First of all a huge thank you for the overwhelming response to my post this Monday! You guys have truly shown and reconfirmed just how awesome our bookish community really is. ❤ ❤ ❤ And it’s one of the reasons I would never be able to quit book blogging completely. So to all of you out there:
So many people have left their kind words and tips and advice and I’m still feeling warm and fuzzy inside whenever I think about it. Thank you all for being so awesome! ❤ ❤ ❤ To be honest, just writing that post has been a form of therapy already, but I’ve decided to use the feedback to make my own plan to get back on track. This is mostly my personal view on ‘getting my mojo’ back and I by no means claim this is the perfect or right way of beating a slump… But I’m just putting it out there in case it will be useful to someone else suffering from something similar.
So here we go… My 5 Step Plan to get my mojo back and beat that slump!
# STEP NUMBER 1: SLOW DOWN #
One of the reasons I ended up in a slump in the first place is that I’ve been all over the place stressing out over getting those books read in time and write all those reviews before the deadline… And both blogging and reading has started to feel like a shore or even a job without pay instead of a fun hobby. Think headless chicken running around like crazy… That would have been me after a few months of dealing with an ARC overload and deadlines.
So I’ve decided to do the wise thing and just slow down. No more forced blogging and pressure to get those posts and reviews written on time. I’m going to start writing posts only when I truly feel like it and hopefully that will make me enjoy writing down my thoughts again. I don’t think this part will be noticed much on my blog though, because I’ve always used the help of scheduling posts and I’m hoping I’ll feel like blogging at least a few times a week to get those posts ready. But if I don’t, I’m going to remind myself there is no pressure to finish those posts.
Slowing down blogging does mean it will take me longer to respond to comments though… My 100% respond policy and visiting back won’t change, but it might take a while for me to do so. Also, I probably won’t be able to do as much blog hopping as I would like… I hate not being able to follow all those excellent bookish posts, but I also know I really need some time off as well.
# STEP NUMBER 2: ARCS #
Step number two is all about those ARCs and taking care of them. As I’ve stated in my post on Monday, one of the reasons for my slump was the overload of ARCs on my plate. And this will be one of the points I will focus on as I’m trying to get back on track. Because to truly beat my slump, I’ll have to get control over my ARCs. I currently have 10 pending Netgalley ARCs and a few others as well… And I’m going to try and take care of them in different ways.
First of all, I’ve decided to just read the most urgent ones and leave the rest of the titles for September, even if this means not meeting deadlines. I’m suffering from an ARC overdose right now and the only way to remedy that is to take a break and read my own books. It’s going to be hard to ignore deadlines since I’m a perfectionist and I know I’ll feel bad, but I just don’t see another way.
The second step will be bringing back my Netgalley shelf below five titles and keep it that way no matter what. It’s going to be HARD to control my requests, but it’s the only way to be able to start reading my own books as well as ARCs (as much as I love receiving those). I might allow one or two extra titles, but only if the publish dates are not too close to each other (max 3-4 per month).
# STEP NUMBER 3: READ OWN BOOKS #
One of the things that will hopefully make me enjoy reading again is turning to all those poor neglected titles that have been collecting dust while I was reading my ARCs. I want to start reading more of my own books and at my own pace… I’m always a fast reader, but during the last few months I’ve tried to read even faster just to be able to finish those ARCs in time, and it’s taken the fun out of reading. I want to stop focusing on the goal to read x books per week and focus more on simply enjoying what I’m reading no matter how long it takes to finish a book.
And this is where another thing comes in: I’ll be selecting mainly titles I have been wanting to read for a long time, titles I’m excited about, books by favorite authors or even rereading those books I’ve loved before. Hopefully stumbling across a lot of great reads in a row will speed things up and make me fall in love with reading just for the sake of reading again.
# STEP NUMBER 4: SOCIAL MEDIA #
This one is going to be tricky, but in order to be truly able to slow down and get back on track I’ve decided to limit my social media use. I’ve only actively started participating on Twitter, Instagram and Litsy this year and while I love the communities, it also takes a lot of time to keep up with them. Don’t worry, I won’t disappear completely! But I’ll be less active on Instagram as I plan not taking as many photos and I won’t be able to like and comment as much as before. My Twitter use will mostly be the same as I always share posts during my blog hops, but I won’t be able to read other Tweets as often as before. And Litsy… Again I won’t be as active, but as it’s more informal I’ll still be spamming the feed with my cat photos whenever I feel like it haha.
# STEP NUMBER 5: ME TIME #
One of the reasons I needed a break is that I started to notice I was neglecting my personal life in order to keep up with my blog. So the final step will be to start focusing more on taking care of myself and not worry about deadlines and getting those posts up. I’m going to pick up exercising actively again (although I admit I partly blame the winter weather for not speedwalking/running as much as before xD ) and be more focused on eating healthy. No more making excuses not to do both due to blog deadlines or books I need to finish! Healthy body, healthy mind right?
Wow this has turned out to be a way longer post than I had in mind haha. This will be my 5 step plan to get back on track… Any comments? Again I don’t claim this to be the best or only way to beat a slump, but it felt good just getting it all out there. And who knows, some of my rambling might actually be useful to someone else suffering from a slump. 😉
You can also find me at Goodreads. Twitter. Instagram. Facebook. Bloglovin’.
I agree on the exercise. I was running 3-4 times a week but if I have spare time now I’m reading/reviewing etc instead which means I’m knackered!!! All great points. Must try myself to pull back. Can be so overwhelming…
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I guess the slump has at least been an eye-opener when it comes to the whole exercise topic… It’s going to take some time getting back in shape but it feels good to be exercising again. 😀
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I went out and did a 5k last night…so thank you xxxx
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That’s awesome! I’m hoping to get back to running again soon… For now it’s speedwalking until I have some of my stamina back. 😉
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I have sore legs today 🙂 Just have to keep it up now!!! Good luck with your walks!!
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I think this sounds like a really great plan to get out of your slump! I need to work on all of these steps myself. Good luck to you!!! 🙂
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Thanks and likewise! 🙂
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Sounds like a great plan. I know exactly where you’re coming from. I keep saying I need to slow down and enjoy my reads but those darn ARCs are just too tempting. I hope you manage to stick with it and get your mojo back
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The ARCs are definitely going to be tricky to resist, especially with Netgalley just being one click away… But hopefully I’ll be able to force myself to only request those books I’m REALLY excited about and not let things spin out of control again.
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Your plan sounds great! I think this has affected most book bloggers at some point. I tend to get challenge overload, where I realize I’m reading books just because I’ve assigned myself to it, not because I want to. Healthy balance is so important. I try to only get a few NetGalleys at a time and mostly books I KNOW I want to read. I do think it’s important to finish NetGalleys and post on time, but that shouldn’t take over your reading! Hope you’re back to enjoying reading and blogging soon.
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I can relate to the challenge overload as well… I’ve signed up for way too many of those this year again and to be honest the only ones I’ve made progress with are those I was able to add books to without trying haha. And I’m definitely going to try and control/change my Netgalley habits. I hate not meeting deadlines and I’m hoping I will still be able to meet most of them… Thankfully I had already read some August ARCs and I don’t have a backlog, so fingers crossed.
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Amazing post!! ❤ I really needed this; I've been in an absolutely dreadful reading slump lately. I completely understand you- the thought of tackling all of my Netgalley ARCs just stresses me out. I think it's super easy for us to forget that self-care is just as important, if not more important, as meeting deadlines. Sending you virtual hugs ❤
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Sending hugs right back! I hope you’ll be able to get out of your slump soon! ❤
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Sounds like a fantastic plan Yvo and very doable! Good luck to you
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Thanks!
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This sounds like a fantastic plan! I’m definitely there with you about ARCs. I hope it gets you out of your reading slump! ❤
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I’m keeping my fingers crossed I will be able to get through most ARCs, although I have at least two I know will be tricky (Watching You and Girl In Snow). Hopefully after a few of my own books they won’t slow me down too much. 😉
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Slowing down is an important one, i think. Often times when i get myself in a slump, i might stop reading altogether for one or two weeks. Sometimes it can become something you feel you have to do, rather than something you want to do. To combat that i just stop completely in a bit of an “F-you” gesture, and get back to it when i feel happy to again.
I hope your plans work for you! ♥
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That’s definitely my next step if I see things don’t improve with these steps… I hate that I’m not enjoying reading as much as before just because of the whole pressure of the ARCs, deadlines and the feeling I HAVE to read/blog etc.
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This is the perfect game plan to get your mojo back. I think after a few weeks you will definitely feel more like yourself again! I banned myself from browsing NetGalley until I completely clear out my NetGalley TBR. Most of my NG books are from 2016! I feel like a review is a review, no matter if it is posted near the release date, or a year later…. At least that’s what I’ve told myself to make myself feel better lol
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I definitely need to try and stay away from Netgalley… I don’t have a backlog any longer thanks to three months of binge-reading ARCs, but I don’t wait to go there again. But you’re right, a review is a review and sometimes a new review a year later will rekindle interest in a title, right?
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Good luck Yvo! It can all get so overwhelming sometimes and the pressure does get to me as well. You’ve got some brilliant ideas here to sort stuff out and stop yourself stressing – good on ya! 👏🏻
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Thanks! So far I feel it’s starting to work so fingers crossed.
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Your 5 step plan is perfect! 🙂 I hope that you’ll feel the mojo coming back to you in no time!
My 2016 was all indie books via review requests and none of the books that I bought based on recs that I wanted to read… I just kept saying yes to requests and it lumped me out big time… I read some fantastic titles but that bit of restlessness was still there, thinking- oh, I wish i could read this book I picked out for myself already- … totally takes the fun out of the game… 🙂
Here’s to that plan working out! 🙂 ❤
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Yeah that is exactly why I want to start taking control over my ARCs and read more of my own books… It’s not that I don’t appreciate them, but if it’s too many it starts taking the fun out of reading. So far the plan seems to be working! ❤
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Good luck with everything, Yvo! I hope your five step plan is just what you need.
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Thank you!
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Wonderful plan and apologies for missing it earlier.
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No apologies needed! ❤ I can already feel it's starting to work so fingers crossed I'll be back to normal by the end of the month. 😉
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This is wonderful! The “me” time particularly. Which I am happy to say, I am working on ❤
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It’s one of the aspects of blogging where I’ve learned from my mistakes… It’s easy to forget about having me-time with lots of things going on on the blog, but it’s important to have down time to recharge. ❤
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Absolutely ❤ It can be hard to remember at times though.
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Very true!
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