How I Safeguard My Mental Health as a New Writer
5 insightful tips for managing stress and staying consistent
Tell me, how do you want to feel when you start a fresh article?
How do you want to deal with lower views and readership as a beginner writer?
Many believe you endure the slow climb by planning a rigid routine and acting on every piece of information. But, surviving the initial quiet requires more than just the to-dos and timelines.
So, what do we need?
We need to take care of our emotional well-being to stay consistent.
That’s why, to help you in your writing journey, I am sharing what I do to safeguard my mental health as a new writer.
1. Do one day of free writing
I know they say, it’s never about you. It’s about your readers.
But, one day a week, make it about you.
Because the thing is:
As much as you are writing to help people. You’re also writing because you love the craft.
If you focus solely on publishing for others, you stop enjoying the process. Everything becomes a chore — writing posts, engaging with the community and building a personal brand. I have learned this the hard way.
Yes, weekly goals are important. Working on your long-term vision is important. But, only when you love what you do can you push through the dipping motivation when things get tough.
So, every Saturday or whichever day works for you, write for yourself.
You do not have to publish it online. You do not have to worry about longer or shorter paragraphs. You do not have to focus on solving a problem. Write simply for the admiration for it.
Here are some ideas for your free writing session:
- Things you’re noticing around.
- A habit you want to develop and why.
- Someone you admire the most and why.
- The importance of creativity in your life.
- A memory that shaped who you are today.
- The time when you made a tough decision.
The intention is to retain the joy of writing without getting lost in tasks and deadlines.
2. Acknowledge comparison
It’s natural to look at someone ahead of you and wish to be in their position.
Now, the simple act of comparison isn’t the problem. It’s what we do with it that matters.
So, I say acknowledge and use it to work harder on your dreams.
How?
Lean onto the feelings of jealousy and self-doubt that come with seeing others’ success. Instead of shaming yourself or suppressing these emotions, register their impact on your own journey.
- Is it reducing your drive to grow online?
- Is it leading to writer’s block or procrastination?
- Is it making you obsess over likes and followers?
Understand that pitting yourself against others adds no value to your skills or mindset. Rather, it takes away your confidence.
Then, shift your attention to the effort and time others have put in. And you’ll notice that instead of resentment, you feel inspired.
Use this inspiration to put your head down and work on your vision.
3. Do not force vulnerability
Readers connect with your stories.
And I am sure you’ve struggled with what you should share and how much.
After all, how vulnerable can you be online?
While it’s important to make a bond with your readers by revealing parts of you. You do not have to force vulnerability. You do not have to open your wounds to share the lessons.
You decide your Boundaries as a writer.
Instead of focusing on what you ‘have to’ share, focus on what you want to share. People appreciate authenticity and it will be liberating for you.
Start with what you’re comfortable with. Just like any other relationship, build mutual trust in your connection with the readers.
As you write more, more people will relate to you, and you’ll feel safer in expressing deeper emotions.
Rather than using personal anecdotes as a growth hack, share them to find your tribe.
4. 15mins daily engagement
Writing online is lonely.
But, it doesn’t have to.
No, I am not going to throw in the word ‘networking’. Trust me, I am as anxious about it as you are. It sounds heavy and intimidating.
So, here’s what I want you to do instead:
- Choose 2 platforms. (Medium, Substack, X etc)
- Choose 2 people each on these platforms you like.
- Block 15 mins in the evening daily to engage with them.
- Read their work and leave genuine likes, and comments on their post.
That’s it.
It’s not that complicated, is it?
You can always build further from here. Interact with more people as you start enjoying being in the space.
It’s great for your emotional health to be around those who are on the same path as yours. It builds a sense of companionship.
5. Disconnect from the digital world
Set a daily cutoff time for online activity.
Say post 9 at night, you turn off notifications and put your phone away.
This has helped me a lot.
Dissociating from the noise at the end of the day is a must to avoid burnout. Otherwise, you carry the noise to the bed and struggle to sleep.
And what happens if you don’t sleep well?
Your productivity suffers.
In turn, you skip goals and feel like an imposter.
Nobody wants that, right?
So, stop consuming external information after a fixed time every night.
Relax, eat dinner, and reconnect with your personal life — relationships, hobbies, and self-care.
If you do that, you’ll wake up resilient to take on the day.
There you go — these are the things I am doing to live an emotionally healthy life as a new writer.
So, which one of these can you start doing today?
Remember, you’re the centre of your life.
Take care of yourself to survive the uncertainties and enjoy the process of getting where you want to be as a writer.
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