Making good Mondays is like making coffee -


The week is before us - like the coffee pot - waiting to brew. Making it good is a matter of choice, luck, creativity, patience and acceptance of the outcome.

Currently at Making Good Mondays

Active elements on this page: Occasionally I will publish a new blog post, but I write mostly at other sites.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Preventing blogger burnout

Preventing blogger burnout is not always possible. But there are some things you can do.

How do you know you might be burning out? Symptoms might include -- among others -- avoidance of writing, feeling uninspired, lateness, too much ranting, difficulty picking up typo errors, insomnia, detachment or unexplained anxiety.

There are some things you can do when you feel these symptoms coming on. General measures include taking a break by walking around for a few minutes. Find some imagery to look at, as opposed to words. Stop drinking coffee or other caffeine beverages. Let your readers know you will take the weekends off. Do some cleaning and clearing so your browser does not bog down so much. Leave the post as a draft and change out of your pajamas.

For the specific symptoms:
  • avoidance of writing -- Try to shorten the length of your posts a bit. Experts say the ideal post length is 250 words.
  • feeling uninspired -- Find a new blog or an unusual website to add to your list of favorites to read. Watch television or read the newspaper or a book.
  • unexplained lateness -- Get right to posting before you get distracted. Tell yourself, "Just do it!"
  • too much ranting -- Find something humorous about which to write, or heart-warming. Look for the positives in a difficult issue.
  • difficulty picking up typo errors -- Use a spell checker first. Read slowly, pausing at the end of sentences.
  • insomnia -- When wakeful, do not reward yourself by doing anything fun. Iron, pay bills, sort socks, etc.
  • detachment -- Passivity can be a sign of too much emotion. Get away from the subject for a while.
  • unexplained anxiety -- Irritability might be included here. Explore what it is that makes you anxious, looking for the positives as you find the reasons.

There are other methods to keep yourself capable of satisfying blogging. Get into a routine, so that you make things easier for yourself. Make your surroundings as pleasing as possible. See that your nutritional needs are met. In other words, good self-care, a bit of self-talk or self-nurturing can go a long ways to refreshing your creativity. And, if all else fails, communicate with a blog friend about it. All of us respond to supportive listening, to knowing that someone really understands.


My topical post today at South by Southwest and The Reaction is about current news.

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2 comments:

billie said...

ooh- i got one! keeping a blog of a different type and write completely different subjects. and... keep email contact with good friends who inspire you ;)

Carol Gee said...

Hi, betmo. Good additions and very important.
You often "get me out of my hole."
Thanks for stopping by, my friend.

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References on Spirituality -- Favorites from my old collection

  • "A Return To Love: Reflections On the Principles Of a Course In Miracles" by Marianne Williamson. Harper Collins, 1992
  • "A World Waiting To Be Born: Civility Rediscovered" by M. Scott Peck. Simon and Schuster, 1993
  • "Chicken Soup For the Unsinkable Soul" by Canfield, Hansen and McNamara. Health Communications, 1999
  • "Compassion in Action: Setting Out On the Path of Service" by Ram Dass and Mirabai Bush. Bell Tower Pub., 1992
  • "Creative Visualization" by Shakti Gawain. MIF Books, 1978
  • "Finding Values That Work: The Search For Fulfillment" by Brian O'Connell. Walker & Co., 1978
  • "Fire in the Soul" by Joan Borysenko. Warner Books, 1993
  • "Further Along the Road Less Traveled" by M. Scott Peck. Simon and Schuster, 1993
  • "Guilt Is the Teacher, Love Is the Lesson" by Joan Borysenko. Warner Books, 1990
  • "Inner Simplicity: 100 Ways To Regain Peace and Nourish the Soul" by Elaine St. James. Hyperion, 1995
  • "Insearch:Psychology and Religion" by James Hillman. Spring Pub. 1994
  • "Man's Search For Himself" by Rollo May. Signet Books, 1953
  • "Mythologies" by William Butler Yeats. Macmillan, 1959
  • "Myths, Dreams and Religion" by Joseph Campbell. Spring Pub. 1988
  • "Passion for Life: Psychology and the Human Spirit" by John and Muriel James. Penguin Books, 1991
  • "Peace Is Every Step" by Thich Nhat Hahn. Bantam Books , 1991
  • "The Heroine's Journey" by Mureen Murdock. Random House, 1990
  • "The Hope For Healing Human Evil" by M. Scott Peck. Simon and Schuster, 1983
  • "The House of Belonging" poems by David Whyte. Many Rivers Press, 2004
  • "The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth" by M.Scott Peck. Simon and Schuster, 1978
  • "The Soul's Code: In Search Of Character and Calling" by James Hillman. Random House, 1996
  • "The World Treasury of Modern Religious Thought" by Jaroslav Pelikan. Little, Brown & Co., 1990
  • "Unconditional Life" by Deepak Chopra. Bantam Books, 1992
  • "Wherever You Go There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation" by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Hyperion, 1994
  • "Zen Keys: A Guide to Zen Practice" by Thich Nhat Hahn. Doubleday Dell Pub. Group, 1974

About Me

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A retired counselor, I am equal parts Techie and Artist. I am a Democrat who came to the Southwest to attend college. I married, had kids and have lived here all my adult life.