Most content creators have no issues staying busy. Between balancing normal life, family, friends, work, hobbies, and a social life, it’s hard to find time to create new content, let alone find time to rest! A healthy balance of all these things is very important as burn out is a huge issue in our community and can lead to mental health issues in the future.
Try creating a schedule and sticking to it. Keep in mind, that this will take multiple attempts and modifications to find what works for you. A schedule can be down to the hour, or simply stuff that you wish to accomplish on a given day. This will differ from person to person, but it is important to alternate as well to avoid multiple days in front of a camera or developing an awkward tan caused by too many hours editing in front of a computer screen.
During these times, make sure you get up to stretch, stare out a window, eat a proper meal, and stay hydrated! At no point should your schedule prevent you from properly caring for yourself. Sometimes, a break can even be as simple as making a cup of coffee and watching funny cat videos on YouTube. Also, realize that you can switch up what you do for a break, sometimes a change of scenery will not only improve your mindset, but also inspire you. Whatever gives you a break from getting stuck in a cycle will aid you in the long run.
Turn off your notifications before going to bed! Some phones and devices do a great job at offering an option to enable customized “Do Not Disturb” modes. They can range from silencing a few apps, to silencing everything and only allowing emergency calls to show up. There is no reason you should be answering DMs, tweets, or replying to emails when you should be sleeping. There is a chance the person on the other end of that chat window might be attempting to sleep as well.
Set a reasonable time frame for delivering custom content. You should not be in a rush to disrupt your schedule to fill orders and an expectation should be set for your clients as well. This will allow you to stick to your planned schedule better without being interrupted and also give you an opportunity to earn more money in the future by offering a “Rushed delivery” price if you feel that you have the time to do so. It is always best to over estimate a time frame and deliver early when possible. This will provide you with more time to create quality content and possibly surprise your fans when the content they ordered is delivered earlier than expected.
Don’t feel like you have to push past your work/life balance in order to be successful.