Listen to this post
Being stressed about something simple
Having not published any posts for two weeks made me frustrated.
“Calm down, nobody missed your posts anyway…” whispers my brain. It’s the low-self-esteem part of my brain speaking—the part that always sounds like that bully from high school we wished would break his leg in an accident… and he never fucking did!
BUT there is truth in what that part of my brain has been telling me. It’s actually not that big of a deal, if I skip some publications. Right?
Right!
I’m doing this because I enjoy writing, correct? I don’t earn shit when posting a new article, right?
Right!
And yet, my diligent, disciplined, and consistency-oriented side doesn’t want to let go of the disappointment stemming from losing the “weekly track record,” a self-made goal.
Maybe, deep down in the unconscious, this has something to do with my childhood, and a desire for predictability and control… Isn’t everything related to that? Our childhood.
Then there is the other part of my brain speaking—the part that justifies every single missed opportunity with nonsensical, misapplied Stoic-inspired quotes like “there is no right or wrong”, “everything happens for a reason”, or “keep calm, trust the process.” After all, even when I don’t post, I am devoting time to improve my work. I am working on new ideas, polishing my old posts, analyzing my content, trying to figure out the SEO stuff… And I have a list of open tabs in my head all the time. Things I want to do in my blog that don’t include writing. So technically I am always kind of working on this project.
And yet, unless I write and post something, there is a lingering feeling of non-achievement, stinging me like a mosquito, over and over.
This is why I’m coming up with this spontaneous reflection, which sounds more like a rant than anything else.
Let’s try to make the most out of it, though.
Planning the break
First, we have to act before it even happens: it’s important to plan.
Having a clear idea of how we will handle the blog break matters. Do we want to schedule a few posts in advance? Warn our audience (if we have one) about our temporary absence? Bring moleskine and pen with us and take some random notes from time to time?
And that, right there, was my first mistake. I didn’t prepare a plan, anything. Or better, I deluded myself (by bringing moleskine and pen) that I would prolifically write neat posts, which I would then transcribe and publish right away on my return. Well, guess what happened? I had fun on my holiday. I just relaxed and enjoyed it. And throughout the whole week, I had no intention whatsoever of being productive in any freaking way. As it’s supposed to happen. It’s a holiday!
The return and acclimatizing again
Key is keeping in mind the transition phase from holiday to real life. Responsibilities, day-to-day errands, the oppressing energy of the city, the change of seasons—all these things hit you hard.
Personally, I feel like shit the first two, three weeks after a holiday, as I would love to stay in it. Accept it, do things that make you feel better, and don’t take real life too seriously. At the end of the day, we are all hustling, trying to survive while enjoying life a little, without too many worries, especially when there’s a freaking season change in the middle. I can’t begin to explain how my brain is being fucked up by all these.
So, calculate a couple of extra weeks to acclimatize upon return from a holiday.
Restarting to write
Forget about the big projects and fancy posts—just forget about it.
Instead, wait until something spontaneous—something that feels true to you—comes up, then throw the words on paper (or on the screen) and start piecing together the puzzle as you go.
If you are blocked
Accept it and try to chill. It’s also a good chance to read what other bloggers are up to—what are they writing? Is there a topic you’ve been wanting to explore as a reader? Do you follow someone inspiring you’ve been wondering what they were up to? This is a perfect time for “stalking.”
What else?
Out of curiosity, I checked some articles on the same topic. I checked them after writing mine, as I didn’t want to be influenced by existing material, even though SEO experts suggest doing research before you write, to get a sense of what it takes to be on the top ranks. Screw that! Haha.
Anyways, here are a couple of articles that I found actually useful (and a very similar take to mine, even though more concise) and that I will keep as a reminder for the next time I will go on holiday.
1) https://www.exprance.com/how-to-return-to-blogging-after-a-break/
2) https://www.productiveblogging.com/how-to-juggle-blogging-and-holidays/
3) https://www.nosegraze.com/vacation-post-or-not-post/
One last thing
At the end of the day, blogging after a break isn’t about punishing myself for lost momentum—it’s about embracing the reset and letting creativity return at its own pace. Next time, maybe I’ll plan a little more, or maybe I’ll just let the holiday do what holidays are supposed to do: help me enjoy life, recharge, and come back when inspiration strikes.
