[dropcap]H[/dropcap]i Everyone! It’s actually really good to be back in full force here on Modern Chic. After taking some much needed time away from the hustle of creating content for the site and social media in general, I am stronger than ever. So watch out world, I’m coming for you.
Now let me back up a bit and explain my reasons for literally unplugging from Modern Chic and online. Sometime in March, my anxiety was at its most high. And to top it off, I felt completely uninspired and frankly, unmotivated to be an editor, a blogger, and influencer. I just couldn’t find it in me to research trends, edit my writers’ work or create traffic for the site. I needed a break.
See one of the biggest misconceptions people who aren’t bloggers have is that we just simply sit down and type away small blurbs about our outfits or favorite beauty products. But the truth is that there is so much work that goes behind that awesome article on the 10 Life Hacks every Gal Needs to be Successful or a beauty review on a hot makeup palette on the market. We can spend 4 to 8 hours taking photos, creating swatches, writing an in-depth look at the pros and cons, editing said photos, uploading article on our database, double checking for any last minute errors and then hitting submit. And after all this, we still have to be our own marketing agents and go out and share said new article on our various social media platforms, hoping we’ve put quality content that keeps people engaged.
It can become a bit overwhelming at times, which is why I chose to take some “me” time and really focus on my mental health. Hence, my almost three month absence on Instagram, besides the occasional photo on IG stories. In this time, I realized that I had caved in on the pressures many of influencers go through and that quantity was put on the forefront rather than quality. I don’t mean concocting a perfect world we often can see on Instagram or that unfiltered, raw moments don’t have a place online. I’m just saying that I don’t need to post something just for the sake of staying relevant and competitive.
This small hiatus taught me a great deal about the importance of balance in life. Of going back to the bones of why I wanted to create Modern Chic in the first place. I’d forgotten the joy of being creative and of not getting caught up on the stats and numbers of it all. This is not a healthy way of thinking. And did nothing for my mental health. See I had turned a passion into a job and then the job into a chore.
And so I forced myself to literally and figuratively unplug from social media and my job as an influencer.
I’ll be the first to admit that I hated the time off because I felt like I was being “weak” or not as driven as other influencers. I mean they looked like they were handling all this with amazing ease ( another misconception on my part…but that’s another story). But after a week of fighting the temptation to post on Instagram or Facebook, I soon began to catch my breath. I now had time to look at things with fresh eyes, and go about my life without feeling like I needed to share everything on social media. If I took a photo of a new restaurant I was trying that day, I didn’t have to instantly share it on Snapchat.
It really is all about balance. Finding that perfect sync between enjoying the wonderful world that is social media but not getting to consumed by it. In this social media detox I took, it gave me a new found zest for Modern Chic that I hadn’t wanted to admit even to myself that had been missing for a while. ‘
For those experiencing a burnout, do not stress. Give yourself the timeout to try new things, experience new perspectives and most important, celebrate your journey. Trust me you’ll come back stronger for it.
Question of the Day: Have you gone through a moment where you’ve needed to unplug from social media? If so tell us all about it on the comments down below.
Great post on the need to step away for a while. I think it time we can all get overwhelmed by all that is needed to do when creating content for your blog. Stepping away and unplugging is many times the right thing and the necessary thing to do. Much like unplugging an electronic device to reset the internal components. We need the reset time to come back fresh again.
I can totally relate to what you went through. At some point, we all need to realize the importance of balance in life. Doing anything continuously deserves a break just to freshen up at least!
Honestly I think it can be so hard when you are a blogger – there are so many times when I would just love to turn off and be away from it but there is always something that needs doing.
I think its great that you were able to take a break and come back feeling refreshed. Constantly creating content and running social media accounts can be tiresome and one can burnout easily.
The Blogger Burnout is real! I do take occasional breaks and come back feeling refreshed.
I went through a burnout last year so I completely shut down everything for a month and moved to Italy. It was the best decision ever. I have managed to relax, to try new things and to enjoy life without having to take notes or photos so that I can later blog about it.
Its great that you finally managed to take a break from this busy blogger’s life. Welcome back to your world.
I think it’s important to unplug now and again. I know I need to do it once in a while so I don’t have a burn out. I find when I returned, I feel much better and ready to go.
Blogger burnout is real. There is the stress to create new and relevant content and when you don’t get the response you were hoping for– really sucks. I think its great to give yourself the timeout to try new things and get a new perspective on your blog.
Welcome back! I totally understand the social media fatigue. Social media sort of makes you compare yourself to others and that can get overbearing at times. Like you said, balance is super important.
x Sola @nowletsgetgoing
I think taking a social media break is always needed! I don’t do it enough!
Balance in life is very important. All too often we as bloggers etc tend to forget that there is also a life out there that includes family and friends. You were smart to take a hiatus. Welcome back!
This is something I think we need to talk about more, just because it’s easy to forget that we can really burnout if we’re plugged in too much. I’ve actually deleted apps from my phone before, just to make sure I can’t mindlessly check them. I should do it more often, probably.
Yes I COMPLETELY agree! Social media marketing and SEO can be so confusing and very overwhelming. I think its good to take a break from it every once and while and come back to it with fresh eyes.
Yea I feel you. I used to have 2 blogs but then I got burned out – not too mention that I was in school and working. You were able to stay away from social media? How?
What a great article! I am only a few months in on my blog, but as a stay at home mom, I am feeling pressure on “getting it all done” to be successful and make money! I love how you weren’t afraid to take time away to be feel better.
Blogging and promoting posts on social media can get crazy. We all need to have a break every few weeks, a break will help up us come back stronger and with more creative ideas 🙂
So glad to see you back! I totally get needing to unplug and take a break sometimes – I took a couple weeks off recently myself!
Amen girl!! sing it!! After my first two nblog posts I literally was like ummm what. How do people do this for years and years. How do you not run out of things to say. what is sso (lol). Dont get my started on how terrible my photography is omg. Thanks for sharing and I for one am glad you are here!
I’ve definitely had time periods in the past where I totally unplugged, and tbh, it was a relief!
I can do relate to this! I too am returning after a long hiatus. You are so right with being able to find balance. It felt so good to step away and recharge. I’m so glad you are back, so now I can keep up with your posts! xoxo
I am just now really getting started on my blog, and I can see how stressful it can be! It’s not just about writing! You have to do so much more to keep up! I applaud you for taking a break! It will only make you better and stronger!
I have been doing this on weekends lately, in fact last weekend we went camping. Making a concerted effort to spend time unplugged is really helping me.
I agree with you we all need to take a break to come back more powerful and full of energy and good ideas. Sometimes being so long without a vacay from social media and blogging is not a productive thing. Welcome back!
You’re too right about misconceptions non blogging people have about bloggers. People always assume that it’s really easy and just about writing a post and that’s it but there’s so much more to it than that x
I think I’m always on the verge of that need to unplug. It’s so hard to run a blog and to be constantly “on” and I think it’s really important to take time away when you feel like you’re not having fun anymore or you’re not producing the kind of content you want. I’m definitely working on finding that balance. Social media is definitely exhausting!
We all need to step aside every once in a while. I think this is something we all have been through and understand. The same thing happens with blogging. While I don’t feel comfortable to “dissapear”, I like to have some content scheduled in advance for the blog and the social media/
I am just back from a 5 week social media hiatus. The different though is that mine wasn’t by choice, but I enjoyed it and felt the benefit of just as much. I live in Japan and every summer when I go home I am so busy catching up with family and friends, and I can’t use my Japanese (not so) smart phone and I leave my laptop and other devices in Japan, so… a nice little break guaranteed every year. I highly recommend an annual break from social media 🙂
I got burned out too few months ago. I started with a smarter schedule this August and it increased my traffic by 2x. I guess I can focus more on quality content.
I couldn’t agree with this more. I have had my fair share of blogger burnouts over the past 8 years of blogging. Unplugging and taking a break sometimes is needed.
Being a blogger o the online section of this business you need to be more reproductive and get more wise specially in time management .. In the industry you have your own time to manage.
I think taking time out sometimes is so important. Nobody likes to burnout and the world of blogging can be so overwhelming at times. Nice to see you back!
I think it’s totally normal to have moments where you take a break. The worst is when you are felling burnt out and you continue anyway. I’m sure you feel much more refreshed and ready this time around.
Welcome back! I totally understand and agree that we should take a break from time to time. The blogger burnout is real and it really affects our productivity.
I-CAN-RELATE-SO-MUCH!!! I know what living a blogging burnout means and it’s always so hard for me to recover. I happen to loose motivation and what gives me more energy in those cases are the human relationships mainly with other bloggers
Great read. I am feeling really worn out at the minute with keeping up with the Summer holidays and getting work done before the children wake up. I think I need a bit of a blogging break. Lovely to hear you are feeling stronger and creating great content.
It’s hard when you are a blogger and influencer full time… I really can’t take a break because it’s how I support my family. A few months ago, I stopped posting and engaging on Sundays. It’s been a great thing for me.
I also took a few months off this summer. You are quite right, blogs are a ton of work. I put more effort into writing some posts than I did at my job. lol
I stopped eating sugar almost 2 weeks ago and my biggest problem is missing my ice cream! Waa!!!!
I hate that people think what we do is so simple and it isnt. It can be stressful and I got so stressed i took a month break and went to Mexico to destress. We all need a break to recharge.
I feel like I’ve experienced more burn out with two kids. it’s so much work trying to juggle kids, and teaching, and blogging, and social media!
I understand we bloggers should take break and come back with full energy and enthusiasm. It’s important to take break.
Blogging is so not as easy as everyone thinks! There are times where I go days without content because I don’t always have time to put the planning in that’s required! Good for you for taking some me time to unplug! Welcome back!
So good to have you back! I think most bloggers can relate to the blogger burnout. It is definitely nice to at least take a week or two off sometimes.
When i get burned out I often take a back seat focus my attention else where for a couple days and get back to the grind.
Blogger burnout is most definitely a thing! It can take some time to get out of for sure.