I have been blogging for almost 6 years now, and as much as I enjoy it, there comes a point where you just can’t seem to get any work done.
You can’t blame the kids because you are at a coffee shop.
Rest is not the issue because you slept for over 8 hours.
Blogger’s block might just be the problem, but you are still trying to convince yourself that it’s something else.
Hit this part at any point of your blogging career, and you might need to take a nice little break.
When Should You Take a Break?
We are all different, and even our blogs will reflect that.
What works for one blogger might not work for another, and that’s just how it is.
One blogger might need to take a break, while another is just trying to find excuses as to why they shouldn’t do any work.
You know you need to take a break when you have done 20+ posts for the month, and you are starting to feel fatigued.
You do not need a break if you did 2 posts and the month is almost over, even if you are drained from doing those two.
As a blogger, you can tell if you have put in some good work, and you will most especially know if you have been slacking.
Use great judgment, and do not make any excuses as to why you need to take a break.
Being your own boss is not as easy as people think, and running your very own blog is the perfect example.
How Long Should Your Break Be?
You are responsible for your business, and that’s a given.
If you know that you’ve done lots of work, then give yourself that very much-needed work.
Should you take a couple of days off?
Maybe a week?
These are some questions you can ask yourself, but you also need to give yourself some reasonable answers.
A couple of days are great if you are starting a new blog, but a week can work better if you are established and making a nice income.
Sometimes, a day off is all you need, but take the necessary break that you know you deserve.
Not what you think because you are simply being lazy.
Don’t Lose Focus
I personally take breaks every now and then, but only because life always happens.
So, to win at life and blogging, I take breaks in between months without it ever being planned.
I missed publishing for the day because the kids had a performance at school.
That becomes my break and the next day, it’s back to blogging.
I get sick like everyone else, and I have days that I feel like doing absolutely nothing.
That then becomes my day off, and again, it’s back to blogging the following day.
Scheduling breaks are not a big part of my routine, but I do have my share of breaks.
Oftentimes, it’s usually more breaks than work, and that has to change.
Take Breaks Responsibly
As I just mentioned, I almost never say I am going to take a break because of the lack of work I’ve put in for that specific week.
I know that I should be doing more, so I will not give myself any breaks if I know I don’t deserve it.
Being your own boss comes with its many pros, but this con alone can make or break your business.
I fired my boss many years ago, but sometimes I feel that she was still around to kick me in the butt when it was needed.
That’s not the case, though, so I have to take full responsibility for whatever happens or does not happen for that matter.
You need to do things the same exact way, or well, you will not succeed.
Once you start making the type of money that you’re comfortable with, then you can start rewarding yourself with some breaks.
We all know how much work needs to be put into a successful blog, and there is no way around it.
If you think that you can slack and make it within the blogging space, you might as well find a regular old job.
Taking Breaks Are Necessary
We are not robots.
Not for our readers and not for Google either.
As much as we want to rank in the search engines and get all the traffic in the world, there comes a time when you need to pump the brakes.
Take a break and be ready to work once it’s over.
Breaks give you some time to clear your head, which then gives you the chance to write even better blog posts.
That blogger’s block that creeps up every now and then will come around a lot less.
If you’re not wearing glasses yet, taking breaks will give your eyes that very much-needed rest.
You might feel fine, but your eyes and brain are working extra just from looking at the screen.
As you can see, there are many benefits to taking a break from blogging, and it is very much needed.
So if you haven’t taken that break, today would be a great day to do so.
And if you’re a two-post-a-month blogger, skip that break and get back to work.