Blogging guilt hits all of us at various times through our online lives. This is not only normal but can occur with frequency depending on the kind of blogger you are.
Today, we’ll talk about the main aspects of blogging guilt and how you can overcome them without compromising on your peace of mind.
Most of the components I speak of here are relevant to personal and niche bloggers, but you may find one or two things to help you whether you’re a first-time or veteran blogger.
[bctt tweet=”4 ways for bloggers to overcome #blogging guilt” username=”shyvish”]
What are the main components of blogging guilt?
- Inability to blog regularly or frequently
- Lack of time to blog hop and return visits
- Not replying to comments on one’s blog
- Finding it tough to manage social media with blogging
Irregular Schedule
This one is a particularly tough nut to crack. When you search Google to figure out which is the best blogging frequency, you get answers varying from daily to weekly to monthly. If you were to ask other bloggers, they’d shrug and say, ‘Do what works for you.’
Me, I suggest finding your rhythm first. I’ve blogged daily three times in my blogging life. That’s right; these are month-long blogging marathons. What this does is help me figure out my comfort zone and then test my endurance by pushing outwards and breaking it.
I then blogged very sporadically and took long breaks as well, up to a month or more. That helped me reassess where I stand in my journey and more importantly, what I want from this activity on a personal and professional level.
How to overcome the guilt
I’ve now settled into a weekly schedule for this blog and my other one as well. This doesn’t mean I will stick to a hard and fast rule and never blog more than once a week. But, try everything before you settle on what works best for you. That’s the best way to overcome this particular blogging guilt.
Blog Hopping Fatigue
This is more relevant to personal bloggers and the ones looking to build engagement and carry on a conversation with their readers.
Every blog needs readers and this can be true for a number of reasons: Wanting to be read, wanting to make a mark in the virtual world, creating a brand as a blogger and the ability to work with businesses as an influencer.
So, blog hopping does two things: Helps build a network among bloggers and also helps improve page views, from a business perspective. Obviously, quality content is key to drive both outcomes.
With more than a million blogs and counting, it can be overwhelming to manage blog hopping regularly. So, what should you do?
How to overcome the guilt
Ideally, chalk out a strategy based on how much time you have in a day/week. This would depend on your work/ chores/personal hobbies. Next, set aside specific times for blog hopping and returning visits. Sign up for e-mail subscriptions to your favourite blogs. Read them at one stretch and empty your inbox too. I typically devote one or two days to blogging and one or two days to return visits. It makes my life simpler.
Erratic Replies to comments
This one hits more of us than we’d like to admit. Yes, a large part of blogging thrives on comments. Good and sustained comments are important because for one thing, they tell us what worked and what didn’t. Obviously, this applies to engaging comments and not the ‘This was awesome’ variety of comments.
If you are a passionate blogger, you may find yourself having a backlog of comments/replies, especially when you take up a blogging marathon. You’re hopping across a minimum of 10 blogs a day and getting an exponential number of visitors in return. Between keeping up with visits and replying to comments, the latter invariably takes a hit.
How to overcome the guilt
Tell yourself that you are human. Don’t bite off more than you can chew on any particular day. Life happens offline too so you cannot ignore all of that in favour of replies to your comments.
That being said, do try and keep the conversation going when generated by comments. Set aside a day in a week or maybe an entire week after a blogging marathon to reply to comments. Listen carefully to the positive and constructive critique, take the feedback and respond with grace. A simple ‘Thank you’ would suffice in most cases. A little gratitude goes a long way.
Social Media & Blogging Balance
If you are a blogger, you need social media. Whether you’re writing for fun or as a business, social media is an integral part of the blogging experience.
I know bloggers who shy away from social media because it seems intimidating and more importantly, a ‘waste of time’. Here’s where I disagree. It’s all dependent on how you manage your time. We all have the same 24 hours.
Social media presence can appear to take precedence over blogging and drive a wedge between your writing and networking goals. It can act as a time suck and effectively wean you away from blogging. So, what do you do?
How to overcome the guilt
Look on the time spent on social media as an investment instead of a squandered chunk of your day. If you were to categorically assign time chunks through the day to writing, sharing, networking and engagement, things become a whole lot simpler.
Use tools like Buffer, Hootsuite and Pocket to make the social media experience simpler and more effective.
For me, it’s very simple. I love blogging and I love social media. Yes and I am not afraid to admit it either. Social media has helped me grow- as a blogger, a writer and a person.
I’ve been accused of spending too much time on social media but I don’t mind anymore. Yes, I do tend to spend more time online but I have three platforms I love: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For me, every single day is a learning experience. Social media evolves very quickly and I find the change fascinating as well as enriching, as a blogger.
Ultimately, you have to ask yourself one important question when it comes to blogging:
Are you happy doing what you do?
If the answer is ‘Yes’, then you’ll find that nothing else truly matters. The guilt that comes with blogging will also fade as you write, blog and evolve on this journey.
Images courtesy: Melpone and RawPixel via Shutterstock
Oh it’s a boon! Use it to share content on Twitter, Facebook, Google plus and LinkedIn. Tailored to each platform beautifully.
I need to understand and try how this buffer pans out. Thanks for mentioning:)
That’s a good approach, Vishal! Important to balance blogging tome with visits and other offline stuff. I’ve found using buffer for social media sharing has reduced my dependence on social media considerably 🙂
It’s an interesting outlook and very helpful to understand how blogging works. Nowadays, I am devoting specific days to comment on blogs and try to write four times a week, unlike earlier when it was a daily affair. I run two blogs that make it tough. It’s one of the reasons why I am off monthly blogging challenges. I am also reducing social media usage with cutting off from some channels. It sucks the energy and can come as counter-productive.
Yep, been there, done that. But like you said, life happens offline too, and it just cannot be ignored. Which is why, while I have avoided breaks for the most part, if there is something that requires my attention in the offline world, and is a bigger priority, I don’t really feel guilty about taking a blogging break.
You have spoken loud my deepest worries. I am not regular in blogging, although as you have said, I have had my stint with frequent blogging too. It sure brings a sense of satisfaction, like no other and wish I could make up my mind and write regularly. But yes, I have found my peace with it and I try my best to not feel guilty now a days.
Wonderful post. Oh and I am sharing this 🙂
You’re too sweet, Darshana ? Thank you for the award. I have a few pending. Will try and do a round up post of them all towards the end of the year. Thank you so much for thinking of me. I appreciate it. ?
Try email subscription to your favorite blogs. I do that. So I read my blog roll at leisure and empty my inbox according to my reading pace. Keeps me sane. I have a daily and weekly calendar for my blog so it helps me stay sane.
I remember that break. Must have been around the time you turned off comments. As for Twitter, it’s so easy. Let’s do it on day over that long-pending lunch ?
Agree completely. But social media is also necessary for Bloggers. So using intelligent scheduling tools will certainly help in that case. Thanks as always for the support, Anindya ?
Always glad to hear that the words resonate, Menaka. Yes, blogging is different from writing and that difference is what makes it both satisfying or challenging. I’m glad you’re a part of the community now. Good luck with your blog goals. ?
Yes the sabbatical from social media helps immensely 🙂 Thank you so much, Vishal! Really appreciate the warm words.
I’m just back from a blogging break and the guilt hasn’t receded yet. Thankyou very much for this post, you are a huge inspiration. I think it’s time I quit on scheduled weekly posts since I get busy at unexpected times. I know I’m happy to blog, and guilty when I don’t. Your tips are of great help.
I suppose you don’t do tagged posts or blogger awards? I’ve nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award nevertheless. Do visit if time permits. 🙂
So glad I read this today as my blogging journey is not going in the same way as I planned it a month back. Blog hopping is something I always prefer to do as it gives me a lot of ideas to make my blog better. Also, I like reading and have a list of blogs which I visit quite often but somehow I’m missing out on that also, mainly due to extreme work pressure. But now I know from where I need to start with! So, thanks a lot for sharing this fruitful post with us! 🙂
Not-replying-to-comments guilt – I got so upset once, that I had to take a break to sort myself in the head out :O I let it get to me so bad.
Teach me Twitter, pliss? I hate it right now, but I know I’m missing out on so much :/
I know regarding the erratic replies. Guilt here as well. Hence the need to write the post 😉
Balancing is a tough act and if you have a growing kid then any amount of time spent on Social Media and for blogging is like a compromise with the time to be spent with the kid . Nice post once again Shailaja. Keep them coming
I was nodding as I was reading the post Shylaja! Yes to all four pointers there. I had begun clogging a long time back and it used to be like a hobby. All I used to be concerned then was about how good my content is and whether it is useful or not. I never had this idea of a community or commenting on others blogs.
I am glad to learn slowly about how blogging as a community is more fun that doing it alone.
I am trying to schedule and get out of all the four guilt you have mentioned.
Of course I wrote it for you and only you 😉 I remember your long sabbatical and believe me, I understand the need for it too. Don’t worry. Things will slowly settle into place.
I do that too on some days. Sit and read all the posts on BAR. Makes me feel less guilty on the days I haven’t managed to read as much. And stop thanking me 🙂
Please do. You are very good with blogging so I’d hate to see you burn out any time soon 🙂 Take it slow and steady. Sustained growth is the best kind.
Lovely insights here Shailaja.
You’re right, the best way to overcome blogging guilt is to make a schedule and stick to it rigorously. I’ve found that automating tweets and shares, and taking a sabbatical from social media (as counterproductive as it sounds) is useful.
Cheers!
So true! Times change and so do our priorities. Important to enjoy the experience.
Glad it could help you, Priya 🙂 Don’t worry. We’re all in the same boat.
You’re welcome, Vasantha!
So true. Cannot allow blogging or anything else to derail life. We need priorities 🙂
God! Typos!!
Gosh! I have had felt so guilty of all these 4 things. But I feel most bad about erratic replying to comments. Somehow, I just dont get the time to do that. I usually do for 5-6 posts at one go, which is not ideal. Hopefully, I will mend my ways and feel less guilty of this failing sometimes soon.
Tell me, you wrote this just for me! I so needed to read this…I am guilty of all four things, and I love how you split it up, and gave some practical suggestions for each one. I have been juggling too many things and I went off social media for a prolonged time. I was irregular with my writing too. so I decided to do it just once a week like you said, post it on monday, and go blog hopping on two days, reply to comments on one day… the social media thing is still my nemesis, but i’m trying to learn.
Sigh, you have listed everything that I feel about blogging these days.
Work is hectic and I’m struggling to put up some posts while trying to manage household chores and reading. Some better planning helped me get back to the rhythm last month, but this month it doesn’t seem that easy. 20 days gone and I just have like 5 posts. I was feeling terrible about it, but after reading this I no longer do 🙂
Blog hopping gets tough for me during such busy days, but as and when I have some time I sit and read through all the posts on the BAR thread. I comment and share only if I like the post or if it makes some sense to me somewhere. I’m on a reading and sharing spree today 🙂
Thank you for this post dear Shy. I’ll keep the guilt away now 🙂
Love!
I needed to read this today. Just got done with exams, and I was feeling a tad bit overwhelmed about getting back to my routine of commenting on blog posts.
Okay, I was positively freaking out.
I guess I’ll take it slow, and space out everything over the week till Saturday. I’ll incorporate the other tips too, and think about getting a bit more active on social media 🙂
Thank you Godma for this post ❤
Oh yes, i do carry that guilt especially when i look back at some previous few years when i have been extremely consistant in publishing my posts… But yes times change and so does ones available time…. What matters is how much we enjoy it i guess
Very well written …I guess this is something every blogger goes through..thanks a lot it made me feel I am on the same page as other bloggers
Mostly I could manage to post regularly. But blog hopping sometimes make me fatigue. This post is “wisdom of words” for all bloggers. Thanks for this very useful post.
There are so many things to juggle with blogging – if we add guilt into the mix it makes it all the more trying. I think I’m settling into a twice a week posting cycle and dedicated chunks of time to read and comment, else blogging and social media can derail everything else and that’s not ok either (for me). 🙂
It’s hard, Parul. Taking frequent breaks may help you find a rhythm which you are happier with. Plus, with WordPress we have the ‘like’ option. Sometimes I use that to indicate I’ve read. Most times that and a share will suffice.
I write for pleasure too ? I still think social media is necessary for those who write for pleasure because there are so many blogs that without dome form of social media, we would never know about them. Some of my favourite bloggers whom I read for the beauty of their writing, I found through Facebook and Twitter. And I keep finding more.
Of course, the schedule thing was more to help people do away with the guilt than anything else. Each person’s will to blog is their own, naturally.
I know social media can be a good tool if used sensibly and without feeling compared to others. But I have been accused of being too much on it and it used to upset me. Now it amuses me. Point is, whatever I do, it won’t make others happy. So I now make myself happy.
Thank you, Rachna. Always appreciate your detailed comments.
Yes you do a fab job of blog hopping. Daily blogging can be stressful for both the bloggers and the readers. It’s another reason I’ve stopped doing it these days.
Quite possible, Vidya, with respect to the guilt. I recall writing about that too. Not allowing social media to take over your life, a while ago. It’s important to set boundaries for yourself and most people are unable to do that. Perhaps that may help them balance things better. I keep taking stock every week, I find 🙂
Sounds like a lovely schedule. I also admire the fact that you are drawing and sketching regularly! That feeling of fulfillment is very necessary. Hugs, Shilpa! ?
I find that reading helps me Sulekha. If I find writing difficult, I read and that allows the words to flow better after a break.
I kind of guessed it. Take breaks between challenges, Mayuri. That will certainly help.
Like I said, do what you can, Naba. You’re doing a lot already 🙂
Agree. Most of us do blog because we love it. That’s enough for me too. I love social media too because it’s given me amazing friends like you.
Absolutely! Some people don’t write on a schedule and that’s fine too. Like I said, do what makes you happy 🙂
Thank you, Sid. I enjoy blogging more for the Love of it than anything else. I try and do what I can when I can ?
I have been able to manage but yes, sometimes it results in a lot of fatigue. The worst is replying to comments for me. But I really like what you say, Shailaja. We are all humans and with 24 hours a day it’s hard to balance it all.
With writing – I prefer to publish 3-4 times per week but during April and November, I take up the month long challenges. Always good to build new audiences and read some new blogs.
I think it all boils down to what makes you happy and what you can manage. Some people write for pleasure and have no goals of making a brand out of their blogs or monetizing them. I think it is perfectly fine for them to write as and when they feel like it. I know of really good writers and well-known bloggers who have a great pool of readers and credibility and yet are barely active on social media.
I put more emphasis on writing and reading personally. Social media comes later for me. I feel no guilt in being away from it for long stretches as well. And there are weeks especially during April-May when I don’t blog and even read. I just take a break. Like Vidya said, a lot of people feel guilty because well they ‘waste’ time on social media.
Like you said, do what makes you happy. And most importantly don’t fall for the comparison game. 🙂 Enjoyed the tips.
Weekly posts work for me too. That way I get enough time to blog hop and social media. Sometimes I do suffer from blog hop fatigue, but there are so many of them 🙂 I don’t feel like mmissing the fun. Plus if they are daily blogger, it becomes even more ddifficult to catch up with them. I haven’t explored pocket yet. Will check it out. Great points.
Very spot on, Shailaja, and great points. I’ve experienced all of this, and still do, on occasion. But there comes a point when one has to stand back and take stock. I did. I am more at peace now, also thanks to lots happening offline. I am in awe of those who post seamlessly on Instagram with a million hashtags and keep it all together across social media. I have tried typing on my phone–so frustrating to battle with autocorrect and bad eyesight.
Now, I’ve just settled down to what is most comfortable.
I suspect a large part of “guilt”, for most people, manifests via aimless browsing. 🙂
Around a couple of months ago, I had gotten bored of blogging; ideas/topics for posts weren’t as good as I would have liked, and I was also consumed by the ink sketching. So, I was off blogging the past month. But, now, since November, I have begun posting two posts per week on days I decided for myself. Two days are reserved for blog hopping and after that working on the posts as well as my sketches. So, now I feel better; there is a feeling of fulfilment after I sit back and look at my work – both, written and drawn. All I need to increase is my blog hopping, because even though the traffic has increased slightly, it is not as much as I would like to be, ideally. Well, let’s hope I am able to do better than I am!
Great tips shared for the likes of me. I have a peculiar problem, words seem to be upset with me. They refuse to fall in line to become coherent sentences in my mind. Don’t know what to do…
I am suffering from Blogging, and all things related, Fatigue.
2 back to back Daily Blogging challenges have taken their toll. Thanks for this timely post. Shall try to incorporate tips from it .
I’m happy doing what I’m doing and it’s such a relief to say that. Of course, only with respect to my blogging 🙂 As you probably know, I’m guilting of not being able to respond to comments. I still have to figure out a time for that. For Blogging, I have sort of fallen into a schedule. Sometimes, it’s hard to keep up but I try. As for blog hopping, I do as much as I can..I try not to panic and remember that I’m only human 🙂
I envy the perfect balance you manage between blogging and social media. I don’t feel guilty too often because blogging is and will remain always the happy thing in my life – with no pressures. I do feel bad when I cannot blog because I miss the interaction and that makes me get back.
Nice tips, Shailaja! My main strategy these days seems to be to not let the guilt touch me ;). But yes, I have come to terms with the fact that setting a frequency does not work for me – when I feel strongly enough about something to blog about it, I will. And so be it. If that changes at some time in the future, would be happy with that as well :).
‘Are you happy doing what you do?’
I think that’s the question everyone should ask themselves. Handy tips there, Shailaja. And glad to see you writing regularly whilst balancing your full-time jobs too.