Fav Five 🖐️ | Ditch perfection: 5 tips for a creative rhythm that works for you
Avoid burnout on Substack
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Dear Friend,
I’ve loved reading through the comments from last week’s newsletter, How I’ve Kept the Joy in My Substack Journey.
It sounds like the permission slips I gave myself on my Substack journey were exactly what many of you needed too!
This week, I wanted to dive a bit deeper.
If you’ve ever felt stuck waiting for the perfect moment to begin, or if you’re worried about maintaining consistency, I’m here to share what’s worked for me.
This post is all about letting go of perfection, embracing a bit of trial and error, and finding a rhythm that feels right. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for ways to keep the joy in your creative process, I’ve got some tips that might just help.
I would love to know: What’s one thing you’ve given yourself permission to do (or not do) that’s made a difference in your creative journey?
Enjoy!
1. Let go of perfection and just start
Back in November 2023, I took instagram off my phone and started journalling. With that new headspace, ideas started to form. I didn’t know exactly what I was going to write on Substack, but I started anyway. Then my ideas morphed into something else and then it changed again. If I didn’t start imperfectly, I would never gone through the experimenting and refining.
When we do anything creative, we MUST move on from consuming and planning to creating and doing.
We have to be comfortable with being a messy beginner. It’s something I struggle with. (I wrote about it here.) So, if you feel like you are paralysed, I get it! I’ve been there.
✿ Try this ✿
Turn off the outside noise, like social media
Start journalling
Start reading inspiring books that help you tap into your creativity (Here’s my fav books to unblock creativity)
2. Embrace imitation and play around
says this in his book Steal like an Artist:“If we’re free from the burden of trying to be completely original, we can stop trying to make something out of nothing, and we can embrace influence instead of running away from it.”
When I was setting up my Substack, I saw
illustrated profile and I liked that idea. I was influenced…..but I made it my own.
We all draw inspiration from somewhere, so don’t be afraid to play around and experiment, especially at the beginning!
It’s not about copying, it’s about learning and figuring out what works for you. For example, my "Find Your Tribe" idea? I borrowed that concept from others, and I’m proud to give them credit every time.
✿ Try this ✿
Look around at what other people are doing and writing
Ask yourself what do you love about their work? Notice what inspires you?
Experiment with how to make it your own
Just a quick note: Borrowing ideas with the goal of gaining more followers or subscribers can sometimes end up feeling icky. That’s usually because it creates expectations that can take away from the joy of creating. Instead, try doing it because you genuinely enjoy it or want to offer something special to your readers.
3. Commit, but be realistic
When I revived my Substack, I committed to publishing weekly. Initially, I aimed for twice a week, but it quickly felt overwhelming. Instead, I settled into a weekly rhythm, which I've enjoyed for the past 9 months.
I schedule my writing for Wednesdays and publish on Fridays. This schedule gives me time to refine my ideas, and even if I don't write on Wednesday, it keeps me on track. There are times I finish writing on Friday or even Saturday, but I’d rather delay publishing than force myself to write when I’m not in the right headspace.
One lesson I learned during a vacation was that it's okay to take a break. This is a free newsletter, after all. If I miss a week, so I can be fully present for my vacation, it’s not a big deal, and my readers understand. I’ve also found you don’t need to let people know in advance unless you’re running a daily, weekly, or monthly series.
✿ Try this ✿
Experiment with a publishing schedule that fits your life and feels sustainable
Commit a time when you will write and a time that you will publish
Give yourself the flexibility to adjust your schedule when needed for your mental health
4. Lean into what makes you, you
I love the idea of creating art every day to improve my skills, but I haven’t been able to stick with it. Instead of feeling bad about it, I’ve accepted that daily art practice just isn’t for me right now. Lately, I’ve been enjoying attending a weekly watercolor class with a group of lovely retired folks, and I absolutely love it!
It’s easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing, but that doesn’t mean you should feel pressured to take on something that doesn’t fit you. Do what makes you happy! For me, that means going to a watercolour class instead of doing a daily art challenge. It also means leaning into what I enjoy on Substack, which for me, is sharing things to help others feel less alone. Running a live workshop or meet-up? It doesn’t feel like a good fit right now, but who knows, maybe one day!
✿ Try this ✿
Tune into what truly brings you joy and prioritise those activities
Release the pressure to keep up with others or to follow their “formula”
Lean into your strengths, even if it looks different to what everyone else is doing
5. Forget about the numbers
Whether it’s your subscriber count, open rate, or any other metric, the numbers will inevitably go up and down. Numbers are largely out of our control—the moment you start obsessing over numbers is the moment the joy starts to slip away.
In February 2024, I was putting HUGE amounts of pressure to figure out my life. It was not pretty. (I wrote about it here.)
As part of getting me back on track, I decided to do a dashboard detox and stopped looking at my metrics by simply putting my hand over the numbers on the Dashboard while I got on to the tab I needed to get to. (Since then, there’s been some great advice to bookmark the Post tab in the Dashboard.)
The sooner you refocus on what makes you happy, not the stats, the sooner you will create a joyful and sustainable Substack!
✿ Try this ✿
Try covering the metrics on your dashboard or bookmarking the tabs you need
Remember why you started and channel your energy into what you love, rather than the stats
Work hard to chase away any negative feelings when you see other’s metrics
I’m here cheering you on. Just know that everything will come together in its own time. You’re exactly where you need to be.
Sending you all the good vibes!
✍️ What’s one thing you’ve given yourself permission to do (or not do) that’s made a difference in your creative journey?
Thank you so much for stopping by! You may enjoy reading these as well:
Thanks for sharing this Mika! I’ve been overwhelmed lately and was falling into the trap of people pleasing and watching number versus focusing on my writing and exploring different genres, which is what I came here for in the first place. Just yesterday I reminded myself that I can do what I want, not what I think I should be doing. Your post reinforces this! 😊
It's so easy to land on Substack excited to just write, and then get pulled into everyone's ideas on how to make it work for you.
My Substack is also about taking the pressure off. I spent years listening to everyone tell me how to live life and be successful. It got me nowhere. Now, I'll only take from them what makes sense to me and ignore the rest.
I love the way you've designed yours. It has inspired me to consider how I can make mine look nicer. Pity I can't draw or paint!