And when you factor issues like jet lag into the equation, the exhaustion can just pile on and multiply. That’s why preparation and doing a few things to make travel blogging a little less stressful will make things easier. Here are four ways to lower the pressure and allow you to focus on creating great content.
Come Up With Content Ideas in Advance
A list of content ideas written down for later will always make travel blogging less stressful. You’ve already taken the time to come up with post types, titles, outlines, and ways to incorporate social media. That means you’re not going to be doing this on the fly when you’re supposed to be out there enjoying yourself. This also means you can slip new ideas into the content schedule when they occur. Indeed, you’ve already got a great stream of content already in the works and posts are coming out on a consistent basis. When there’s no need to worry about what you’re going to write next it takes so much pressure off, since you don’t need to push yourself to come up with fun, fresh, and interesting ideas on the spot. Instead, inspiration can strike naturally and you can take your time putting together compelling posts that your readers will enjoy.
Don’t Use Your Laptop Just To Write
Most travel bloggers still take their laptop with them when they go on a trip which makes sense since it's an integral tool for blogging. But make sure you’re not just pulling out your laptop to write or create content. If you do, you’ll start to associate the computer with all the stress of trying to write under pressure which could discourage you from writing at all. Use it for fun and games as well. Make sure there’s media installed on your laptop that you actively want to make use of and consume. Your favorite music or movies, for example, or download your favorite spider solitaire before you go away so you can play the game whenever you want to, whether you’re in the hotel or taking a break at a local cafe.
Make Friends With Other Travel Bloggers
When you’re friends with other travel bloggers, you know you can send them a message about what’s frustrating you on the job today and they’re able to relate and understand what you're going through. They’ve been through it themself, and they know just how hard it can be to push through the writer’s block and/or the lack of energy. They can provide a sympathetic ear and maybe even offer some valuable advice.
Don’t Focus On Trends Too Often
As a travel blogger trying to catch attention with your content, it’s likely you’ve got your finger firmly on the pulse. You will have an idea about what people are interested in learning more about, in terms of where to visit, what hotels are in right now, if certain tourist resorts have gone viral recently, etc. Focusing some content at this stuff is a good call, as it guarantees some relatability within the niche, but that’ll only be in the short term. Chasing trends isn't sustainable over the long term though and you might run out of ideas quickly. That’s why your long term content plan should revolve around the topics that are timeless.
Remember, even if everyone else is going to this one place because it seems to be ‘in’ right now, there’s no saying you have to do the same thing.
If You’re a Travel Blogger, Don’t Let Stress Get To You
That’s easier said than done, of course, but there are things you can do to keep stress in check so it doesn't influence your work. Indeed, you can make a difference to the way your career is affecting you with just a few tweaks to your method. Make sure you’ve got a content calendar, make some friends who know what it’s like to write a travel blog, and try to have some fun along the way!
This is a contributed post.
Photo: Cosmopolitan China
No comments
Post a Comment