Lost your blogging mojo? I'm going to help you get it back...
As a full time blogger, I know just how hard it can sometimes be to stay motivated with blogging. Even before I was doing this full time I used to go through constant periods of feeling so deflated and uninspired with it all. I think it's quite normal to feel like that from time to time, but when it's your full time job it's a little more difficult to just step back and wait for inspiration to peek through again. Today I want to share my top tips for getting your mojo back on track and keeping up with the flow. Whether you blog full time, part time or just as a hobby - then I'm sure some of these tips might help you when you're feeling a bit overwhelmed with it all!
Create, create, create.
Now my first tip isn't really how to get motivated as such, it's more of a tip to prepare yourselves for the inevitable. We all go through stages where we're lacking in inspiration, whether it's just because you've worked too hard or social media has got you feeling a bit down, or maybe you've even gotten ill - whatever the reason might be, it happens to us all so you want to try and prepare yourself the best you can for these periods. When I'm feeling most inspired and enthusiastic about my blog, I find that to be the best time to get snapping photos and writing up content or just taking notes of blog post ideas. Even if I don't have specific blog post ideas in my mind, I'll usually just grab a load of makeup bits that go well together and take some cute flat lays that I know I can create a post around. Sometimes I'll just pick up cute bits around my house and throw it all together with a cup of coffee for an image that you could use for all kinds of different topics. Another example is the images I've used in this blog post - I took some lifestyle shots a couple of weeks ago having no post idea in mind but they came in perfect for this one! It's really just about creating anything when you have the motivation to and using it later on. With me the photography comes first 90% of the time but sometimes I'll have loads of words in my head and I'll come on here and draft a post up and then get a photo taken for it later on, it's just really handy to have all this content ready for when you're not feeling very creative or having many ideas come to mind.
Make Lists.
One of the things I find most useful as a blogger is to jot down post ideas whenever they spring to mind. It may be in a notepad that I keep on my desk or just in a note on my iphone, but they always, always come in handy when I'm not sure of what content to create next. Not only do they give me ideas of what to do, but sometimes I'll read over the list of post ideas and it will get my mind flowing of more ideas. One idea can suddenly lead to an even better idea and then just like that, I'm feeling inspired again and my head is full of fab ideas for some content. It's a similar thing to the whole taking loads of photos really, rather than having the visuals you just have the words but having them written down where you can read them over and over can help so much if you're just not feeling very inspired.
Keep Organised.
Keeping lists is one of the examples of staying organised with your blog, but the best way to be organised as a blogger is sorting out your office space. My "desk" tends to be the kitchen table as it's where I can sit and work whilst I keep an eye on Reuben since the kitchen is right next to the living area where he plays. It also means I can catch up with my emails through his eating times, toddlers tend to take an age to eat anything! I just have my Macbook set up on the dining table with the charger permanently plugged in the socket underneath so it's always charged and ready to go. I've also recently got myself an iPad which is coming in incredibly handy when it comes to work and I can't believe I didn't have one sooner! It means I can blog on the go which helps keep me a bit more motivated as I don't leave the house (like going round to my parents for the day for example) and get out of my normal working routine which therefore makes it harder to get back into the next day. I tend to use it mostly for watching Netflix on at home but I find it quite easy to get on with my work with that on in the background next to my laptop, like right now for example whilst I'm writing this one. Whatever it takes to get the work done right? It's also very useful for just taking round the house with me without having to lug my laptop about, especially if I've got Reuben as he tends to tap on the keys but with my iPad it's easier to get on without him stopping me. I should probably get some insurance on it just incase as he does tend to share it with me, he's already got his own folder of apps! So yeah, I definitely recommend keeping organised when it comes to the space you work in, whether that be at home or on the go as it 100% helps when it comes to how motivated you are. If your stuff is all over the place and you don't really have a set place to work then you're a lot less likely to feel like you can just sit down and get on with it.
Seek Inspiration.
Sometimes you can feel a bit deflated with blogging and social media when you're lacking in inspiration for your own content. This happens to me constantly and one of the best tips I can give is to just use social media to gather together a bucket full of inspiration. My favourite sources are instagram and pinterest as they're full of such beautiful and dreamy photography that saving and pinning them to my boards gives me pages and pages of fresh inspiration. Even if I don't feel inspired by it all instantly, I sometimes pin lots of photos that I like and then come back to my board the next day when I've had time to wake up refreshed. I tend to pin lots and lots of different images as it's very important to remember that inspiration is exactly that and you don't want to be imitating other people's work. Then I will just go through my pinterest boards and browse everything I've pinned rather than just taking it from one image alone. If it's the written work that you're not feeling overly inspired with then I recommend reading lots of blog posts! I love reading blogs anyway so it's a good excuse to have a big old catch up, but it helps me out so much when I'm struggling to find the words for my posts.
Get Out & About.
If you're a freelancer than you'll know that if you're quite busy you can end up staring at the same 4 walls for days and days and it can end up working against you and leaving you feeling a bit unmotivated. It can be good to give yourself a bit of a break and a refresh by getting out the house and getting some air. I love a simple walk into town with Ru or even going out in the car or just round to my parents, a change of scenery can mean I come home with a clear head and ready to get back to it. It's good to do this even if you aren't feeling deflated with it all as we all need a good break now and again so we don't go insane, this is why I try to give myself weekends off and only work during the week!
What do you do when you've lost your blogging mojo?
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