September 2016 has been a weird month for me. I feel like business is both busy and yet slow, which is probably more of a mindset thing than an actual representation of what’s going on.
Anywho, here are the 5 things I learned about content creation this month.
1. Prompts can be awesome. Don’t struggle alone!
Looking for blog or newsletter prompts isn’t cheating. It’s literally taking your brain for a bit of an inspiration walk. And it’s cool to do.
I spent August thinking I needed to create content in some kind of pure bubble. It wasn’t fun.
Pulled out the prompts and suddenly I have a million and one ideas.
2. Ask what people want
If you don’t understand what content your audience wants, you just need to ask. I was feeling a bit stumped and listless with what my audience wanted until I asked a few simple questions in September.
I have now implemented categories for both my newsletter and my blog that reflect the interests of my audience rather than just what I thought they wanted. Geez. I dunno why that one took me so long.
3. A sick day is beneficial
I’m the worst for not taking sick days. But sometimes taking one or two days of downtime rather than pushing through is more beneficial. I took a couple of sick days in September and came back feeling more refreshed than ever.
I know this is so self-care 101, but it’s easy to forget. D’oh!
4. Consuming content outside your niche/area/industry can help with creativity
This might sound a bit weird, but you never know what fresh ideas you might get if you consume other content. For example, I’ve been digging some personal blogs and YouTube channels lately and they’ve been giving my creative brain a bit of a boost.
What else are you feeding your brain with?
5. Weather affects me and Melbourne spring weather is THE WORST
I love warm weather. Sun makes me happy. When I’m happy, content creation is easier. I feel like I have more energy and I can focus. Winter for me can be a hard slog going through the motions.
September’s weather has gone from a sunny 20 degree celsius day back down to 7 degrees and rain the next. I’ve been hopeful and excited only to be let down the very next day.
What sort of weather inspires you? Are you a sunny-day inspiration kinda person? Or do you like being tucked up under a plush blanket, with a hot cup of tea, and your ideas?