Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Work/Life Balance, When You Don't Feel Like Blogging

Something happened to me on Sunday for the first time since I started blogging over a year ago. I didn't feel like blogging. I normally do all my blogging on the weekends. I write and schedule all my posts either on Saturday or Sunday for the week, that way I don't have to worry about it with the craziness of work and other things that happen during the week.

This past weekend, Phil and I took an awesome day trip to Rehoboth Beach on Saturday. We got up super early and drove the three hours to the beach, arriving around 9am. We stayed until about 5 and then drove back home. It was so amazing. Just so nice to get away and spend the day listening to the waves crash on the sand. So nice to soak up the sun, eat our lunch we packed, and just hang out and talk. Aside from getting horribly sun-burned (yes, I used sunscreen, I'm just super pasty...), it was the perfect day.

I planned on blogging on Sunday. But I think I had gotten so relaxed at the beach the day before that I just didn't feel like it. I wasn't inspired. It felt like work when I sat down in front of my computer. I had already written my reviews for the week, so I scheduled those, but after that I stepped away and read for pretty much the entire day. Curled up on the couch that night and watched a movie with Phil (Smurfs 2, which was super cute!), and just had a 100% relaxing weekend.

But then Monday morning rolled around and I started to feel guilty about not scheduling other posts for the week. So here I am, typing away at work so I can have something scheduled for Tuesday. And I'll probably do the same thing on Wednesday to try and get something together for Thursday. I just feel this compulsion to blog every day. I know I don't have to. I know (hope) that you would all still read my blog no matter how often I post, but it's a weird personal thing where I just feel like I must post. I've already talked about how often you should post, but now I'm referring to those times when you don't feel like blogging.

My question to you guys is, do you feel like you have to post every day (or your regular schedule) on your own blog (if you're a blogger)? If a blogger normally posts every day of the week do you get upset when they miss a day here and there? What do you do when you don't feel like blogging? And how do you balance your work/life?
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12 comments:

  1. NaraAugust 12, 2014 at 8:07 AM

    To be honest, if I don't feel like blogging, I just don't blog. I see blogging completely as a hobby, so if I find that I'm not enjoying it, I just don't do it haha. I don't even really have a schedule- I just post whenever I want to post (but usually I'll leave one day between posts...don't know why I feel the need to do this, but I want to give the posts "breathing space" lol)

    In terms of following a blogger, I don't really mind whatever they want to do. As long as it's not 500 book blitz posts in a single day, anything goes really. Whatever is good for them :)

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    1. Rebecca @ Unbound PagesAugust 12, 2014 at 8:53 PM

      I'm a very structured and organized person so I like my schedule. But I think I just have to remember that it's okay to not post sometimes. It's okay to skip a day. I can always post what I had planned for another day. There are endless days for posts. :)

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  2. yaescapefromrealityAugust 12, 2014 at 9:36 AM

    I agree with Nara, if you don't feel like posting, don't post. I would rather have a blogger post less and post substantive, thoughtful posts than just post to be posting. All of the cover reveals, etc. are not what I want to read. One of the reasons I really like your blog is because you post substantive posts (book reviews, discussion posts, etc). So don't worry about it!! I get tired sometimes of writing book reviews and put that off sometimes and that's why I read a lot more books than I review because sometimes it's so nice to just read a book and not be thinking about what I would write about it. Occasionally I make that decision when I read the book, but most of the time I just put off writing the review and in the meantime I'll read more books and then the details of the book get fuzzy and so I end up never writing the review. I hate that I feel that way, but after writing a lot of reviews, sometimes I feel like I'm saying the same thing over and over. Keeping the blog fresh is definitely a challenge and I feel like I should do something different because people are probably getting bored of seeing the same type of posts, but oh well! I think it's great to take a break now and then so if you don't post for a few days or even longer, don't worry about it! ~Pam

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    1. Rebecca @ Unbound PagesAugust 12, 2014 at 8:56 PM

      Yes, I would have to agree with you. Yes, I really am not a fan of cover reveals and book blitzes. I like more substance to posts. I definitely review pretty much everything I read, but I think you read waaay more than me. :) Yeah, I definitely know what you mean about saying the same thing over and over. Maybe a break is exactly what a blogger needs to come up with fresh ideas, you know? hmmm... I have a wedding coming up so maybe I'll take a few days off then.

      And thanks so much for the high compliment. You're the best! <3

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  3. AnonymousAugust 12, 2014 at 12:49 PM

    I recently transitioned away from a set posting schedule, and now I blog as I feel like it/time allows. Right now I'm still posting several times a week, but once September rolls around I'll be cutting back to posting 1-2 times a week, because one of my kids will be doing school at home this fall. At first I felt really badly that I was cutting back, but now I'm ok with it. It will be nice to not have that pressure to post so much :)

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    1. Rebecca @ Unbound PagesAugust 12, 2014 at 8:57 PM

      Yeah, I definitely feel the pressure some time and I don't want this to feel like a job ever. So I guess I'll just take it day by day and go from there you know? If I feel like posting I will and if I don't, I won't.

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  4. Fida IslaihAugust 12, 2014 at 2:02 PM

    We all need a break from blogging. I do feel the same way, feel guilty for not having anything but then I either share something short or make my future post longer. If people really love your blog and you they won't mind.

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    1. Rebecca @ Unbound PagesAugust 12, 2014 at 8:58 PM

      Ahh thanks for the reassurance! Yeah, I guess I wouldn't feel bad as long as my next few posts after skipping were really good ones you know?

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  5. Amy M.August 12, 2014 at 2:19 PM

    I don't necessarily feel guilty if I miss a day or two. If I miss longer periods though, I do feel guilty sometimes. Ultimately though I always try to remember that blogging is a hobby. The last thing I want is to feel like work when I blog. So I rather take a brake than force myself to write a post.

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    1. Rebecca @ Unbound PagesAugust 12, 2014 at 8:58 PM

      Yeah, that's very true. I never want this to start feeling like work, because it's something that I love and feel passionately about.

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  6. Anya @ On Starships and DragonwingsAugust 12, 2014 at 5:00 PM

    I went nearly an entire year of posting something every single day, but the last few months I've been getting a bit burnt out and felt so horrible, but also so free when I finally let myself not post something on Tuesday. I really hope that you find a way to let yourself not post for a day here and there when you don't feel up to it since it really doesn't matter to your blog audience I've found :)/

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    1. Rebecca @ Unbound PagesAugust 12, 2014 at 8:59 PM

      Yeah, I think you're right. I post six days a week currently, but I think it's okay to cut that back further if I need to/feel like it. I think the people that follow my blog will understand and be okay with it. I know I'm fine with it for the blogs that I follow.

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