I’ve been pretty open in the past about how my inspiration and creativity when it comes to blogging tends to come in waves, and while sometimes I’m bursting with new and fun ideas – there have been weeks and even months when I’ve struggled with just going through the motions. I’ll sit down at my computer after a long day at work and just stare at a blank screen for hours, sporadically checking Facebook every 5 minutes to be distracted by the latest celebrity gossip, random links a friend from high school shared, or suddenly finding myself on the Target website again, sticking more sale granola bars in my virtual shopping cart. If you’re a blogger, I’m sure you’ve definitely been there before too!

So here are a few of the little blogging changes I’ve made this year to make myself a little more inspired, and most importantly – make things a little easier on myself. And while they might be little updates, they’ve made a world of difference in my blogging routine.

1. Create when you’re inspired – and don’t when you’re not.

Getting in a creative groove is definitely a real thing – and when you’re in the groove you’re good, but when you’re not – well, you’re not. Sometimes I have boat-loads of inspiration – and I could write blog posts from morning ’till night without a creative block. But some days I’m distracted or uninspired – and I find myself wasting more time than actually creating anything I can be proud of. On those days where you’re feeling good and creative, keep writing! But don’t force yourself to come up with some game-changing post if you’re really not feeling it. I know there are definitely exceptions to the rule, especially when you have deadlines to deal with, but as much as you can avoid it – don’t create when you’re not feeling creative.

2. Don’t be afraid to creatively re-use things, really.

For some reason I thought their was an unwritten blogger rule about keeping all content original, all the time. But honestly, no one has the time for that – and I noticed that a lot of bloggers I followed we’re creatively reusing photos and story topics they’d already used on the blog before.

Have more things to say about feeling uninspired? Make a part 2 {and link back to your first post!}. Love that outfit post you did a few weeks back? Take the close up of a detail and put together a round up of your favorite trend {loafers, spring dresses, delicate gold jewelry, you name it}. If you have a great idea for a post but don’t have the right picture, find {and credit} a good one on Pinterest. If you’re writing and creating content that’s interesting and authentic to you – people won’t care if you used a picture from a few weeks ago – and I doubt they’ll even notice 😉

3. Get help when you need it – and it’s okay to need it. 

I used to be a stickler for not asking for help – especially when help cost $$$. I would put off photo outfits because I wouldn’t have a friend who could snap photos, I would try to do everything myself – even if it was something I wasn’t particularly good at, and if I couldn’t figure something out I’d usually shrug it off and give up. These days, when I know I need help – I ask for it, and a lot of the time I pay for it.

If I want beautiful photos, I hire a photographer to snap some outfit photos. If I need help, I get a few of my blogger friends together and start a mastermind group. If I’m feeling uninspired, I ask other creative friends for advice about what gets them out of a rut. Whatever it is you’re struggling with – always make sure to ask for help! And if there’s anything I can ever do – make sure to drop me a line 😉

4. Don’t forget – comparison if the thief of joy. 

Everyone seems to just be crushing it, right? Well don’t worry – wherever you are right now, just know you’re crushing it too. It’s easy to get swept up in the comparison game, especially in this ever-growing blogger world, but give yourself a little grace and a whole lot of patience, because you’re farther today than you were yesterday.

I’ve come to realize that there’s only so much I can do with a full time job on top of blogging. I can only go to so many events, take so many photos, or blog so many times before I’m spreading myself too thin. And while I wish I could do it all {and be awesome at all of it!} I’ve been finding more joy in appreciating where I am right here and right now. Even if I don’t have 20K Instagram followers, or my pins aren’t going viral on Pinterest – I’m still doing the best job I can do which is perfectly fine by me 😉

5. Break out of your routine. 

It can be hard to feel inspired sometimes, and it’s even more hard when you’re constantly going through the monotony of everyday. If you’re anything like me, you wake up each day, you go to work, you come home and attempt to make dinner, you get more work done, and then go to bed later than you hoped for – not too inspiring if you have a creative side job like blogging, photography, calligraphy, etc. So whenever you get a chance – break out of your routine as much as you can. Spend the day working from home at a neighborhood coffee shop, use up your vacation days to explore someplace new and exciting, or even just spend a few hours a week learning a new skill that breaks you out of your comfort zone. Anything outside of the ordinary day to day will serve your creativity well!

6. Start a series.

If you have a good idea – why not officially make it “a thing”? Whenever I’ve been in a blogging rut, starting {and keeping} a series has made it a little less overwhelming to come up with something new and groundbreaking. Whether it’s using the same graphic treatment with your blog round ups {hello, 1 template vs. making a million!}, having a series where you share your thoughts on something, or you interview other bloggers about something they’re loving, a series can keep you organized and avoid the overwhelm coming up with new ideas can cause.

Hopefully I’ll have more tips in the coming months, but in the meantime I’d love to know what keeps you creative and out of a blogger rut! Any tips and tricks are always appreciated 🙂 xx

Photo via {see, I did it there! No shame!}