Pivot Point: Burnout and Making Changes

When I started this year-long learning project, my grand plan was to post a new blog entry every day, each aligned to a thematic topic of the week (like Monday for quantum physics, Tuesday for technology, and so on). It sounded great — covering a huge breadth of subjects, never running out of new topics to tackle. The reality... was a not quite what I’d envisioned. I'm going to make a change in to how I publish this content.

Why the Change?

1. Work Demands

First and foremost, work took a larger toll on my time and energy than I initially expected. Between professional responsibilities and personal commitments, finding the mental space to research, write, and publish seven fully fleshed-out posts a week became a struggle. Sometimes, by the time I finished work, the idea of brainstorming a new, well-researched article felt more daunting than inspiring.

2. Quality Over Quantity

Second, I noticed I was missing the mark on the quality of the posts I wanted to put out. I truly believe each post should be thoughtful, engaging, and factually solid - and I should have had time to think about them and give some commentary. But when you’re on a daily treadmill of producing new content, there’s barely room to pause and reflect — let alone dive deeper into a subject. I was learning for my own sake, and I truly felt like not only was I not learning to the level I would have liked to: I was also doing a disservice to anybody reading.

3. The Stress Factor

Finally, it’s honestly stressful seven days a week. By the end of just the first week, the excitement of daily posting turned into a huge source of pressure. I was doing this for myself first and foremost. The stress caused me to seize writing anything at all because I knew I was behind... But, I still want to learn and I still want to share those learnings.

The New Format

To tackle these issues, I’ve switched to a more sustainable approach. Here’s how:

1. Monthly Theme
   Each month, I’ll choose one broad theme—something like “Quantum Physics,” “Ancient Civilizations,” or “Emerging AI.” I'll choose them towards the end of the previous month based on what I'm feeling like learning, and honestly it may switch during the month. Spending a whole month on one topic allows me to dig deeper and make connections I might otherwise miss.

2. Weekly Check-Ins
   Instead of a daily post, I’ll do a shorter article each week exploring a specific subtopic, or angle, or thought within the broader monthly theme. This keeps the momentum going without overwhelming my schedule.

3. Monthly Synthesis
   At the end of each month, I’ll publish a more comprehensive piece. This writeup will wrap up everything I’ve learned, draw connections, and add personal reflections. It’ll serve as both an intro, main content, and conclusion and a springboard into the next month’s theme.

Why This Helps

Deep Exploration

With more time per topic, I can build a richer understanding. Rather than spreading myself thin across seven different fields in a single week, I get to immerse myself in one area and gradually peel back the layers over a month.

Time Management

By switching to weekly check-ins, I can plan my reading and research in a more relaxed way. I’m no longer panicking on a Tuesday night because I need to finish that day’s blog post. Now, I can pace myself, ensuring each weekly piece is well thought out.

Narrative Cohesion

This monthly structure creates a cohesive, story-like arc. Readers can follow my journey from a broad introduction, through various weekly insights, all the way to a final, comprehensive (hopefully) understanding. It transforms the project into a narrative rather than a fragmented collection of daily musings.

What's next

I'm going to work out what I want to learn, write an intro post and post it. Stay tuned!

(P.s. I'd like to improve the styling of the blog, I am a web developer but I'm not a designer. I'll get around to it.)