4 REASONS TO TAKE A BLOGGING BREAK & 3 WAYS TO DO IT SUCCESSFULLY

You love blogging. It’s a passion. I get it. I feel the same way. But just like anything, sometimes you need a break. I recently took one, and I learned a lot from it (including why you shouldn’t feel guilty). Here are my reasons why a blogging break is actually beneficial and how to do it successfully.

I started The Nomis Niche because I love connecting with people. I love sharing outfits, beauty products I love, travel adventures, etc. I’ve actively been posting on The Nomis Niche every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for about a year. When February hit, and I became a host for the show Las Vegas Now, it became a little difficult to keep up with it.

I felt guilty if I was only posting Tuesdays and Thursdays. I felt like what I was doing wasn’t good enough. I got pissed at myself when I fell asleep with my laptop on my lap working on a post. (Can you tell I’m type A? Ha!) But, over the past two weeks I’ve learned something.

A break from blogging is actually a good thing. You also shouldn’t feel guilty about it! But, there are ways to do it without losing followers. I recently too a little break, and found it to be incredibly refreshing and helpful.

Here is what I learned…

 REASONS TO TAKE A BLOGGING BREAK

1. IT GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO MISS IT

   Chances are, if you have a blog you started it as a passion project. However, it’s a competitive market! You need to constantly pump out new content and make your posts as creative as possible. Even the best musicians and most talented artists need a break once in awhile! It gives you a chance to actually miss it. After a break, you’re able to come back ready to start pumping out new and interesting posts. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

2. YOU COME BACK REFRESHED

   If you’re just posting to post, chances are your content is going to be lackluster. I felt like the posts I was putting together were boring and bland. I wasn’t happy with the direction my blog was going in. After a few days off, I was rested, ready and actually excited to get back into it.

3. SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO DE-STRESS

   I would get home from doing the show and immediately start working on the blog. A lot of my weekend was spent taking photos, editing, linking up my outfits and writing posts. Then there’s social media! That’s a whole other job in and of itself! My stress started to build over doing things that I usually love. I realized after taking a little break that I wasn’t stressing over what I was doing, but how I was doing it. I was putting so much pressure on myself, and it showed in my posts. During my little hiatus, I took a trip to my family’s cabin back in the Pittsburgh area. There was zero service. I had no choice but to unplug. It was amazing!

4. YOU CAN CATCH UP ON OTHER THINGS IN LIFE

   During my blogging break, I was able to hang out with my family more. I was engaged in conversation when we went out with friends instead of worrying about when the light would be just right for a photo opportunity. I got to chill by the pool and read a magazine. I didn’t worry about responding to e-mails and stopped bugging The Shmoop to take photos every few hours. I actually enjoyed some downtime.

HOW TO TAKE A SUCCESSFUL BLOGGING BREAK

With all of that said… I’m still Type A. It’s easy think you can just forget about everything, but in real life, that can be difficult. So, here’s how you can keep your followers while still taking a blogging break

1. LET YOUR FOLLOWERS KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON

   I didn’t do this, but I now realize how important it actually is. As someone who looks at other blogs, I get a little confused when they don’t post for awhile. However, one of the bloggers I follow mentioned that she would taking a vacation, and to instead follow her travels on Instagram. Genius! You direct people to your social media pages and they still feel like they can follow what you’re up to. However, I think it’s also important to have a date in mind that you’ll be back to blogging. After all, you still want that site traffic and blogs offer a bigger glimpse into your personality and writing style.

2. CONSIDER GUEST POSTS

   I’ve never done guest posts, but this would actually be a great way to still keep content pumping without having to do it yourself. If you’re up to it, reach out to some fellow bloggers you know and ask if they’d do a post or two for you. They can also link up their blog and reach a new audience, so it’s a win-win.

3. DO THE PREP WORK

   On this blog, I’ve actually only taken a few days off. In reality, I took a full two weeks. I made sure to set-up posts during my break and scheduled facebook posts linking back to my blog. It may be more work for you ahead of time, but in the end it’s worth it.

I hope these few tips help you out. Even if it’s just a little bit! I hope if you take one thing away from this post, it’s that you can take little breaks and still be a successful blogger! And that guilt? Throw it out the window. Everyone needs a few days off once in awhile. 🙂

Love, Lindsey