The Downside Of Frequency
When you step away briefly, you’ll find everyone right where you left them when you return.
We view frequency as a way to keep us in the minds and social media feeds of other people.
Then again, we’re not robots and we don’t need to slip into easy habits of turning into robots.
A mantra we live by is to publish consistently.
Whether on a daily or weekly basis, the goal is to ensure our presence and be memorable to others. It’s how we draw people to come closer to us. Nobody wants to be irrelevant.
Publishing frequently serves a purpose:
— It shows that you are putting effort into improving your craft. It’s the constant practice that helps you find your confidence and rhythm.
— You start to find your voice, so you can lean into what works and quietly refine. It’s also great when other people comment and contribute to what you started.
— You grow over time and you start to feel more comfortable with your topic area and the value it provides to people.
Whatever you put your effort into, if you are committed, there has to be progress over time. You improve the longer you are at the wheel.
Then again, consistency and frequency can become your comfort blanket.
Let me explain.
It is often easier to follow a ‘content’ calendar than it is to take a break and allow new ideas to develop. Stepping aside can be intimidating. What if people aren’t there when you return? What if the time away turns into one week, one month, or one year?
What if you let yourself have some time away? What if you gave yourself the chance to let your thinking and ideas simmer? Leave it for a while, come back with fresh eyes, adjust it, then refine it.
What if you took a break from the feeds and inboxes to figure out and create something truly worthy of being there?
What if you’re ready to stop the constant cycle and do something more worthwhile?
What Happens When You Step Aside
I take a few weeks off every summer, and the weekly YATM newsletter doesn’t get delivered to people’s inboxes.
I do it as a way to not slip into mediocrity. I need it as a way to recharge. Everything you read is a result of thorough effort, with no shortcuts taken and no last-minute work. The weekly YATM newsletter is my ongoing commitment to you.
The Thursday newsletter has been my constant pulse since October 2013. The danger with frequency is that you live by the calendar.
Even if your work doesn’t quite hit the mark and you are finding your work isn’t quite as good as it was a few months ago, it doesn’t matter, you have a deadline you promise yourself and others, every week.
It’s easier to hide behind a busy schedule than to be honest about your work. It’s better to set aside time to produce top-notch work than to keep producing mediocre results every time you show up
Every year, I’ve noticed that during the summer holidays (and Christmas), open rates decrease slightly. It makes sense because people are taking some time off. To me, this is an opportunity to recharge. I want to continue creating work that deserves a place in your inbox and that you value.
We have to give ourselves some slack and remember that churning out work just because people subscribe, can be detrimental to the relationships and reputation you build.
One of my biggest fears was that taking a three-week break meant that no one would be there when I came back. What I learned was that everyone was still there.
It’s the continuous practice that enables you to step back, not just for the quality of your work, but for your own well-being.
If you are building an audience where people are familiar with you, you have to be transparent with them:
— If it’s time to step back for a brief period, let people know when you will be back. The habits that people build when they know when to expect you, may become disrupted. You can’t just disappear if people become used to you.
— The time and effort you put into your work, there is always a demand and commitment you give. If you know you haven’t waivered and kept on track, there will come a time when you need to recharge and let new ideas formulate. That shouldn’t be seen as shunning away.
It’s better to focus on your own game rather than playing the game of a social platform and its algorithm.
This approach makes you responsible for the work you produce and the people you are accountable to.
Consistently creating content helps us establish a rhythm and maintain steady progress. However, if we rely solely on this approach, it may prevent us from pausing to reflect, realign our priorities, reassess our direction, and explore new ideas.
Let’s Round-Up
Taking a step back from your work is not a step away from your audience. It’s a vital part of staying relevant. Consistency is important, but so is ensuring that what you create is engaging.
To make an impact with your work, you have to allow your ideas and creativity to flourish. If that means time out to write notes, build strands of themes that connect, that can only be for the benefit of your audience.
No one ever wanted to proudly admit they churned out mediocre content.
If there are people with you, they will still be there when you return, eager for the fresh perspectives and renewed energy you bring.
You have to embrace the power of the pause. It’s how we all keep going.
