On Tuesday, I ran into a dear friend at Bed, Bath & Beyond. This guy is a kitchen gadget junkie and likely considers BB&B to be his own personal Disneyland! Yet, he had a look of pain on his face. I asked what was wrong and he just grimaced. I pried.
He finally confessed that he hates shopping under pressure. Specifically, he called it “forced buying” and explained that it’s so much more fun to buy a gift on “any given Tuesday” than to be forced to find that perfect something right then and there.
The phrase “forced buying” intrigued me and certainly summed up the feeling of taking something you enjoy and sucking all the fun out of it. We agreed that it’s usually best to walk away and come back when you’re in a better frame of mind.
Ahem, bloggers…sound familiar?
Yesterday, I was creating an editorial calendar with a client who’s launching next month and we discussed the process to follow when she’s not in the zone for her assigned topic. It happens. Hmmm…kind of like “forced blogging!”
My advice? Try to get in “the zone.” Push yourself. You’ve made a commitment to your readers and you should challenge yourself to deliver. But, when push requires a shove, put it away and schedule that post for another day or for next month. Better yet, figure out what post IS right for that day so you can continue to deliver fresh content. Although it’s important to follow your editorial calendar in order to meet your objectives, it’s equally important that you remain relatable, real and likable to your readers.
Do you ever feel the pain of “forced blogging?” If so, what do you do to snap out of it and get back on track?
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