Let’s get something straight. We may be creative but we are not content creating machines. Social media platforms have become so demanding and harmful to our mental health. Not only do we all suffer some degree of comparison, but we get anxiety for not posting every day, the amount of likes we get, how many followers and the list goes on. Content creation has evolved from being a fun creative outlet to a stress inducing nightmare. So how do we create stress free content?

The answer is easier said than done. You change your mindset first. Now changing your mindset around anything can be challenging. You have to commit and re-evaluate how you view certain things and live your life which can be scary. It took hitting rock bottom and feeling so anxious that I started getting panic attacks for me to take my life seriously and start letting go of some of the ideas I had around content creation.

I went from thinking that I had to post every day to really letting go and posting only when I felt like I had something to say. I used to be so proud of having this system where I batch worked my entire weekly Instagram content ahead of time. All photos and captions perfectly curated and ready on an app for the week ahead. The problem was, it felt like a chore and slowly, I started feeling unauthentic (and running out of things to say!).

And that was just Instagram! That isn’t even taking into account the weekly newsletters I committed to writing and the blog posts that I wrote and scheduled as well. Let’s just say I burned out completely. I questioned everything I did and it was all due to this insane pressure I put on myself to create content.

Then I asked myself WHY. Why was I creating so much content? Why had I become obsessed with keeping up? With who? With what? The algorithm?

And it’s so easy. It’s so damn easy to fall into the comparison trap. Seeing someone you look up to post on Instagram so seamlessly. Churn out content after content. Reels, IGTVs, blog posts, and even helpful YouTube videos. You can’t help but want to do the same. But here’s the thing… Not everyone has the same time or resources. I know ever since having a baby my time is precious and I really consider where I am spending it.

So here’s where I stand on content creation nowadays… I only create when I have something important to say. That includes when I want to teach something, share a lesson, my life or just feel inspired. I don’t care about the algorithms, I just care about putting out content I am proud of. Even if that means going silent for a week on IG and months on my blog. I value my life over becoming a content creating machine.

Now… I am a business owner and I know content is the key to attracting clients and an audience to my offerings and services. Which is why I developed a set of rules for myself for when I do create content. It’s how I am able to create stress free content once a month. (That’s right friend, you read that right, I only blog once a month!).

01. QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

Ignore the demand of social media and what that other designer or entrepreneur is doing. Focus on ONE good piece of content. You don’t have to be creating every day or every week. As long as you create a plan for yourself and put out content that is aligned with your life, you’ll be fine!

02. DON’T TRY AND DO IT ALL 

Focus on one to two platforms that you really enjoy using. You do not have to be active everywhere and doing everything. You still have to work with clients and live your life so don’t overwhelm yourself trying to do it all. I personally focus on (1) My Blog, (2) Pinterest and (3) My Newsletter. IG I leave for when I wanna just say hi!

03. TEMPLATES TEMPLATES TEMPLATES!

Save yourself some time and create some templates and mockups for your content! They are lifesavers. While you’re at it, keep a folder with stock photos or branding photos that you can choose from for posts. The idea is to have everything you need ready so that when you finish writing your content you can quickly create your visuals.

04. TRUST YOUR GUT

When writing a piece of content, if it’s a struggle and its not coming naturally, let it go. Time is precious, don’t sit there staring at a blank screen. Just try a different topic or go take a walk and tackle it later. Same goes with taking social media breaks… If you’re starting to feel burned out, do a social detox. Stop feeling like if you don’t show up every single day you’ll loose it all. I promise you wont loose momentum. I have taken six months away from social media and I’m doing fine! Better than fine 🙂

05. MAKE SURE IT’S ALIGNED

For every strategy, every post and even every client, make sure it aligns with you. I know it’s easy to fall into the pressure mindset to post things just for the sake of putting content out there, but trust in yourself and align with your goals and values. It makes for a much better experience.

I’m telling you everything stems from your mindset. Once you realize that you don’t have to be a content creating machine… you’ll feel more confident creating content. I am now back to creating with joy and not stress. And because I want you to get there too I created a nifty freebie for you! It has a cool guide and step-by-step process that I personally use to maximize the exposure of 1 blog post. So you work smarter and not harder my friend!

What are you waiting for? Click below to download!

So how do you feel? Are you ready to stop chasing after social platforms and the ever changing algorithms and demands? The stronger your mindset and beliefs around this, the easier it will be when creating quality content to grow your biz! And don’t forget to download the free resource to create stress free content with joy 🙂