Digital transformation and the rise of remote work have paved the way for finding success as a content creator. While streamers, influencers, and content creators have a selection of tools at their fingertips, staying productive can still be a challenge.
Content creators constantly need to tap into inspiration and produce unique, engaging content, especially when monetizing online content. Hitting a brick wall or feeling unmotivated can have a knock-on effect on revenue, following, and engagement.
If you’re feeling uninspired or lacking motivation, then stay tuned for tips and tricks for staying motivated as a content creator.
The Different Aspects of Being a Content Creator
While many entrepreneurs work a typical eight- or nine-hour day, content creators work odd hours, often blurring the line between work and play. Does this sound familiar?
Content creation, in its various forms, has developed in leaps and bounds. As remote work has increased and digital tools have advanced, the content creation industry has become highly competitive. Hard work and creativity are key factors for finding success and standing out in the crowd.
There’s a lot that goes into being a successful content creator, such as the following:
- Research on content, current affairs, and trends
- Brainstorm content and how it fits into a strategy
- Creating and editing content (written, video, visual, etc)
- Brand and competitor analysis
- Promoting content across various platforms (made a lot easier with Willow link in bio tool)
- Analyzing data for improvement
- Engaging with an audience
Challenges Faced by Content Creators
Working as a content creator can be incredibly rewarding, but sometimes motivation is in short supply. Whether you host a DOTA streaming channel or you’re a food photographer, content creators share similar challenges:
- Establishing a schedule
- Lack of motivation
- Consistent branding and voice
- Creating unique, high-quality content
- Maintaining engagement
- Fighting creative freedom when working with brands
Of these challenges, lacking motivation is one of the biggest, having a domino effect on other aspects of content creation. Content creators struggle with motivation and productivity for several reasons.
For example, technology distracts as you get sucked into a platform by mindlessly scrolling. A lack of direction and starting too late in the day also contribute to feeling uninspired.
Luckily, there are several productivity hacks that can help creators feel inspired.
Productivity Hacks for Content Creators
Are you wondering how to be productive after a long day consuming other people’s content?
While some people make productivity look easy, it demands a little bit of effort. Consider the following productivity hacks for content creators, offering an injection of inspiration and motivation for success.
Step Away From Work
It may sound like a contradiction, but stepping away from work can actually boost productivity. Striking a work-life balance is essential to keep the creative juices flowing and staying energized.
Don’t buckle to the pressure that you need to create content at all hours of the day. Instead, make time for activities that refuel you, such as an aerobics class or meeting up with friends. Taking a break from work can improve productivity by refreshing your intentions.
Experiment With New Content
Have you ever been a victim of blogger burnout? Has your passion for gaming become a boring chore? Creating the same content all day, every day, can be exhausting and drain your motivation.
Put your creativity to the test and experiment with fresh, new content. By pushing your comfort zone, you exercise your imagination and keep the process exciting. Who knows, you may even create the next viral trend on social media!
Focus On Your Goals
Treating content creation as a business adds a whole new meaning to producing content. It’s important to set yourself goals and keep these objectives in mind. Whether you want to grow your following to a certain number or collaborate with a well-known influencer, it’s important to make the mental shift.
There are several tips to help stay focused on your goals. For example, you can add post-it notes in your workspace, create a vision board, or do weekly assessments of your progress. When you have clear goals, there’s more direction and purpose in your work.
Set Small Milestones - and Reward Yourself
Once you’ve determined your goals, you can split them up into smaller milestones. By creating small milestones and breaking up large tasks into smaller chunks, the work becomes more manageable.
Project milestones are a powerful component for staying productive. We suggest that you introduce a reward system, stimulating a positive mood and overall productivity. Rewards can range from taking a 30-minute break and watching your favorite series, to treating yourself to a new pair of sunglasses.
Create a Productive Space
It’s no secret that clutter impacts productivity. Even if you are a travel influencer and get most of your footage while out in the streets, it’s important to create a productive space where you can do the rest of your work.
Map out a space in the home that inspires creativity and take the time to clear out the clutter. Designing a workspace that is free from distractions helps to increase overall productivity.
Avoid Distractions
How many times have you opened TikTok on a whim only to close the app an hour later? Even the smallest distraction can derail productivity, and it’s important to be proactive about avoiding distractions.
Consider the following tips to avoid distractions.
- Write a daily to-do list (and stick to it)
- Avoid multitasking
- Put your phone on silent (or mute message notifications)
- Use a focus app
- Play some music (or white noise)
- Stay hydrated
Tips for Influencer Inspiration
In the same way that gas is used to keep a car going, inspiration is needed to fuel productivity. So, what happens if you’ve hit creator’s block and you can’t move forward?
Here are a few tips to help to overcome influencer block and feel inspired by your work.
Create a Vision Board
Grab a pair of scissors, some old magazines, and a large piece of paper - it’s time to create a vision board! After spending the whole day creating digital content, it’s time to get your hands dirty, producing a poster that inspires you.
Select pictures, colors, and shapes that resonate with your brand and your goals, putting them together in a bold vision board. Hang the vision board in a space that you see regularly, reminding you of everything that gives you inspiration.
Make Time for Inspirational Activities
Think about a moment in time when you felt exhilarated and inspired. Perhaps you were hiking a beautiful mountain? Maybe you were indulging in a delicious meal? Inspiration can come from different sources, and it’s important to carve out time for these activities.
Allocate time in your schedule to take part in activities that bring you to join and fill you with inspiration. You can even combine your break from work with taking part in a motivational activity, killing two birds with one stone.
Choose a Role Model (or Two)
While collaborations are encouraged, working as a content creator is largely a solo activity. Many hours are spent working on the laptop, shooting content, or reviewing strategy. It’s easy to lose inspiration and motivation when working in a silo, and that’s where having a role model comes in.
Choose a role model whose work and personality inspire you to reach your goals. Follow them, stay up to date with their latest projects, and chat with them if possible! Having a role model is key to personal growth, inspiring you to create your best content.
Engage with Your Audience
If you’re lacking inspiration, then reach out to your audience and find out what content they’d like to see? Rather than shoot in the dark, you can create the content your audience actually wants to see by simply asking them.
Respond to comments, encourage conversation, and lead your followers to your other platforms where you’re testing new content. Consider adding a link in bio tool to your social media bio to help your followers navigate to each of your platforms.
Hold a Brainstorming Session
Brainstorming offers many benefits for content creators. It provides multiple perspectives, generates new ideas, creates a space to explore these ideas, and inspires creativity. While it’s possible to hold a brainstorming strategy on your own, with nothing but a piece of paper and pen, we recommend gathering a few people.
There are fun ways to host a brainstorming session with fellow creative people. For example, host a cheese and wine evening or add color to mind mapping by investing in crayons.
Be Mindful About Media Consumption
Finally, it’s important to be aware of how much content that you consume as well as the type of content. While there’s value in staying on top of trends, it’s equally important to monitor your media consumption.
Avoid oversaturating your mind with too much content, and be conscious about consuming content that serves you and your brand.
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