Almost two months ago, our company implemented blogging into our social media strategy as a way for our employees, customers, and community to learn more about our incredibly dynamic team. I’ve enjoyed the process so far, but some days I experience the crippling effect of blogger’s block and the symptoms associated with it—restlessness, frustration, stress, and—even though I’m not proud to admit it—occasional complaining. Desperate to overcome these symptoms, I’ve tested a variety of different tactics that I figured might help, and in the process I’ve noticed that the once daunting task has become easier each week.

Below are a few tips to help you combat blogger’s block:

1. Take a timed break. If you’ve been working at it for over 30 minutes and you only have a few words on your screen it’s best to take a break. Forcing yourself to write probably won’t result in a high quality blog. Give your mind a 30-45 minute break to relax. It’s important to allot yourself a maximum amount of time for a break…don’t procrastinate!
2. Speaking of procrastinating…don’t do it! If you know your blog is due in a week, set aside time in your schedule to work on it. The added stress from procrastinating will likely hinder your productivity even further.
3. Change your environment. If your work environment is too hectic and you can’t seem to get any blogging done, switch up your location! Try writing on the weekend from home, or after work at your favourite café.
4. Keep a notebook for ideas. Sometimes on my drive home or when I’m out in public, I come up with new ideas for my blog posts and write them in my planner. Writing in a notebook can help you in the long run when you feel like you’ve run out of ideas; simply flip through your notes and be inspired.
5. Change the way you write. If you’re struggling to put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, then use the opposite method. While I feel like I am much more productive when typing on my laptop, I know many “high-tech” individuals who are more effective writers when they’re using the traditional handwritten approach.
6. Write backwards. It may sound silly, but writing the conclusion or the most substantial part of your blog first might help you complete the rest. Individuals often get stuck when they focus too much of their attention on the blog title or introduction so work on these things last!
7. Switch it up. There are many different types of blog posts you can create. Try choosing from one of the following:

• Reviews: Give a fair opinion of a product or service that relates to your blog theme. If you usually write about productivity, review some productivity apps that you think may help your readers.
• Instructional: Tutorials and how-to’s are very popular on the web. Individuals are always seeking solutions to problems, so why not provide them with one?
• Lists: I’m sure you’ve read these titles before: ‘7 Ways…’, ‘5 Tips To…’, and ‘10 of The Best…’ Lists provide useful information to your reader in a way that’s easy to read and act upon.
• Informational: Simply provide information on a select topic in an intriguing way.

8. Find inspiration. Listen to music or podcasts, read what others are writing about, or even research relevant trending topics. When I’m not too sure what to write about, I search for images on Google using general keywords such as ‘social media marketing’; looking at the images and captions helps me draw inspiration from sources that are relevant to my theme.
9. Change your attitude and just write. It’s true—we’re our own worst critics. Sometimes the only thing holding us back from writing is ourselves. Think positively and just write. Don’t worry about grammatical or spelling errors, or the way your words flow; it’s easy to edit these things once you have the words down.
10. When you’re on a roll don’t stop. If you can create a great blog in 30 minutes and still have time to spare then get started on another one! It’s easier to write once you’ve already started and are feeling inspired.

Try some of these tips out and see what works well for you!