Steemit Self-Care | An argument against daily posting.
I have found that there are very few things in life that are healthy to do every day. Take exercise for example--we all know it has great health benefits, but we also know that taking days to rest your body is essential to the process.
So my question is: why the focus on being a “daily content creator” on steemit?
When I first came to this platform I participated in an awesome bootcamp initiative that schooled me in steemit basics from Day One. It was awesome and I created content every day. I also consumed advice every day that told me that posting daily content was a great plan to grow my blog and “get somewhere”. So I kept at it.
I also read a lot of advice that said being consistent is more important than anything.
This is my camp. I no longer worry about posting every day, but I do focus on bringing consistent, quality content to the platform on a schedule that works for me. After about two months of daily content creation I took a break--and while I did get some messages asking where I had gone to--it didn’t effect my readership or the growth of my blog.
Now I take anywhere from 1-4 days in between my posts (and sometimes I post more than once in one day if I feel like it)!
If you follow me, you’re guaranteed 3-6 articles a week on the variety of topics I cover: art, social justice, hiking/nature, and lifestyle. However, I don’t follow a set rhythm exactly, and I have let go of the ever present need to publish on a deadline that I first had.
There is a lot of talk about self-care on and off steemit. You can read my thoughts here!
For my own self-care I don’t want to post here every day. What is healthy for me is to create every day but post regularly and when I can. I’m also running a new community now: @TheNewAlchemists so I need to find time to balance and add those duties into what I’m doing.
When I take a break I’m refreshed and have more creativity!
At the end of the day I’m at my best when I’m rested and looking at things with energetic eyes. No matter how much we love something, we all need a little time away from it in order to see more clearly and be more effective at what we do. To me, the advice to “write on steemit every day” that is bandied about is not great. You should write when it makes you feel good and encourages you to be your best creator. As long as you are consistent and keep at it your audience will follow. Your writing will be better because you’ll be writing from a place of rest and creativity as opposed to stress and overextension.
Every week I take at least 1-2 days entirely away from steemit.
It’s not because I don’t love all of you--it’s actually because I do love all of you and I want to bring my best self to this space. I encourage anyone who is still reading (ha!) to check-in with yourself and decide when writing and posting feels good and when its just another stressor in your life.
How can you balance your creativity and brand? How can you find space for yourself as a human being? What works for you?
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Quality is more important than quantity.
Yep, 100% agree. Thanks for stopping by.
Great read and post. I prefer quality over quantity. Because I post about my art it's difficult to post multiple times a week. For now it's manageable because I made a lot of art in the past for over ten years but that well will get dry soon. It often takes weeks or a month to complete an artwork. And being on Steemit writing about it and checking out other blogs also takes away time to create. :) And yes you shouldn't feel pressure all the time to create blogs.
I totally agree with you! I´m also running out of old stuff soon. Which is also great, because it finally motivated me (after 1,5 years!) to create new pictures.
You didn't create art for the last 1,5 years? Wow that's a long time...
Thinking about ways to do more posts for 1 artwork. So I can post more then 1 time a month. Probably by showing works in progress until it's done. Which probably doesn't push me to finish it super fast ;)
Yes, I made a long break after our child was born. I was too exhausted by the lack of sleep :P
What about featuring every single character in your drawings? One drawing would be enough for posting every day of a year :D
Finally! someone has written the same thought that I was yearning to say! thank you @lilyraabe
Awesome post and I completely agree with. By committing to post everyday does put pressure on one. Creating good content does take time and a lot of effort.
Thanks for stopping by to read and comment. :) Creating content totally takes effort and it’s worth doing when you’re feeling energetic and ready to tackle it! Consistency is the key...just be regular...but being perfectly scheduled is something I have let go of!
Great post @lilyraabe. I think there are a lot of us who could either relate to this, or benefit from it.
Best wishes.
Thanks so much @veckinon, appreciate you checking it out and for your thoughts on it. See you around!
Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort. Great work @lilyraabe :D
So, so true. Thanks for stopping by to check this out, I appreciate it @cyberwarrior. :)
I would like to post daily and even have some content I've started etc. The problem is, when I'm excited or passionate about something, I want to post. Then it takes FOREVER. So I'm not pressuring myself for daily and I also will make two posts in a day if i feel like it :)
I think it’s great to move at a pace that works for you--and then just keep it going. :) Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Yep... I can feel the tole daily posting is taking on me... And yet I just don't want to stop... ;P ... Mainly because this rhythm has worked miracles in me in terms of productivity and creative ideas.
Something that helps me a lot is having certain "lighter" days... Like on Tuesdays, for example, I post a poem from my old poetry journal.
Also, Sunday is my "day off", so to speak =) I spend it with my friend and my brother, playing a game called MUME. Multi-Users in Middle Earth. It's a text-based game set in the Tolkien universe. Incredible game and I recommend it since I know you love Tolkien almost as much as I do ;P
Hey! Awesome to hear your thoughts on this as one of the “regular” posters that I know! Glad to hear you take at least one day off, and I hear you on the strategy of having “lighter” days loaded with content that is easy/quick to create or sourced from past materials. Great way to keep the workload manageable! Also, thanks for the game rec, will have to google and check it out!
amen....I'm with you on this - quality over quantity is KEY!
<3 You’re one of the people that helped me land in this camp! You run such a great account without daily posting or overextending (at least it seem that way). <3
Very kind words thanks and I'm glad I give the impression I'm not overextended, lol - I'm SO overextended, but oh well, steemit is really important to me so I make it a priority and just do the best I can.
You're doing so well here, you have MUCH to be proud of @lilyraabe!!
<3 Thank you so much @natureofbeing, appreciate you saying that. :) Also!! Did you find a new home in NY?!
We did! Actually 2 options, 1 in CT 1 in Montauk...both good and we'll decide soon. Thx for asking :-)
I saw the post of the New England house from a few days ago--so beautiful!
thanks, it's from 1830 and pretty amazing in a lot of ways!