Feeling unmotivated? You’re not alone. The post-Christmas, pre-New Year period is one of the times of year I enjoy the least, and I’m definitely not motivated to work on my blog without a bit of extra help. Here are seven things I’ve done to get some inspiration and beat the winter blogging blues.

01. Step away from writing posts

It may seem like a weird thing to recommend, but sometimes staying away from your posts and drafts screen can help motivate you more. There are lots of blog tasks you can do that don’t specifically involve blogging, so clean up old posts, fix old links, make new images, review your plugins, and tidy up those snags that have been haunting you. This is a great way to ease yourself back into your blog, especially after a break.

02. Read your favourite blogs

Nothing inspires me more than other people’s blog posts, so I head to my favourite websites or google topics I’m interested in. Medium is also a great way to find interesting writers who favour long form blog posts. I’ve found that I need more sources of posts at this time of year as frequency drops!

03. Make a list

Whether it’s a to do list of bitesize tasks or a list of post titles/topics, I find making a list helps me organise my thoughts. It also gets me started with thinking about the tasks and means I can clear my mind – I’m not distracted trying to remember everything in my head. There are some great calendar services and plugins out there so you can set deadlines for yourself, making it more likely you’ll achieve your goals.

04. Do one thing a day

Improving your website or adding something new each day, no matter how small, quickly adds up to big improvements. Use lists or draw a task out of a hat to mix it up and keep things interesting. You could also tie this in with a long term goal or achievement, for example a complete website redesign by the summer or buying yourself a reward.

05. Create a blogging playlist

There are times when I love to block out the world with music to get a big chunk of writing done. It works every time. Science shows that classical music is great for getting creativity and concentration flowing…and as I’m a geek, I put together a geek-themed Spotify playlist designed for writing.

06. Experience something different

If you’re more traditional, a new motivational book or inspirational quotes will do the job. If you’re more of a chaotic creative, try a demanding film or even a type of media you generally shy away from. Maybe it will inspire you to review it, maybe it will make you think or feeling a certain way, maybe you’ll end up writing about something else entirely.

07. Take a look at some post ideas

Check out Blog post ideas you’ll actually want to use, How to get out of a blogging rut, Setting winter goals for your blog, and 25 blog post ideas for the holidays.

Do you get winter blogging blues? How do you deal with them? Let me know in the comments!