How to avoid writing burnout early on in blogging

I have officially been blogging for four months! It has definitely been a fun, exciting, and tough journey. Each month does get easier and the growing pains are lessening quite a bit. Since I faced some writing burnout in the first few months, I thought it would be apropos to write my 4-month blogging article on how to avoid writing burnout.

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This article is part of a year-long monthly blog series to track my blogging journey during my first year. Here are my prior updates.

So, my blogging goal for Native Mommy Lawyer is to publish 100 articles by my one-year anniversary. That’s approximately two posts per week.

In starting the blog, I wanted to write a bunch of articles upfront to age the links and slowly attract organic visitors to the site.

So I literally went HAM and almost burned out on the writing side. In the month of December, I wrote 16 articles. That doesn’t seem like a large amount but I have a full-time job and care for my toddler.

It was intense and I was almost over it. Luckily, I found a few ways to cope and avoid writing burnout.

Here are tips to avoid writing burnout early on in blogging.

1. Take a day off from writing

Taking a day off to avoid writing burnout may seem like a no-brainer, but it really does work! When I was in the writing trenches during the first couple of months of blogging, I was tired and exhausted.

There were days that I couldn’t even finish writing an article because I was over it. For days like this, I found that taking an entire day off from blog writing gave me a new resolve.

Taking a day off creates a healthy reprieve for our brains and mental health. I found that when I got back to writing after a day off, I was refreshed and focused.

2. Use a shortened version of the Pomodoro technique

So, I have used a shorter version of the Pomodoro technique before I even knew about the Pomodoro technique. I’ve used this method in high school, graduate school, and even at work when I need to get things done.

The Pomodoro technique is a time management method that breaks down work into 25 minute blocks with 5-minute breaks between each block.

My time management method has even shorter blocks. I break up work into 10-minute intervals with no breaks for up to an hour. This has always worked for me and my brain.

In terms of blog writing, my goal is usually to write 100 words per 10 minutes. Often I find that I end up writing way more than 100 words in each interval and I stay focused.

Using any type of time management method will help with writing productivity, thus avoiding writer’s burnout.

3. Start scheduling your articles in advance

I’ve heard this advice before and I didn’t follow it in my first three months of blogging, which made me suffer.

I didn’t want to schedule my blog posts because I was trying to churn out as many as possible. Churning out blog posts with no greater plan is an easy way to burn out pretty quickly.

Schedule your articles in advance to avoid writing burnout.

After 3 months of writing like there was no tomorrow, I realized I was more than on track to reach my goal of 100 blog posts in the first year. Plus, blogging is about consistency over the long-term, so I needed to figure out a schedule that would work for me.

I now publish blog posts every 4 days, which comes out to 7-8 posts per month. This is doable and manageable for me.

Plus, to have posts scheduled a couple of weeks ahead of time feels absolutely amazing.

Check out Erin Condren’s great line of calendars, planners, and notebooks for all of your blog scheduling needs.

4. Write a series for fun

I’m part of an online blogging community on Reddit and someone recently commented that they could no longer write another “Best of” article after writing over 40 of them! Whoa! I felt really bad for that blogger.

If you’re not obsessed with your niche or you’re just writing to solely make money, then blog writing can certainly become a drag.

To avoid writing burnout, especially on a certain topic or a specific type of article like “Best of”, write a series for fun.

My niche is definitely not blogging but I really enjoy writing these monthly blog articles. They give me something different to look forward to every month and I’m genuinely interested in the whole blogging process. In a way, it keeps me writing.

5. Read books

Books are amazing. They are the best. Reading has a way of capturing your mind and sparking new ideas and creativity.

Reading is also very comprehensive. Whenever I read, I learn new facts, new concepts, new words, and new writing techniques. It definitely translates into being a better writer.

Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of self-help and motivational books. My most recent read was a potty training book for my daughter.

6. Start journaling

I’ve journaled on and off for the past decade or so. I find that it’s a great way to figure out what is going on inside my head if I can’t easily pinpoint it.

Usually, I do freestyle journaling without any type of writing prompt. I journal about my day, what is annoying me at the moment, or simply gratitude.

One day, I stumbled upon this unique community of writers that write at least 750 words every single day and they track their progress. Over time, this practice can be life-changing. The goal is to get stuff out of your brain so that more ideas can flow.

Also, check out Promptly Journals for all of your journaling needs. They have every type of journal from childhood history, autobiography, gratitude, self-love, and more!

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7. Go out and live life!

When I have writer’s block and feel that I can’t write any more words, I tend to take a break and live life!

I often find inspiration and new ideas when I try something new or go somewhere that I haven’t been before.

For my family, hiking is great. I get to be out in nature, breathing in the fresh air, and enjoying some exercise. Being present and experiencing the moment allows more ideas to flow.