OK, if you’re honest with me, I’ll be honest with you:
How many podcasts, emails, newsletters, trainings, etc.etc.etc. are on your “to listen/watch/read” list?
Last I checked, I had 103 podcast episodes downloaded.
Kate told me her Goodreads “want to read” list currently sits at 398 books.
Will I listen to some of those podcasts? Absolutely. Will Kate read many of those books? 100%.
But there’s always going to be more.
Don’t get me wrong, consuming information is necessary!
But at a certain point all that consumption can start to feel like just another task you can check off your list.
It feels productive.
And sometimes it is. And sometimes you space out after listening to the same 30 seconds of the podcast 3x over and realize you “listened” to it … but you didn’t do anything with it.
Heck, sometimes I don’t even remember what I just heard.
So, Kate and I decided to share our best tips for unplugging on this week’s episode of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast.
Why?
Well, sometimes the best thing you can do for your business isn’t reading another marketing or copywriting tip.
It’s not downloading another guide.
It’s not listening to podcasts (I know, shooting ourselves in the foot a little there …)
Sometimes the best thing is turning it all off for a bit and letting your brain breathe.
Now excuse me while I go stare out a window for 10 minutes. 😉
TUNE IN: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher
Looking for closed captioning or a transcript? Watch the episode on YouTube!
A Sneak Peek at the Episode
[02:02] We’re talking about the concept of consumption versus creation. And what percentage of time things are coming out of your brain versus going into your brain. There’s a lot to consume and I think I fall into the trap.
[03:08] What I would advocate is that we have to dial down the consumption strategically. And dial up the creation. Sometimes turn off the consumption for a solid 24 hours, if not a whole week.
[04:04] Look at what’s coming to you for maybe the course of a month. If you are not finding any value in that, or it’s just getting overwhelming, hit unsubscribe.
[04:24] There’s a mental overload that can make you just constantly and perpetually feel like you’re behind and that you’re never gonna get caught up and there’s so much more to learn. You just feel less and less qualified, even though that’s not the case at all.
[04:42] I’m subscribed to so many podcasts. The first things I check in the morning because it’s like free new stuff. But when it really comes down to it, it didn’t move me forward in the business.
[05:28] When I notice that my purpose for going through the podcast is more to cross them off the list. To feel like I’ve done something versus actually doing something, that’s when I know I have to take a step back and evaluate that particular brand of consumption.
[08:06] Obviously you want to take action on something sooner than later. If it’s something that could be beneficial to your business, your life, whatever. But I think we just really have to be discerning. Make rules for ourselves.
[10:36] If you’re looking at the images, even if you’re just reading a headline or a hook or just the first line of a caption, you are consuming. In fact you are consuming so much, so many different things. So quickly it’s a brain overload.
[12:27] As I was getting things ready and listening to podcasts, hours before I’m even sitting down to my desk, I’m consuming and it’s draining my energy and draining my focus. What am I gonna do now? My brain is buzzing.
[13:52] So what’s on my list, what I’m eventually going to listen to, versus what I can just ignore. Just be cognizant and make sure what you’re consuming is something that you’re using. Make sure it’s either an idea that you go put into play.
[17:38] If I’m cutting down my consumption, what am I going to do instead? Creation is great and we create. As copywriters, we create for our clients. Many of us are creative writers as well. But we can’t spend all of our time creating in the same way that we can’t spend all of our time consuming.
[18:12] I think it can be very uncomfortable if you’ve been going at such a high speed that the second you slow down even a little bit, there’s guilt, I’m slowing down. But you have to really sit with that discomfort and potential guilt for a little bit before your body can recalibrate. This is normal.
[19:00] Your brain doesn’t operate in just in and out. It needs an incubation period. Even if you can carve out five minutes or 10 minutes. Stare out the window, looking at your own yard, isn’t gonna make you feel stressed out.
[20:31] Your brain needs a break and sleeping is very important but even that’s not enough. It needs breaks during the day.
[22:08] Clearly I’m not gonna stop listening to podcasts. Kate’s not gonna stop reading newsletters and vice versa. And we’re not gonna stop reading business books and fiction books. But I think we all collectively have to give ourselves a break and be a little bit more cognizant of what these balances are.
Must-Hear Takeaways
As with every episode, we highly encourage you to listen to the entire conversation! But here are a few of the highlights:
“What percentage of time things are coming out of your brain versus going into your brain. There’s a lot to consume and I think I fall into the trap.” – Nicki
“Did I actually use that information to do anything with it?” – Kate
“Me being offline for a day a week is not going to impact that. I’m not gonna be behind.” – Kate
“The way we make boundaries with our clients, I think we have to make those same boundaries with ourselves” – Nicki
“I think when it comes to things that we’re going to consume we’ll talk about what to do instead of consuming certainly in just a moment.” – Nicki
Mentioned in the Episode
Related Links
- 8 Must-Listen Podcasts to Amp Up Your Digital Marketing Knowledge
- The Best Copywriting Courses vs. Waste of Time (and Money!)
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About the Build Your Business Podcast
Ready to turn your love of writing into a successful copywriting career?
Join professional copywriters Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz to get the tips, tools, and training to help you become a copywriter and build a thriving business of your own. Nicki and Kate have 20+ and 10+ years of experience, respectively, writing copy for multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.
Whether you want to land an on-staff job, freelance full-time and work from wherever you want, or make extra money with a side hustle, the best place to start learning is right here.
