easy to get caught up in filming all day long. Again. I have been there. I used to work on a whim and didn’t know when to stop working. This led to dreadful burnout where I couldn’t create anything for months at a stretch. So, create a balance and set specific office hours. You may then choose which days of the week you’d film, write, or publish your content. Having a clear schedule will work wonders in having some extra time for yourself.
- Schedule:
Schedule your content wherever you can. There are free versions of websites like Buffer and Hootsuite where you can schedule your tweets and Facebook and Instagram posts. If you use Pinterest, the platform itself lets you schedule your pins. You can also schedule your blog posts on WordPress and Medium. Another thing one can do is batch create content.
Back when I didn’t PLAN my content, I was all over the place. But today, when I create a YouTube video, I think about how I can repurpose my content on Instagram or blog.
- Turn Off Notifications:
What am I even saying, you may wonder. When social media is a huge part of our work, this seems next to impossible. But limit your time on social media while you are working. And when you aren’t bombarded with unwanted notifications and messages, you can, in fact, do more productive work. Get off of social media on the weekends and catch up with your offline world, for a change.
- Take a break!
From a quick five or ten minutes to step away from your work desk to going for a week-long vacation, taking a break is absolutely necessary. I am not sure if others will understand the pressure we, as content creators, go through every single day in the form of hate comments, trolls, deadlines, and the constant concern about what to and what not to share. Therefore, take a step back, relax, and recoup before it becomes overwhelming.
- Stop Comparing:
But how does she have 65.6k followers in such a short span of time? It doesn’t matter. Getting caught up in numbers and algorithms can be frustrating. And it is only natural to compare yourself with others and go insane. There are thousands of bloggers out there but each of them has a different definition of what success looks like. Focus on adding value through the quality of your work. That itself can make a huge difference.
REMEMBER, YOU HAVE BEEN CRITICIZING YOURSELF FOR YEARS AND IT HASN’T WORKED. TRY APPROVING OF YOURSELF AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
LOUISE L. HAY
This post is part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter.
Comparing with others is the biggest mistake we content creators make. Add to that, the desperation with which we work and the frustration that sets in when we don’t see the expected results, all of it leads to burnout and suffering.
I am glad you shared these very important points, Shalini. Youngsters today need to follow these so that they don’t lose their cool, but love the process and understand what really matters and what doesn’t.
What a wonderful post Shalini. I came across the blog post while reading your next post and couldn’t resist myself from reading this one. Shalini, you have shared some important pointers for the content creators. Especially, I like to follow the fifth one most bcz this is my content creation mantra. Lovely post Shalini.