Refocusing
I hate writing the “why I haven’t been blogging” post (especially since I know as soon as I hit “publish” I will probably start blogging every day again) but a few nice people asked if I’m okay and I thought I should say something.
I’m okay. And I’m not too sick. The cold I got came and went fast (woo-hoo) and now I just have the task of blowing my snot-filled nose every 5 minutes. Bet my coworkers love that.
I am extremely worn out though and the allure of blogging and reading blogs seems to have temporarily left me. I don’t feel unhappy, just uninterested.
I think this means it is time to refocus on what my blog is. I usually love writing and reading, but I need to be careful that blogging does not have too big of a focus in my daily life. It can’t be #1, you know? I don’t feel like it is, but I do feel like I give it too much importance.
And while I haven’t been writing, I’ve been thinking about how vague and generic my writing has become. I feel like I don’t share many personal things. Not that I want to be scandalous, but I just feel like I have lost touch with what this blog is.
So, I am going to be feeling things out. Or, going back to how things were when I feel back up to it. Who knows. I do have a Friday Question written for tomorrow and am still writing my training posts. So, I’m here. Just not fully feeling it.
Do you go through periods where you lose interest in blogging?
The last time this happened to me was in August. It definitely happens.
Themocracy
I havent been blogging all that long, so I havent had a chance to lose interest. Im also the type of person who needs something to do all the time. I get bored really, really easily, and thats what I love about blogging. If Im waiting in a line somewhere I pull out my blackberry and read some blogs. So for me, I think its the perfect way to keep myself entertained.
I do miss you though!!
Thanks 🙂
There’s definitely an ebb and flow, especially when a bad case of writer’s block hits. Take the time you need because blogging should be fun, not a chore.
I get in blogging funks all the time. It happens. Life is cyclical so is blogging. Just do what feels right for you.
I think most bloggers evaluate what they want out of their blog from time to time. Whether it’s a comment that shows your writing has been misinterpreted or a IRL family/friend who calls you out or something completely internal like a work-blog-life rebalancing … it’s not bad … you just need to figure out what you want out of blogging and whether you’re able to achieve it in this space.
I go through periods where I definitely don’t feel like blogging or blog reading and then the periods where I want to but I just can’t motivate myself to sit down and write. Just do what feels right and don’t force yourself to write just because of us readers. We’ll always be here even if your posting slows down a bit or you change up your style. 🙂
I go through them all of the time, especially lately. These days, I no longer apologize for it…I write when I can and don’t when I can’t. I think it comes and goes just like any other hobby. 🙂
Yeah, I don’t think people should have to apologize for it. I am always surprised when I read blogs and they apologize for going missing for part of the day or even a day or two. Um, it’s okay to live life?
At the same time, if someone blogs every day (like I was!) I can understand why someone would wonder after a few days!
I took a 3-month vacation from blogging last fall because I started to feel the need to switch up the direction (which I did and am so glad it happened). Along with not having anything to say, just the opposite can be overwhelming and not make me want to post, either. Totally happens. Enjoy the mini break from it! 🙂
I totally have been through this, as you know! And I think most bloggers, at some point, have as well. It is time consuming and you have to find a balance. Plus, as you and I have talked about in the past…it is easy to get caught up in the “drama” of it and sometimes that all warrants a break! Take what you need…but for the record, in my opinion your writing is NOT mundane!
Thank you 🙂 It is nice to get away from all the “drama” for awhile. Ha ha 🙂 Although I miss knowing what my friends are up to!
I completely get it. I didn’t blog for all if February, and that break let me realize that I want blogging to be a fun thing to do—not a chore!
I know I will hit one of those rough patches with blogging soon. It feels like burn out at a certain point. We’ve missed you!
I hope you don’t hit a rough patch! I love all of your funny posts!
I did take a pic of my awful running outfit the other day for your giveaway. I hope I get around to it in time!
Thanks 🙂
I have been feeling the same way lately. I have some much going on in my “real life” that there is just less time for blogging. I have also been spending a lot of computer time researching houses to buy and baby gear we need. Much more immediate concerns. I completely understand 🙂
I think some of the things I am thinking about now should have been immediate concerns for me before! Nothing like buying a house or having a baby (!!!) but just taking care of relationships and myself. 😉
Glad you’re ok, I’ve been thinking about you. I’m actually pretty scattered and distracted right now as a matter of fact. Must be the snow!;)
Thanks for thinking of me 🙂
I have been thinking of you and counting down the days until Boston! I am so excited to hear about how it goes for all my blogger friends running it!
I don’t really re-evaluated where my blog goes. It just goes. The first year was full of heart wrenching posts where I wrote about my dead fiance and the hard work I was doing in therapy to move on with my life. Then, I got a little introspective about educational and heady topics, now I just write about starting to run. And well? My readers have changed over time. Some remain the same, but that’s just life.
I’m glad things are ok 🙂 Blogging should never be a huge stressor in your life. Take all the time you need 🙂
I think sometimes the purpose of a blog changes over time and sometimes it changes to something you don’t really like anymore. That’s usually when I feel like it’s more of a chore than something fun to do and share. That’s definitely when it’s time to re-evaluate.
I go through periods where I don’t really feel like blogging, in which case I will take a nice break and come back feeling refreshed. I totally believe that blogs should be about quality and not quantity, so there is nothing wrong with stepping away for a while and not posting as frequently. Do what works best for you! 🙂
I was actually just about to send you an email asking if you’re OK. I think it’s fine to take breaks from blogging. I used to be very all or nothing, meaning I’d want to write every day or just delete my blog entirely. I’m a bit more relaxed about it now. If you don’t feel like writing, don’t write. Same with reading/commenting. I really don’t have the time lately to read/comment as much as I used to, and I just hope people understand, that’s all. If blogging feels like a stressful obligation, take a break. You’ll probably become reinterested and, if you don’t, I’m sure there are other things in life that start to take more precedence. It all ebbs and flows. Selfishly, I love your blogs (and emails), but I totally understand needing to step back a bit. Hope all is well.
Thanks Kim 🙂 I do think I just needed (or need) a little time off. I tend to be all or nothing too. I either write every day and comment on everything, or don’t write and comment on nothing at all (I haven’t been reading though, my reader is going crazy!). I need to figure out how to balance blogging and still have time for myself and the other relationships in my life. It’s not that I sit on my computer all the time at home, but I know I spend too much time with this!
Taking a blogging vacation is very often necessary.
I think it’s totally normal to take a break or lose interest for a while. IMHO, blogging should be an enjoyable adjunct to life, and if you’re not enjoying it for the moment because you’re still sick or unsure of what you want to write about or just not feeling it, take a break. (I am happy there will be a Friday question though; one day I was excited for the Friday question and then I realized it was only Thursday!)
You are such a sweetie! 🙂
Totally. I think it’s extremely normal to reassess once in a while…and to take breaks 🙂
Yuck…I Hope you feel better. 🙁 I feel like so many people are sick right now!
I definitely go through this. And like you, I struggle with wanting to share more of my personal life and 1. being scared of how people will react or possibly judge, and 2. wondering if I could hurt friends/family that I might discuss on the blog. I have ebs and flows…I think everyone does. I guess the good thing is, we usually come out of them. 🙂
Glad you’re back…
Definitely happens to me… not just blogging, with everything. It does help to step away and take some time for yourself.
<3 <3
So true – that happens. I think that it’s really important to keep life the top priority and not blogging. Even though blogs are great I feel like I’m sometimes neglecting my family and friends through it. I also sometimes just skip a day and feel ok about it.
It’s fine if you want to take a break, a blog shouldn’t feel like it’s a chore.
Same. In a slump.
I’ve been reading blogs lately but for some reason not really in the mood to comment. I think it has to do with the amount of work I have right now. After a full day of reading, working on problem sets and writing papers, I don’t really want to come and write something else. Hopefully my interest in blogging will return! I’m still reading yours though!
Thank you 🙂
That is how it has been for me too. I am so busy at work, that when I get on the train at night, I don’t feel like reading more. And I definitely don’t do it in the evening. That is my me time! I guess I have to wait for things to slow down (ha) or find the interest again. I think I will, but hopefully, I will cut back a bit and maybe clean up my reader.
If this is your idea of “haven’t been blogging,” I must be freakin’ dead in the blogiverse.
Yeah, I’m suffering right now. One post so far this week. I think I’m going to try to write one now. We’ll see how it goes.
I just feel that way because I had been blogging every day since October 😉 Why haven’t you been blogging that much?
Sometimes life gets in the way of keeping up with Blogging. I am going through this myself right now. Between work and marathon training, I don’t seem to have much free time. I do try and keep up with reading though. I hope all is well with you and your training is going good for the Wisconsin Marathon.
Yep, I absolutely go through phases like that! It was really nice being gone on vacation for a week without a computer, and now I’m trying hard not to worry about catching up. Sigh. With the warmer weather, especially, I prefer to be reading at a park or something! Hehe.
I’ve actually deleted a blog that I put several months into because I wanted to shift the focus!
I think it’s definitely okay to take a break from the blog world, especially if you feel that you are spending too much time on the computer.
Hope you are doing well!
I have had those times when I feel like I have nothing to write about and just have lost interest. So just like with running, I take a little break for a few days, read other ppls stuff and then usually there is something that happens that I want to blog about and I start up again. Everything is cyclic.
Yes! These past two weeks off from work have been a kind of break from it all and it’s nice to be back but sometimes you just need time away from it all. Glad you’re back though! 🙂
I definitely find that the more I blog, the less I’m actually doing, then eventually I have nothing to write about because all I’m doing is blogging and keeping up with everyone else’s blog….then I start going outside and doing stuff and I have things to talk and blog about again….
Unfortunately, the blog is the first thing on the chopping block when I’m busy; I’ve ignored my husband or not taken my dog for a walk so that I could sit on the computer, and ended up wondering what the hell I was doing, they should be top priority.
I am in that funk right now, there are a number of reasons why. But taking a break like taking a vacation is good for your mind, body and spirit. No need to apologize take the time you need.
boooo i just left a long comment and the internet ate it
basically what i said was: yes i go thru phases.
and that i also agree with youabout hating the “where i’ve been” posts. there should nto be a need to apologize. i mean usually it’s just life 🙂 but i also appreciate concerned inquiries if i’m okay etc. sometimes that’s all it takes to get me to write a post and i’m usually glad i did.
I looked for your long comment and cannot find it. I am sorry it got eaten! 🙁
Ha. It’s just funny when people are so apologetic on their blogs. Sure, we worry if someone is gone for a long time, but a few hours? A day or two? Even a week (for people who blog less frequently)? No biggie.
I’m glad you’re better! Maybe you should go blow some snot near a co-worker who truly deserves it. 😉 I’ve sort of lost interest in reading a lot of blogs these days, but I still like to write since that’s my thing. I think part of my disinterest is the weather — now that it’s getting nicer out, I don’t want to spend as much time sitting in front of a computer, you know?
I totally know 😉 I want to be outside! I want to be active!
yes and yes, been going through the same thing as of late. i’ve decided that if I don’t feel like blogging, im not going to. this is supposed to be fun, not a chore and the pressure is coming from myself to post. Take some time sister!
As evidenced by this super late comment, there are definitely times when I lose interest in blogging! When life gets busy (and therefore gives me lots to blog about!), I’d rather be doing those things rather than blogging about it so it goes by the wayside. I feel bad because then I don’t read my favorite blogs as often, but really…we can’t spend hours each day reading blogs. It really catches up to you! I definitely think a blogging break is necessary at times and no one would ever blame you for it…especially if you’re out there LIVING!