The Shopbop Spring Sale just might be one of my favorite times of the year! The weather is getting a little nicer and I'm committed to filling my closet with pieces fit for seamlessly transitioning into the new season like silk slip dresses, light sweaters and all kinds of fabulous shoes. The easy way to do it? Stock up on new favorites (spend more, save more!) by using code BIGEVENT16 at checkout through March 5th for up to 25% of your purchase.

Feeling the boho vibes (aren't we all)? This Free People romper is hanging out in my cart and an off-the-shoulder top is proving to be a springtime staple! lace-up flats are still on my mind and Western inspired belts are pulling at my heart strings.

Happy weekend shopping!

Annie Bing is definitely a newfound love of mine! There is something so chic about well-done staple pieces (think denim with the perfect fit and a wide variety of floaty white blouses) that can be brought out of the closet again and again. I can always use more of those. With a nod to effortless styling and a penchant for all things modern and cool, Annie Bing's world is one of style and substance.

"With her long experience of social media, Bing saw an opportunity to challenge the fashion industry by stepping away from traditional seasons, choosing instead to launch new pieces every week. This way there is always something new and updated for the customer to covet and invest in. The brand is aimed at fashionable women with a busy lifestyle, who need a wardrobe with pieces that are on point but easy to mix and match."

shop the look

Being a blogger is a lot of fun but it can also be hard.

Let me stop you right there, before the communal eye-roll commences, and thank you for continuing to take time out of your day to pay my corner of the internet a little visit. I'm humbled and so thankful for the support this (tinier than most) blog has garnered over the years and the freedom it allows me to explore the things that I love and share them with you. It's such a blessing that I get to e-meet so many amazing people, work with so many wonderful brands and indulge in my tendency for TMI that the offline world doesn't appreciate quite as much as the blogosphere does. My life has been changed by this fun project! Blogging is a super fun choice that I make consciously every time I throw together a product roundup, crop a tiny square image for Instagram or hit publish on a post of current favorite things that's light-hearted and fun to read.

I suspect, however, that a lot of my readership is comprised of fellow bloggers and that community of like-minded creators is truly important to me. If and when I can open up a topic for discussion about the process of blogging, it's a good day. Typically, when it comes to lifestyle blogs, there's a lot of pressure to produce content that's glossy. This leaves little time for focusing on the harder side of creating.

Blogger burnout is serious business and it's something that I struggle with all the time. Though creating content is a hobby that I love, there's a lot of stress and mental exhaustion that comes with keeping up with all of the platforms of today (I'm looking at you Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, Youtube and Snapchat... whew!) and competing with people who have similar interests/style/ethos.. When blogging becomes stressful, it's necessary to take a step back and re-evaluate the situation because a hobby (or a hobby turned career) shouldn't reek of performance pressure no matter how many other people are doing it (and doing it well) alongside you.

With so many articles and so much advice about the number of posts you should create per week in order to gain millions of followers, the type of content you should churn out to maximize SEO and a quick pity-party scroll through Instagram (is it just me or does Instagram turn into something toxic in about three seconds these days?), it's enough to turn anybody's motivation upside down.

Keep reading for a few of the ways that I battle the burnout:

Create for fun // Remember when you blogged for the hell of it even though your mom was the only one who checked in weekly? Instagrammed your goofy selfie even though it only got three likes? Those days, before everything became curated, seemed a bit more fun. When it all starts to feel a little too perfect I try my hardest to remember why I started (for the sake of documenting) and re-approach content from a place of fun. Lately I've been blogging a few more things that I like even though they might not enrich the blog archives.

Take a step back // Being inundated with amazing content can be so inspiring but it can also be pretty draining. Unplugging and stepping away from social media/blogs is one of my favorite ways to get inspired again. You might have noticed a more relaxed approach to scheduling posts and a few less Insta-snaps recently and that has been my effort to distance myself from all of the pressure. It often feels like I'll miss out on things or be forgotten if I take a bit of time away but I've found (shocker!) that life goes on. Nobody (unless you're super lucky/maybe not-so-lucky) is refreshing your feed religiously or waiting for the second your next post goes live. Let your blog happen organically and I promise you'll be a lot more relaxed.

p.s. This isn't to say that posting schedules are for nothing. Find what works for you (posting whenever you feel like it, once a week, three times a week, everyday...) and then release yourself from the stress that comes along with fretting about blogging.

Be real // This is something I'm still struggling with! Blogging and creating content has moved to such an editorial place that it feels like you'll be the odd one out without sharing a Photoshopped flat lay or DSLR selfie every day (and God knows I love seeing those things). Humans like things to be beautiful and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that! If anything, I urge you to find a balance between sharing those perfect moments (it's an art form after all) and real, raw moments. Don't feel pressure to live a life that's as perfect as your favorite 'grammer's. Odds are, they don't always share the hard work that goes into crafting those little vignettes or life's down times.

What are your tips for maintaining blogger sanity?!

images via Annie Bing