6 Months of Daily Tweets Taught Me This: How I Beat Burnout and Created Consistently as a Part-Time Creator

Hey everyone,

You might know by now that I am a writer and content creator.

I’m writing online on X and in this newsletter all while I’m getting my degree in English and working a part-time job.

I struggled a lot during the last 6 months to find the balance between all those activities.

Sometimes I get bursts of energy and write like crazy for a day or two. But, most I always end up hitting a wall, because I expect myself to keep the momentum going.

At the start of my journey, I wanted to test if I was able to commit to writing on X. I decided on 30 days. Write online for 30 days without quitting.

The first few weeks were tough. I kept trying to come up with new and exciting ideas. Feeling the steam run out at times.

I was engaging with other creators like crazy, always trying to hit around 50-100 comments a day.

It wasn’t long before I was getting ready to quit. I couldn’t withstand the presssure.

When I was about to hit 30 days, I decided I wasn’t gonna quit.

I changed the goal to 3 months.

But, I knew I couldn’t keep going at the same speed.

I had to stop trying to be perfect and do the thing.

Show up. Connect with other people regularly, and most importantly, enjoy the creative process.

Before hitting 3 months, I forgot to keep count. Now, I have climbed above the 6-month mark.

I am not gonna pretend like I don’t still get overwhelmed. Because I do. But I have developed some techniques so that I can control my output and stay consistent without quitting when things get tough.

I had made a shift in my approach. It starts with a focus on doing the ”bare minimum.”

• Batch create a lot of content.

• Schedule it for the future.

• Reply to the comments.

And then reach out and engage with other accounts when I had the time and energy.

Slowly the pressure disappeared.

But it also came with a need to accept slower growth.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

You can create sustainable habits that will ensure steady growth.

Also without becoming too overwhelmed and burning out.

Here are my three takeaways after steering clear of burnout while posting daily on X for 6 months:

Takeaway 1: Focus on progress, not perfection

Focus on making continuous practice, and throw perfectionism out the window.

When it comes to consistency I’m a perfectionist.

That does not mean I’m perfect and always reach my self-imposed quota. Far from it. That means I hold myself to a perfect standard and feel bad when I don’t reach it.

Which means I often make myself feel bad.

There are three ways I combat this:

1. Set small, achievable goals

2. Turn goals into specific tasks

3. Celebrate each step forward

When I started to set smaller goals, made my tasks more specific and celebrated even small steps taken forward, I found much more enjoyment in what I was doing.

Takeaway 2: Batching and scheduling are essential

Planning and doing your work in advance will save you tons of time and energy.

One of the most time-consuming aspects of my creative work is finding ideas and writing about them.

That’s why I try to cram as much writing in on the days I have the most time for it. Like with this newsletter. I write it a week before it goes out and schedule it. With social media content, I do the same.

Use the time you have available when you have it available.

Takeaway 3: Enjoy the journey, don’t wait for the destination

The process is as important as the final product.

This takeaway is something I especially have to work on. I’m always waiting to go around the next corner. Thinking that things will be much better or much easier on the other side.

Seeing results is good, but it shouldn’t be your everything.

Find ways to enjoy the process and bring playfulness into your creative work, especially through all the challenging moments.

Remember, consistency is key, but it doesn't have to mean constant hustle. Find a sustainable approach that works for you, and enjoy what you do.

If you're struggling with consistency or feeling overwhelmed by your creative pursuits, I'd love to hear from you. Share your thoughts and questions, and let's keep this conversation going.

Thanks for reading.

Peter