It is no secret……
That while blogging is awesome and I love every minute of it, it can at times be stressful.
As a blogger, chances are that you have a million things going on that need to be juggled every day.
You have your day job, your family, your spouse, your friends, a home, and a blog that all need your time and attention.
It is easy to neglect our own needs as we fill our lives with work, family, social life, and other commitments. It’s a wonder that anything is ever done!
Whether you are a blogger, a freelancer, or an entrepreneur, putting in long hours is necessary to achieve success in your business.
Unfortunately, one of the tasks that tend to fall to the bottom of the list when demands are paramount and time is short is our own self-care (I know I do it at times).
Unfortunately, when you neglect your own self-care, it’s impossible to be at your best. In fact, self-care is crucial for maintaining both your emotional, physical, and mental well-being and for avoiding burnout altogether.
When I published my first post, I had no idea just how much work when into blogging. Don’t get me wrong, I love every minute that I’m doing it and will continue to do this for years to come. It’s just that if you told me what it would take a year and a half ago, I would have called B.S. on you! Lol 😊
As we talked about in previous articles, May is Mental Health Awareness month. This is the last installment to discuss some self-care tips for bloggers.
I’ve learned a few things about self-care since starting this endeavor that I want to share with you. While I am focusing today’s article on bloggers, the advice can really apply to just about anybody and in any situation.
Here are 10 self-care tips that I’ve learned since starting my blogging journey.
Here goes…..
Develop A Routine
Do you wake up, go straight to work, get the kids from school, make dinner, and then work late into the night for 6- or 7-nights week? Congratulations! You’ve just become a candidate for burnout!
If this sounds like you then you might need to take a step back even if you intuitively think you need to grind out the work until it is done. Want to know how to avoid this? Develop a routine.
Developing a routine is one of the main keys to success. Developing a daily, consistent routine keeps you energized, less stressed, and increases overall productivity.
I know from experience. I was going non-stop between work, caregiving for my family, and developing this blog for months! There never seemed to be enough hours in the day. I was trying to be everything to everyone and sucking at all of it in the process.
Then I developed a routine. I have set days when I work on my next blog article, set days I devote to educating myself, and set times where I take care of my family and work my day job.
Throughout the week, I have also set days where I go to workout, do something fun to recharge, and spend fun time with my family. I even schedule downtime and breaks throughout the day so I don’t overdo it.
Personally, I found out my best way to recharge is to either get some fresh air, workout, or go hang out with some friends. I’m an extrovert by nature and when I tried to follow the introverted recharging habits of my wife (i.e., read a book, listen to books on tape, or watch a movie) it didn’t get the job done.
We are 2 different people with different needs.
Now, I manage my time wisely. It makes me WAY more productive since I know that time is dedicated for that purpose and bouncing around from job to job just add unnecessary stress to my life. I also build in “me” time into my routine to keep my refreshed and energized.
The important point here is to find a routine that works for you and stick with it.
Remember life is a marathon not a sprint… write that down! 😊
Set Realistic Expectations
When I first started blogging and read about all those people that setup successful blogs in a matter of months, I was gung-ho that I was going to be one of those people.
I researched metrics for tracking my upcoming success. I researched how to start up a blog and articles to write about. I even found a great web developer to help me build the site. All was going great for kicking off this site until…… reality set in.
Juggling being a full-time dad, full-time husband to a wife going back to school, holding down my day job, and now taking on this responsibility proved to be a lot, maybe a bit too much at first.
All of my responsibilities were taking a toll and I soon realized that the timeframe I had set and the amount of work I was actually able to put in on a weekly basis needed some adjustment.
All the things that are needed for a successful blog that the “experts” tell you need to happen just weren’t possible in the time frame I laid out. It would take a full-time commitment and ALOT of trial and error to achieve the goals I originally set out to achieve.
I had to prioritize what was really important to me and my family at that time and then dial back my expectations a bit and stretch out the timeframe.
In the past, I would have been kicking my own ass for not achieving my goals and feel like a failure. This time, I changed my mindset.
I picked out what was important to me, focused on that, and tabled the rest until my wife finished her schooling and my time was freed up.
It’s ok to reset. There is no shame in it. It takes alot pf personal strength and courage to tell yourself, “I made a mistake and I need to course correct.”
It’s not worth stressing out over. You’ll get to where you want to go soon enough. Just give yourself the grace to do it at your pace and on your own terms.
Which leads into my next tip……..
Avoid Comparisons
Having dreams and goals for your blog is great and necessary for achieving success. However, it’s not fair to criticize yourself about the goals you haven’t met yet. Comparing yourself to others is not only self-defeating, but it also just isn’t accurate.
Everyone has their own path that they must travel, and no 2 paths are alike. While it’s great to learn from those who have achieved a meteoric rise to success, it’s not fair to compare your blogging journey to theirs. Maybe they were laid off for 6 months and work 18-hour days to get their blog off the ground. Maybe they have skills you have not acquired yet.
Either way take a breather, go easy on yourself, and work at your own pace…. You got this! 😊
Build Relationships With Fellow Bloggers
One great thing I have learned on my blogging journey is the great collaborative community the personal finance blogging realm has been.
I initially thought it would be cutthroat since we are essentially in competition with each other. I was pleasantly surprised to find the exact opposite.
Of the people I have met, they have been awesome, friendly, helpful, and willing to teach me along my journey.
From Lisa at The Financial Cookbook to Daniella at ILikeToDabble to Michelle at MakingSenseofCents, everyone I have come across has been great! Thank you all!
When first starting a blog, the people around you may not understand why you’re doing it, what blogging is, or why you are “wasting your time doing such nonsense” ….. any of that sounds familiar?
Being a blogger can be lonely at times when there aren’t a lot of people who don’t understand why you blog. My advice to you is to avoid those people who doubt you or put down what you do. If it feels right to blog and you truly enjoy doing it then by all means keep doing it!
It’s always great to chat with folks who understand the ups and down that come with blogging. Plus, it makes you feel like you are connected to a community when you reach out to fellow bloggers.
I’ve received a lot of praise and positive feedback from this community and if the only thing I ever achieve is that then this journey has been worth it! 😊
Learn To Ask For Help
Before starting this journey, I used to be the kind of person who had the answers or knew how to get the answers. My blogging journey to date has been anything but that.
When I started my journey, I truly didn’t grasp all the hats I would need to wear: author, marketer, public relations specialist, website developer, and accountant to name just a few.
I didn’t have these skills when I started, and blogging has been a great learning experience.
It has also been both a humbling experience and a lesson in leadership. I learned the hard way that it’s impossible to do everything by myself.
The only way I was going to accomplish what I set out to do was to ask for help from others. I hired coaches to teach me about Pinterest. I hired a web developer to build my site when I realized how much I had to learn on WordPress.
Plus, developing a support system to help me has also kept me motivated. I no longer felt like I was on an island beating my head against the wall trying to know EVERYTHING about blog development, traffic development, and using social media to advertise my blog.
It’s ok to ask for help. It’s ok not being the expert. It’s ok to outsource what doesn’t interest you. It’s not a sign of weakness but rather a lesson in leadership.
Take A Break
Working all the time means there are some sleepless nights and some long days.
While it’s important to work hard, it’s equally important to take periodic breaks and step away from work. Whether it’s standing up and walking around for 5 minutes after several hours of writing an article, taking a 30-minute walk to clear your head, or even taking a weekend off from all of life’s responsibilities, it’s important to take time out to recharge your batteries and give yourself a break.
Taking breaks is not only mentally refreshing, but also important for your body as well. I mean why work so hard building something if you neglect your health? Wouldn’t it suck to build a million-dollar blog only to suffer diabetes and heart disease a few years later. Was it worth it?
The stress on your body doesn’t have to be that severe. Sitting at a desk and staring at a computer all day, wreaks havoc on your eyesight and posture. I know. I have muscle knots in my back from sitting all day. I must be proactive and periodically stretch to keep my back loose.
At the end of the day, all we really have is our family and few close friends. If we cannot enjoy that then why are you working so hard?
Set Boundaries
Setting boundaries is another key for success. Especially in the post-COVID environment we are currently in, setting boundaries has become paramount for me.
Just because you are physically accessible does not mean that you are actually accessible. Whether it is closing the door to your office, enforcing a no phone policy during family dinner, or turning off your computer after a certain time each day, boundaries are important for avoiding stress and preventing burnout.
This online world we live in can take over your REAL life if you let it. Being sure you make time so it doesn’t is really important for long-term sustainability of your blog and your overall well-being.
A key to setting boundaries is prioritization. If you don’t need to do it, then either don’t do it or outsource it. To determine what is essential, ask yourself, “How Can I Make This Easier?” My instincts usually do the rest.
Practice Gratitude
One of the best ways to keep yourself focused and stress-free is to practice gratitude. Either keep a journal or make mental notes each day of at least 3 things that you are grateful for: a good night’s sleep, a kiss from your daughter, or even a hot cup of coffee.
It doesn’t have to be big or elaborate to be effective. The goal is to appreciate what you have and what you are doing. It’s easy to get caught up and be overwhelmed by the whirlwind of life and all its responsibilities. It can be difficult to remind yourself to appreciate what you have and all the hard work you’ve put into it.
Reward Yourself
If you have been last on your priority list for awhile, a good habit to get into is to reward and pamper yourself. You shouldn’t feel guilty about it either. Celebrating your hard work is a necessary reinforcement for promoting your success and taking care of yourself.
Just rocked out another article? Had a great page view week? Celebrate! Treat yourself to something and enjoy the moment.
It doesn’t have to be exorbitant. It can be something simple like buying a pizza from your favorite restaurant or enjoying a glass of your favorite bourbon or even enjoying a night off to watch a movie you’ve been dying to see. Whatever it is that makes you feel special and is a treat… just do it!
Celebrate the wins! Recognize your accomplishments and praise yourself when you notice all that hard work starting to pay off. It’s worth the effort and you’ve earned it.
Keep Up With Personal Relationships
Time flies by so fast and it’s easy to neglect personal relationships. With the constant working and personal responsibilities that entail in raising a family, it’s no wonder 6 months can fly by in the blink of an eye!
One of the side effects of this is that personal relationships sometimes are put on the backburner. A lot of times, you barely have time for yourself much less time to hang out with your best friend from college.
The reality is that not prioritizing your personal relationships is not the best idea even when you feel that you need to put all your available energy into getting your business off the ground.
To have balance in your life and to protect your mental well-being, you need to meet and see people outside of work.
Whether that is meeting up with work friends for lunch, spending more time with family, or even reconnecting with a friend from high school, find a way to connect with others.
You’d be surprised how spending a couple of hours of talking, laughing, and reminiscing can boost your energy and improve your overall outlook.
It can be a game-changer!
Summary
It’s easy to neglect our own needs as our life is filled with work, family, and other commitments. As much as we want to be everything to everyone, the sad reality is that it is a recipe for burnout
We need to perform self-care and self-maintenance frequently, sometime daily. It’s like what they tell you on an airplane when in the event that the oxygen masks are dropped from the ceiling. Always ensure to put on your mask on first before helping others put on their mask.
Why?
Because you could end up hurting you AND them if you don’t follow their instructions.
It’s not being narcissistic or selfish. Quite the opposite. You cannot care for others if you don’t care for yourself first.
Bloggers must carve out some time to unwind in order to be at your best for both you and your loved ones.
So, what do you think about my self-care tips? What’s your favorite self-care tip? What works for you? I’d love to hear from you.
Share your comments here.
Live The Life You Love, Want, And Deserve 😊