Weekend Writers Cafe - Is Blogging Good Or Bad For Your Health?
Welcome. You’ll need an extra strong coffee at the cafe this weekend. Help yourself to the chocolate cake and pull up a chair. The cafe is open.
As usual, Any topic goes, but here’s an interesting one bubbling away around the blogosphere.
There’s been a lot of controversy this week about the New York Times article In Web World of 24/7 Stress, Writers Blog Till They Drop.
Some are calling it “Death By Blogging”. Jason Calcanis knows some of the people mentioned personally, and gives his point of view. His article What The New York Times Death By Blogging Article Got Right doesn’t pull any punches about stress, but he cautions inventing “fake trends.”
Liz Fuller at Business and Blogging saw both sides of the story and balanced it with Is Blogging Good For Your Health, looking at the positives of blogging. Kristen King at Inkthinker wrote Blogging - The Digital Era Sweatshop?
I’ve certainly experienced blogger burnout on occasion. I’ve also experienced the highs of a great comment thread conversation, the camaraderie of the blogging community or the thrill of exploring a new skill such as my first ever podcast.
I can certainly see both sides. There is pressure to produce consistently good quality on a regular basis. And then there are the rewards.
What are your thoughts about the New York Times article or the ensuing discussion spinning around the blogosphere?
Have you experienced blogger burnout and stress?
What causes it? What can we do about it?
Catch me on the web - Yvonne Russell
www.growyourwritingbusiness.com
www.smallbizmentor.com
www.homebiznotes.com
Thanks for the link!
kk
Kristen King’s last blog post..Looking for Blogging Jobs?
Hi Yvonne! Hi Everyone! Yes, this article struck a chord. I believe that stress happens when you ignore your internal compass. Any job, even a well loved job can become stressful when you don’t balance your life. We burn out when we tip the scales too far in any direction. As for digital sweatshops, ha! I worked in Corp America - big title, big salary, no life. For the hours I worked, I actually would have come out better serving up burgers and fries.
Karen Swim’s last blog post..Fierce Friday - I Did It My Way
Thanks for the link Yvonne! Actually, it was Liz, my co-blogger at Business and Blogging, who wrote both posts about this topic.
I agree with her, though. Blogging can be very stressful, but ONLY if you allow it to become that way.
Laura Spencer’s last blog post..Avoid These Business Blogging Mistakes
Since I ghostwrite 12 blogs in addition to doing three of my own . . . and assorted other writing assignments, I do often feel like I´m in a digital sweatshop! But at the same time, how cool is it that we earn money for pulling something out of our brains and putting it out there for others to read?!
I think blogging is very bad for your health if you aren´t careful. I´ve gained a lot of weight since I barely get any exercise and that has to change. Also, I think high intakes of coffee and junk food is pretty common among bloggers and definitely not a good thing.
Making sure you have balance in your life is probably the best way to combat this problem, but I have to admit that I haven´t figured that part out yet!
Hi, Yvonne,
As with anything, knowing when to stop is the key. I blog when my brain feels like blogging and I stop when I can not find the right words to form my sentences anymore. I agree with Genesis, Laura and Karen. Balance is the key plus you have to enjoy what you do. And don’t forget to exercise in-between.
Thanks for the coffee. It helps.
A great weekend to you.
Princess
P.S. Love your new layout. Love those “peaceful” colors and images.
When the article first came out, I thought it was a joke or only geared toward spammers. Then I heard the buzz in the blogosphere. I still don’t get this drive to be on top, specially when viral tags have the capability to distort so much data. Besides, content does not mean word count or quantity of posts.
Maybe it’s just me, when I refuse to expose something I love to anything negative. Hence, my income isn’t derived from the pen, but for those that are in this predicament, isn’t it just like any other crappy job you’ve taken in your life? Evaluate, apply, move on.
Claudia’s last blog post..Why do men have nipples? For souvenirs?
okay, i have to tell you, that’s AWESOME!! “Claudia’s last blog post..Why do men have nipples? For souvenirs?” How did you do that? I love that!
Claudia’s last blog post..Why do men have nipples? For souvenirs?
Hi Yvonne!
I’m surprised this isn’t generating more discussion.
Genesis, I’m worried about you. Hopefully, you can find your balance.
Well, off to write two more blog posts and then enjoy my Saturday.
Laura Spencer’s last blog post..Of Note: Daily Writing Tips
Hi Kristen
You’re very welcome… nice to see you here.
Yvonne Russell’s last blog post..Weekend Writers Cafe - Is Blogging Good Or Bad For Your Health?
Hi Karen
Balance is the thing. Blogging is labor intensive and constant. Interesting point about corporate America and the extra unwritten expectations.
Yvonne Russell’s last blog post..Weekend Writers Cafe - Is Blogging Good Or Bad For Your Health?
Hi Laura
Thanks for the heads up. I’ve edited that.
Your perspective of the blogger as an individual being in control is an important touchpoint. Sometimes it’s about compromise and priorities too.
I don’t think I could blog long term with passion on a topic I wasn’t interested in.
Yvonne Russell’s last blog post..Weekend Writers Cafe - Is Blogging Good Or Bad For Your Health?
Genesis - Whoa! 15 blogs. I take my hat off to you.
Do you have an editorial calendar? I’m interested as to the logistics of managing 12 blogs and still staying marginally sane. I don’t think I could manage it.
Take care of yourself though. Striking that balance is not as easy as it sounds.
Yvonne Russell’s last blog post..Weekend Writers Cafe - Is Blogging Good Or Bad For Your Health?
Hi Princess
Pleased you like the new look here.
Tim Ferris of the 4 Hour Work Week says when he was writing his book, he was told to go for it and write all day. He said he actually found after not being terribly productive that he achieved the same amount between 1a.m.-4a.m. daily.
So I guess everyone has their own way of finding that balance and what works for them.
It’s easy to get caught up in writing and not take a break, though.
Yvonne Russell’s last blog post..Weekend Writers Cafe - Is Blogging Good Or Bad For Your Health?
Hi Claudi
Especially in the news blogging sector there’s a need to stay ahead of the game, and that means being first or early with the big breaking stories.
These are usually big money blogs with advertisers expecting a return.
For these sites it’s major income, if not their livelihood. That brings its own pressure, although some possibly thrive on it.
If you really love writing and connecting with people and building a personal community, putting yourself under that sort of pressure would soon result in burnout, I’d say.
Have you noticed the increasing number of guest posts at popular blogs like Problogger? This is a good strategy to connect with community, provide different perspectives and to achieve some sort of balance and avoid burnout.
You can have too many guest posts, but that’s another issue.
Balance seems to be the recurring theme as there are many positives to blogging too.
Yvonne Russell’s last blog post..Weekend Writers Cafe - Is Blogging Good Or Bad For Your Health?
Claudia
When you comment here, the Comment Luv plugin finds your latest post. Pretty cool, huh?
I thought it was a nice way to give something back to readers.
Yvonne Russell’s last blog post..Weekend Writers Cafe - Is Blogging Good Or Bad For Your Health?
Hi Laura
It’s an interesting topic, that’s for sure. Enjoy your day. Hope you get a chance to relax.
Yvonne Russell’s last blog post..Weekend Writers Cafe - Is Blogging Good Or Bad For Your Health?
Hi, Yvonne,
I actually don´t have an editorial calendar, though that´s probably a good idea! I do have specific areas that I blog about on my own blogs each week, but for the ghostwritten blogs, it´s mostly a matter of doing the research each day. :S I do try to come up with the ideas the night before so I can write quickly the following day.
@Claudia, it does seem like a crappy job sometimes, but blogging allows me to work at home and since I have a 2 year old and an 11 month old, that´s something that is very important to me. I can take the time to be with them and write early in the morning and at night when they are in bed. I´d put up with a lot worse to have this opportunity.
Also, my blogging jobs have allowed me to build a house here . . . we´re doing the bathroom and my office right now. Of course, living as an expat in Guatemala really helps with that! Not to mention, I don´t have a lot of options for earning here, since I´m a foreigner and working online provides the perfect way to live, earning in dollars and spending in quetzales.
Hi,
Blogging can be stressful, especially if you’re doing it as a business for income and meeting deadlines. However, it’s no more stressful than other work and not so stressful as some. In the journalism field, I’ve met deadlines for years and scurried around gathering news. In a business with my husband, I do quite a bit of traveling (which we enjoy) but can become a juggling feat and play havoc with your sleeping clock. When I grew up on a dairy farm, we really were stressed out when irratic weather destroyed crops. With blogging, as with any work, we learn to adjust, adapt and be flexible.
Mary Emma Allen’s last blog post..Spare Room Start Up Author Shares Productivity Tips
Hi Genesis
Thanks for sharing these insights.
Sounds like you have a great solution that works for you, work wise, earning wise and family wise… sounds like a good balance to me.
All the best with your continued success, and you’ve obviously worked hard to make it all happen. We love success stories.
Hi Mary Emma
You’ve provided a balanced view reminding us that it’s not just blogging that has its juggling acts and pressures. Deadlines are part of most jobs.
Blogging requires planning,pacing yourself and getting tasks done… There’s that balancing act again.
Thanks for your insights.
Since I blog for fun and not work, it’s more often a stress-reliever than a stressor. But I can get stressed out over client work for business clients that need it yesterday.
Lillie Ammann’s last blog post..What I Learned from Door-to-Door Sales
Hi Lillie
That’s an interesting point about the purpose of the blogging. For many people it’s a break from their regular routine, even if they are writers.
In the same way, a personal blog can be a relaxation for a professional blogger.
It’s all about perspective. Thanks for getting me thinking.
I guess it depends on how you blog..
it wont do any bad if you follow the recommended way of using computers. position of how you sit, got out from your desk once in a while to release stress.
mr.eims’s last blog post..Playground injury - Watch your children while they play
Yes - I agree it is stressfull - the constant daily demands of creative writing plus the mental exercise in coming up with new ideas! Thank god for Google Reader!
Fitness Fan’s last blog post..Cincinnati Functional Fitness Session with Dustin Carter
Apr 17th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
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