It’s not uncommon to get into a blogging rut.
It really sucks. You feel uninspired, you’re not sure what to write about, and think about giving up blogging.
I was in a serious rut at the beginning of last year. My blog wasn’t something I felt super passionate about any more.
And it seriously sucked. But I was determined to shake it.
So, how does one go about doing that? It’s tough, but it’s doable! You just have to trudge through and start blogging again.
1 | Evaluate your sidebar.
When is the last time you’ve opened up your blog and actually looked at the content in your sidebar? If you’re anything like me, far too long ago.
Well, now’s the perfect time to do that! What’s the number one action you want visitors to take when they visit your site? Is that included in your sidebar? If so, is it obvious? Make sure your sidebar is doing what you want it to do!
2 | Update your photo.
After a while, you can begin to feel stale about your photo. That’s okay! Now’s a great time to change it up.
Just make sure that when you do, you’re changing it everywhere. Your sidebar, your Gravatar, your Disqus profile, all of your social media profiles… everywhere.
3 | Set up a free trial of a new service.
One of the easiest ways to reenergize yourself is to set up a free trial for a service you’ve been curious about. During my rut, my social media struggled, so I set up free trials for both SmarterQueue and Tailwind (those are both referral links for a free month!).
Simply taking action on something (spurred by the limited number of days I can use it without paying!) helped me so much.
And the best part? You don’t have to continue the service if you don’t like it / don’t think it was worth the cost! Just set up a reminder in your calendar to cancel, and it’s no skin off your back.
4 | Plan out your editorial calendar.
Not wanting to write doesn’t mean you don’t know what to write. It just means the process is so daunting.
Set aside some time to fill in your editorial calendar! Be flexible with when it will start, though. Don’t discourage yourself by planning out posts before you’re ready to start writing again! Missing a deadline is a major buzzkill.
5 | Organize your blog files.
Nothing feels better than getting organized, amirite? Now’s the time to tackle your blogging files.
Not sure where to begin? That’s okay! I’ve put together a post that covers how I organize all of my And Possibly Dinosaurs files. Hopefully it inspires you!
6 | Create image templates (if you don’t have them already).
Speaking of blogging files, do you have image templates for your blog post headers and social media images? If not, set them up!
Here’s how I set up my blog post header images in Photoshop.
Already have one for your blog headers? Create matching ones for Instagram, Instagram Stories, and any other platforms you might promote your blog posts!
7 | Catch up on blog posts you’ve been missing.
When I’m in a blogging rut, the last thing I want to do is read other blog posts. I take a step back from the entire blogging industry.
When I’m ready to get back to work, though, this means my Bloglovin feed has like… 500 unread posts. Ouch.
So, start reading through them! You don’t have to read every single one… just the ones you’re most interested in.
8 | Talk to your blogging community.
And most importantly, start talking to other bloggers again. Send a text to your blogging BFF, hop in a Facebook group, reply to an email… anything to get yourself talking to bloggers again!
This will help you figure out why you’re in your rut. Do you not have a ton of time set aside for it? Are other things in your life stressing you out? Do you not feel confident or excited about your content any more? Your blogging community will be able to help!
If you’re in a rut right now, pick one or two (no more than 3!) of these items and add them to your calendar over the next week. It’s time to trudge through and get out of your rut!
Not sure where to start? That’s okay! Comment below or send me an email and I can help you work through it.
