Plan and Create Content On Your Terms
Do ever feel pressured to plan and create content for what seems like an age ahead? If that feeling is known to you, then welcome aboard!
Throughout my years as a content creator/writer/freelancer, I have lost track of the number of times I see people saying they have their posts all planned and scheduled for the next month, quarter, or even year I swear.
Being constantly exposed to this approach and the assumption that this is the way you ‘have’ to create content as a business owner or blogger (or whatever term you resonate most with) creates an awful amount of pressure and the dreaded comparisonitis starts to creep in.
Am I doing something wrong? Am I unprofessional if I create content in a different way? That’s not how I like to work, is that weird? Do I need to map out my entire content plan for the next year?
The concerns over content build up in your mind and you feel overwhelmed. That in itself stifles creativity and you experience more creative blocks.
Sound familiar?
But just like the wider concept of creativity, one size does not fit all when it comes to planning and creating content.
There is no one way to do it. Depending on your business, your personality, and your lifestyle, coming up with content is going to be a different process for everyone.
It’s ok if the mapping out ideas for months ahead doesn’t work for you.
I personally find it overwhelming to plan and create content too far ahead of time. I like to stick to a week or few weeks at most.
Why do I take a weekly approach?
Life is unpredictable. You don’t know where you will be in 3 months or 6 months time. You don’t what will be relevant to your audience at the time. 2020 showed us that much.
If planning content far in advance is your jam, then lean into that. It’s what suits you. At the same time though, be aware that situations change and it could help to have a degree of flexibility in your content strategy.
Often I do have content ideas in mind for the month ahead based on what my audience is struggling with or if there are any awareness events I want to talk about, but the actual creation occurs on a weekly basis.
My content process also depends on what my health is doing because Crohn’s Disease is a fluctuating condition and what other work I have on, therefore a weekly approach suits my life more.
Still have a vision.
Creating content over a shorter time frame does not mean just go day-by-day writing random blog posts – that being said, don’t suppress an idea and a natural moment of creativity when it comes to you just because it disturbs ‘the plan’. I like to keep a notebook to jot down any thoughts or musings.
Whether you create content by the week, month, quarter, or year, still have a vision of where you want to take your brand and let that be what guides you to create your content, along with what aligns with your audience and if there are any events or campaigns coming up.
Do things on your terms. Alleviate the stress.
There are enough stressful things in the world and life right now. Add in the stresses and pressures involved in running a business, and it’s understandable why overwhelm and burnout are common.
Giving yourself permission to do things on your terms, such as content creation, is a first port call for reducing stress levels.
There is often a pressure to follow a certain strategy, use a particular app, post X many times a week.
But what works for one person might not work for you and vice versa. We all have different lifestyles, personalities, and ways of working.
Because of this, different strategies and approaches work for different people.
Carve out your own path and be true to yourself.
Don’t feel forced to plan content light years ahead if that’s not your style.
