Blogger burnout is real; here’s how to avoid it.
So, you started your blog to help people, earn money from home, and for a better work-life balance, but you find yourself working more than you did for your 9-5.
Let me ask you some questions…
- Do you feel like you can’t even open your laptop or turn on your computer?
- Are you so exhausted you’re walking around in a brain fog?
- Maybe you just can’t bring yourself to write that email to your list or fill up your social media queue with posts.
- Do you feel cynical, hopeless, and maybe even a little resentful?
- Maybe those blog income reports are making you feel hopeless instead of motivating and inspiring you.
My friends, if you answered yes to more than one of these, you are likely experiencing some type of burnout – maybe even blogger burnout!
But don’t panic! In this post, I’m explaining exactly what blogging burnout is with tips on how to avoid it at all costs.
What is Blogger Burnout?
Burnout is a form of exhaustion caused by the constant feeling of being overwhelmed. It usually happens when we have too much physical, mental, and emotional fatigue.
In most cases, it is usually related to your career but can certainly happen in other areas of your life. The worst part is that burnout can negatively impact your physical and mental health.
If you’re a full-time blogger or even growing your blog while working your 9-5 and suffering from some of these symptoms, it could be blogger burnout.
And while burnout can be caused by stress, they are actually different. Stress comes from too much physical or mental pressure, while burnout is about having too little energy, care, or time.
Blogger burnout makes you feel used up and completely depleted, while stress can make you feel overwhelmed. And unfortunately, once it actually hits, it stops you in your tracks, and it’s too late to pump the breaks.
Whether you just started blogging or you’re experienced, most bloggers hit burnout or come close at some point – even the most successful bloggers.
But never fear; in this post, I’m letting you in on the signs and symptoms of blogger burnout and giving you tips to avoid it in the first place.
The Stages of Burnout
Two psychologists, Herbert Freudenberg and Gail North, defined the 12 different stages of burnout. Yes, 12 stages!
This is why it is so hard to realize it, as it develops over time and starts when you feel the urgent need to prove yourself.
Sound familiar?
You run on through working harder, neglecting your needs, going through denial, withdrawing, and more.
The last phase, total burnout, is the complete emotional and mental collapse and needs attending ASAP.
Best Ways to Avoid Blogger Burnout (and Fall in Love With Blogging Again)
Now we’re on to the good part of this blog post! I’m here to help you avoid burnout altogether or overcome blogger burnout once it sets in.
Let’s dive into the best ways to avoid blogger burnout and actually enjoy working on your blog again.
Set Realistic, Achievable Goals
This is key! If you set a goal of making $100,000 in your first year of blogging, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
That doesn’t mean you need to make your goals too easy to reach, either. There needs to be a healthy balance that keeps you motivated to stretch a little to achieve your goals.
The best way to set your blogging goals is the S.M.A.R.T. goal framework.
S: Make your goals specific. For example, I want to make more money through affiliate marketing. That’s much more specific than I want to make more money.
M: Your goals must be measurable. For example, I want to increase my affiliate marketing income by 20% in Q4, allowing you to see if you’re on track to reach your goal. It also lets you focus on the tasks that will help you meet those goals.
A: Your goals must be achievable after considering everything that could impede progress. The goal of reaching $100,000 in your first year of blogging probably isn’t achievable, but maybe $1,000 a month is.
R: Any goals you set should be relevant to your other goals and long-term strategy for your blog.
T: Your goals must be timebound with a beginning and ending date, as this helps motivate you and creates a sense of urgency.
So, at the beginning of the year or right before Q4, you decided to focus on making money with affiliate marketing in the last quarter since that is the most lucrative of the year.
When you come to the end of Q4, you’ll know if you’re going to reach that goal and maybe come up with an end-of-the-year affiliate campaign to achieve it.
I recommend focusing on one or two main goals for each quarter at the latest. This helps you prioritize the tasks that will get you closer to those goals and eliminate the things that won’t.
Get Off the Content Creation Hamster Wheel
I bet you didn’t know the sheer volume of content you’d need to put out when you started blogging! Besides blog posts, there are emails, social media posts, product creation, interactive content, and more.
To avoid blogger burnout with content, it’s important to use the tools and technologies available today, like automation and AI.
You can automate repetitive tasks like scheduling social media posts and emails and use AI to cut content creation time in half.
If you’re unsure where you can use AI, head over to ChatGPT, describe your business, the things you do, and your audience, and then ask it to recommend places you can use automation to be more efficient.
AI can also help with:
- New ideas for products and services
- Content ideas
- Creating outlines for blog posts, digital products, and trainings or presentations
- Writing emails for affiliate products, product launches, and newsletters
- It helps you find ways to reduce your workload or get more efficient at time-consuming tasks.
- And more!
Don’t Try to Be Everywhere at Once
When someone advises beginner bloggers not to be everywhere at once, it goes in one ear and out the other. New bloggers often see experienced creators showing up everywhere and assume they need to do the same.
However, those creators often have teams helping them. As a solopreneur, balancing multiple platforms while maintaining your personal life is overwhelming.
Instead, focus on one platform beyond your blog, like YouTube or a social channel where your audience spends time. Master it first, then consider expanding. Make sure your efforts align with where your audience is; otherwise, you’re wasting time.
Keep a Content Idea Vault of Ideas
This tip is one of my favorites, as I think coming up with new ideas is a struggle for even the more successful bloggers at times. I created a Content Creation Idea Vault for the students in my course, The Content Repurposing Formula.
I use it myself, and I love that I can easily add new ideas to blog articles, social media posts, and more. It eliminates feeling stressed about what content to create, and along with content repurposing, can save you a ton of time on content creation.
Create a Content Plan and Schedule
One thing that makes my life easier, especially when it comes to blog content, is setting a publishing schedule and planning out my content in advance.
But to do this, you need to know what’s coming ahead of time, which means what products and services you’re going to launch and when. This can include affiliate launches like every September is the Genius Blogger’s Toolkit.
Then, you can create content that supports your audience, educates them, and sets your products and services up as the solutions they need.
To do this, you want to consider and decide on a few things:
- How many blog posts are you writing and publishing each week?
- How often are you posting on social media, and on what channels?
- Are you doing all the work yourself, or do you have a VA or other team member helping you write, format, and publish content?
Once you decide on these things and plan your launches, you can create a content strategy that supports all your blogging goals.
Write Down Your Why and Refer to It Often
Blogging is tough, right? There will be days you want to give up – it happens to us all. Knowing your why and referring to it during the hardest times running your online business can keep you motivated and determined no matter what you’re struggling with.
Focusing on your why will inspire you to keep getting up no matter how many times you fall. This will also help you develop resiliency over time, becoming a powerful motivator for success.
Take Time Off or Away From Your Work
Working long hours might feel productive, but to overcome blogger burnout, taking breaks and spending time away from work is crucial for your well-being. Like a Sim in the video game, without rest, you’ll burn out.
Whether it’s a day with friends, a weekend trip, or a walk in the fresh air, these moments help you recharge. Scheduling fun activities and breaks will not only boost your health but also enhance your business success.
When you spend time doing something other than work, you’ll come back refreshed and ready to tackle anything.
Embrace the Journey
Yes, blogging is a journey, even if your route looks like this:
If you understand from the start that there will be highs and lows, you’ll be able to weather the rough times even if they still suck.
I always say there is no such thing as failure because failures pave the way to success. While it can be painful, you will inevitably learn something valuable.
One thing that helps is diversifying your traffic and income streams, as one thing that causes burnout is the “feast or famine” income cycle where one month is great, and the next, you barely make enough money to pay for the expenses.
There are so many ways to make money blogging, from sponsored posts to services to digital products to display ads.
And as the online world continually changes, you may need to pivot or embrace unexpected opportunities when they come up.
Turn Off Notifications
Did you know it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to regain focus after a distraction or interruption? Every notification that comes across your computer or phone is an interruption, pulling your attention away from your work.
My best advice is that unless there is something specific you’re waiting on a notification for, I would turn everything off that you can, at least until after your work is done.
Only Check Your Emails Once or Twice a Day
This blogging tip is one I have a hard time following myself, but it’s just like other interruptions distracting you from getting work done efficiently. I tend to check my emails once in the morning and once in the evening unless I’m waiting for something specific to come in.
Avoid Comparing and Despairing
Ahhhh, the dreaded comparing and despairing the first time I heard my mentor Faith Mariah call it this; I thought it was so fitting! As bloggers, we constantly compare ourselves to others.
For example, years ago, Suzi Q blogger, said she was making a consistent $1,000 a month from her blog within six months when I’d been doing it for over two years and wasn’t making that!
Or she seemed to get invited to be in all the summits and bundles, and I could barely get in one! (Spoiler alert: Now, I never have to look for visibility opportunities because they come to me, so this can totally change for you, too.)
But your journey isn’t like another blogger’s, and you have unique skills and benefits that someone else may or may not have. Plus, you don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes. That person could have just had a failed launch or may have a team of five helping them get stuff done.
As hard as it is (and sometimes it’s REALLY hard), try to stay in your own lane and just put one foot in front of the other, and you’ll continue making progress. Imposter syndrome happens even to famous people, which is often what is at play here.
Create a Blogging Schedule
Running a blog is more than just pumping out high-quality content. Your blogging business involves writing emails of all sorts, managing finances and admin stuff like organizing your business, and so much more.
You want to include admin days for things like finances, planning, etc. For me, I have finance Fridays, where I work on all my business and personal finances,
Many people like time blocking, which is when you set blocks of time for specific tasks. Perhaps you want to block out an hour or two a day for admin, finances, or visibility tasks.
You could also choose one day a week for client calls or one or two days a week for content creation.
Whatever works for you because this will ensure ALL the tasks in your business get done.
Outsource Sooner Than You Think You Need To
Many bloggers feel overwhelmed by tasks and lack time to train new team members properly. I’ve been there, and without good systems, it can impact not just your team but also your readers.
When you’re juggling too much, things like tech issues or missing blog post deadlines can hurt the user experience.
To avoid this, start by outsourcing a job you know well so you can effectively train and support the person, ensuring a smoother process and taking time to do this right benefits both your business and your readers.
Use the Superpower of Automation
I won’t lie; I was intimidated by tech and automation when I first started blogging, but now I am all in on tech and anything that will make running my business easier. Now, I’m pretty good with tech, so if I am, there’s hope for you, too.
When it comes to blogs and reducing overwhelm and blogger burnout, there are many things you can put on autopilot, such as:
- Post-purchase and welcome email sequences
- Adding tags to segment your email list
- Onboarding clients
- Adding customers to your course portal when someone makes a purchase
- Publishing social media content
- Sending links to social media followers instead of using the “link in bio” statement
- And much more.
Can you imagine how busy you would be if you had to email every person who signed up for a freebie manually??? 🤪
Network With Other Bloggers
Many new bloggers think they can grow their business alone when in fact, networking with other bloggers is the key to success!
One of the most important aspects of growing a business that makes money is visibility, and leveraging other people’s audiences means you’ll get more eyeballs on your offers and lead magnets.
From participating in bundles and summits to freebie swaps, and more, blogging is so much better when you have biz friends.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
As someone who was raised by Baby Boomers (yes, I am aging myself here), I was taught to work hard and I would be a success. So, I thought if something seemed too easy, I was doing it wrong or cheating. 🤦♀️
In reality, I was working smarter, not harder, on my blog and business. There are plenty of ways to make your life easier as well as shortcuts to success, including:
- Taking courses to level up your knowledge so you can see success sooner
- Content repurposing to get more mileage out of every piece you create
- Using templates or making your own for repetitive tasks and workflow (i.e., a blog post checklist or social media graphics templates)
- Taking the time to get organized and systemized so you can improve your efficiency
- Using AI for content creation and business processes
Just to name a few. Save time to enjoy more of the things you love to do in life.
Practice Self-Care
I know I know, you’re probably rolling your eyes with this one, but taking care of yourself can seriously reduce the stress and overwhelm of burnout.
It’s essential to exercise and eat healthy for your physical and mental well-being. Self-care can be anything from taking a relaxing bubble bath to spending time with family and friends.
Work in some element of taking care of yourself at least a couple of times a week, but the more, the better! It will make you feel much better after a bad day.
Get Organized
Stopping to get organized can seem counterproductive, but it’s not! I have touched on this a few times already, but it’s key. I told my biz bestie, Lucy Reyes, the productivity queen, that I didn’t have time to stop and get organized. She said, “You don’t have time NOT to.”
Oh boy, was she right! Slowing down to get organized was literally one of the best things I ever did for my online business. It allowed me to refine my systems so that I get more done every single day.
I am busier and have more things on my plate than ever before, but I’m still efficient and get everything done.
Blogging is a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Yes, blogging is a long game where if you start off too fast and hard, you’ll burn out before you get to the finish line. It requires you to build the right foundations to grow and scale your business to the next level. Trust me; there are many levels!
And in case you’re wondering, there is no point where you’ll know all there is to know because each new level requires more sophisticated and advanced skills.
Plus, things in the blogging world are constantly changing. New social media platforms will come and go or, at the very least, change. New tech like AI comes on the scene, and you need to learn about it.
But I will say having a team member or two can definitely help!
FAQs for Blogger Burnout
How to avoid blogger burnout?
The best way to avoid blogger burnout is to:
– Set clear boundaries around work and your personal life
– Creating a schedule, including breaks and admin days
– Set clear, realistic goals
– Always refer back to your why
– Don’t be a people pleaser and say yes to everything
– Turn off notifications and only check your emails once or twice a day
With a clear focus and plan, you can stay productive and motivated and avoid burnout. The key is striking a balance between your personal life and your blog.
Why do bloggers quit?
Bloggers often quit because they pick the wrong niche and can’t make money or get bored.
But most quit because they can’t monetize effectively or the work simply gets too overwhelming, which can often lead to blogger burnout. Some don’t want to put in the hard work.
They could also quit because SEO can be confusing, and they can’t get traffic to their blog (especially with Google updates).
Is it stressful to be a blogger?
Blogging can be stressful, especially when you first start blogging. Irregular income, learning how to build an online business, and balancing a full-time job can lead to burnout.
While it may seem like other bloggers have it all figured out, that’s rarely true. The good news is blogging offers limitless income potential, unlike traditional careers, giving you the freedom to succeed on your terms.
Final Thoughts on Blogger Burnout
In the end, avoiding blogger burnout requires balance, boundaries, and intentional focus.
While it may feel like you have to do all the things, remember that pacing yourself, setting realistic goals, and taking time for breaks is essential.
Following this advice not only helps protect your mental and physical health but also ensures you continue delivering quality content to your readers. Ultimately, taking care of yourself leads to better outcomes for your blog and business.
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Now, you have the tools you need to avoid blogger burnout and thrive.
