Haunted by Podcasting Burnout? Discover Strategies to Help Avoid it!
It's SpoOOoOoOkKYYyyyYy Season!!🦇 What's more scary than podcasting burnout and your show coming to an end before you want it to?!
Granted, I can think of a few things more terrifying but we can all agree on one thing; ending a project before you intend to can be really disappointing.
Unfortunately, podcasting burnout and podfade are very real! Not only are they very real, but having the impending 'doom' lingering over your head can make the fear worse and sometimes even result in podfading quicker than you'd think.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, what is podfade? This is when podcast episodes are released sporadically and often get further and further apart. Often starts with missing or delaying one episode and letting it cause you to neglect future episodes.
Podfade doesn't always result in a podcast’s demise but if left unchecked it can quickly lead to an untimely end. While Podfading does often happen on accident, it is often due to podcasting burnout. Burnout can happen for many reasons. From topic exhaustion (like writer’s block) to the inability to manage the task load. No matter why this comes about it can be unhealthy for one’s mental and for the survival of a podcast.
Causes of Podcasting Burnout
If we could all anticipate burnout, there likely wouldn’t be any and this blog would be pointless. Unfortunately, that’s likely not the case and podcasting burnout can happen due to a plethora of reasons. Some common causes for podcasting burnout that we see are:
Overwhelm from tasks – podcasting is no joke and, especially if you go into it as a solitary venture, can sneak up on you. You will be planning episodes, recording, editing, posting, etc. And if this is more than something to do for fun, you’re likely running social media and advertising your show.
Unrealistic expectations – this stems from being unprepared causing overwhelm. One must really take into consideration the TIME requirements to record, edit, and release a show. Not only the time but also the mental load that is creating, writing, and editing.
Not passionate – if one is not passionate about their show (whether it’s for fun or a business venture) – we see people giving up due to the overwhelming load of work. Not being passionate quickly results in podfading due to lack of enthusiasm.
Topic Exhaustion – in tandem with all of the above causes, topic exhaustion is huge. Just like writer’s block, if one does not prepare episodes in advance and stay on top of it, when topic exhaustion hits it can be really hard to get back on the saddle and continue creating content for your show.
These reasons and more create podcasting burnout resulting in podfading or even an abrupt end to the show. For more mistakes and solutions, check out Rumble’s article on Podfading!
Help prevent podcasting burnout!
As mentioned, podcasting burnout is likely the culprit for podfading. That is why it is important, not only to go into podcasting with a plan but also, to check in with yourself regularly and make adjustments as needed. We have put together a list of suggestions to help you avoid burnout. Each suggestion may not be right for everyone, so do what makes sense for you and your situation!
Hire a podcast manager (Check out our blog on why here!)
Batch content – Think ahead to save yourself pain in the future. Not only plan your content out ahead of time but set a day where you go and record multiple episodes at once. You’ll already be in the state of mind to record and can get multiple episodes done at once. After recording, set up a day where you edit/do post-production and then plan when you will distribute the content. This way, on the day you want to release your show it will be ready and now you have the next three episodes ready to go!
Rest + Take Breaks (yes, it’s important to put out your show. But giving yourself breaks is also important to keep your creativity + passion!)
You can do this by batch creating, giving yourself a couple of weeks between creating. Or if batch creating isn’t for you, spread out your release dates so that you have enough time between to record, edit, and relax before having to do it again!
Set realistic goals and expectations
Determine how many episodes you can realistically produce each week or month
Create a podcast schedule that works for you and your team
Prioritize quality over quantity
Find inspiration and stay organized
Brainstorm episode ideas in advance
Plan out episodes and guests in a content calendar
Use tools like Trello or Google Calendar to stay organized
Take care of yourself
Prioritize self-care and mental health
Make time for hobbies and other interests outside of podcasting
Set boundaries and communicate your schedule with others
Continuously improve and evolve
Regularly evaluate your podcast’s progress and make adjustments as needed
Experiment with new formats or topics to keep things fresh
Listen to your listeners Feedback! This might help you find what works well and simplify your process to fit your audience needs
Getting Back on Track
Before you let podcasting burnout lead to podfade – talk with yourself and think, “Am I passionate about this?”.
If the answer is yes, then I promise you can get back on track. If you need to take a break for a month to do so, that is okay! But make sure you go into the break with a plan. Some tips to make sure you don’t let this break be the end of your show:
Let your audience know when to expect you back.
Give yourself a deadline
Plan your release date and stick to it by also planning out days to work on your show during your hiatus
Plan out the months post-re-launching.
plan content, plan dates to batch create/edit, and plan release dates.
Get help with the things that made you lose your passion in the first place
Podcasting burnout due to hating editing? source help
Due to social media content creation? Get a social media manager, etc.
Conclusion
We can not emphasize enough how real podcasting burnout and podfading really is! At the end of the day, whether it’s hiring outside help or taking a step back to re-evaluate and adjust based on your needs, it’s relevant to make adjustments. Podcasting burnout can be overcome, while difficult, it does not have to result in the demise of your podcast.
As always, we’re here to help, reach out to us any time! In the meantime, you can read more on topic exhaustion on our blog (here!)
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