Do you ever have those days where you just want to dye your hair, quit your job or jump on a plane to Vegas and follow your dream of becoming a showgirl? *guilty face*. As a freelancer, I have the luxury of working anywhere in the world but for some reason I do it in Leeds, in my home office. I often sit at my desk and wonder why on earth I’m not swapping my seat for a sea view. Maintaining a blog is time consuming and if you run your blog alongside your full time job, it’s even harder to find the time to put in to create a post that meets your standards and that of your readers. It’s also so easy to see the fantastic opportunities that other bloggers receive and feel like you are not doing enough. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love the many rewards that come with running a blog but I started my blog because I love writing and between sponsored posts and reviewing items I have been sent, there is little time to sit down and write a post that isn’t motivated by events I’ve been to and products I’ve received. Recently I’ve been thinking about what direction to take my blog in this year and it seems I’m in a bit of rut. If you’ve ever felt this way about your blog, I thought I’d share a few tips and tricks that I use when I’m feeling a little bit lost.
Book a Massage
I look upon massages as fairly indulgent beauty treatments that I have to work harder to justify than say getting my nails or my brows done. Unlike the little regular beauty treatments I book that count as maintenance, a massage seems like a treatment that should be enjoyed as a reward for working hard or hitting my goals. However, unlike getting a mani or a pedi, I feel like a new woman after I’ve had a massage. It’s a hour to yourself where you can just switch off and relax. Running a blog and being a freelancer, you don’t tend to clock off at 5.30pm and having some time out can help you to feel rejuvenated and it’s often when I get some of my most creative ideas.
Network
As a creative person, I like to bounce ideas of people and I find I’m my most productive after I’ve spoken to someone in the same field. However, working from home as a freelance writer means that daily contact with others never mind someone in my line of work is rare. It is easy to feel a little uninspired in this situation but one thing I do to combat this feeling is up my networking skills. Twitter is great for reaching out and creating exciting opportunities that can help you get back on track. Interacting with other bloggers is also a great way to increase positivity. Next time you feel a little lost, go and leave a nice comment on a blog that you love and pass on some positivity, you never know it may come back to you.
See a Clairvoyant
Now this one is a bit out there and I know that people are either on board with this sort of thing or you are not. Every few years, I have a complete meltdown and wonder what on earth I’m doing with my life. I book an appointment with a Clairvoyant and see if I can get any answers that might shed some light on my future. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not telling you to take any actions based on your experiences as everyone’s experience will be different but I always leave these appointments feeling hopeful and full of positivity about what might lie ahead.
Book a Trip and Focus on Relationships
Sometimes you just need a break or a change of scenery. All work and no play can make you feel rundown and uninspired. This year I’ve booked a few trips with my favourite people. I’m visiting New York for a few days with my husband and then making the journey to Rhode Island to visit one of my lifelong friends. I’m also taking a bank holiday break with one of my besties. Nothing can make you feel as good as spending time with those you love the most and reconnecting with friends you don’t see very often. It’s also a nice idea to nurture the relationships you often take for granted. I’m going on a trip with my Mum in the next few weeks because making new memories with my family is just as important to me as nurturing my friendships.
Read a book
I love getting lost between the pages of a good book. Reading great writing never fails to inspire me to create great content and when I’m all out of creativity, I find one of the best things to do is be inspired by one of my favourite authors. I also love those books that make you want to get up and attack your goals. I’m currently reading S.U.M.O (shut up and move on). I think we all hang on to negative things in our pasts and this book is all about leaving it behind.
What do you do if you find yourself in a rut?
