Pod Smarter, Not Harder: How To Avoid Stress in Podcasting

Podcasting is no joke. Inviting guests, coming up with new content, engaging with listeners while consistently releasing new episodes can take a toll on you, especially on your mental health. But should it always be this way? No. When it gets overwhelming, always go back to your “Why.” Why did you start this in the first place? What message did you want the world to know? Actually, your passions aren’t meant to burn you out. It could just be a problem with task management or planning – things that can be easily fixed when you put new systems in place. Here are some examples:

Plan months ahead

This goes without saying, but preparation and organization can do absolute wonders. At least a month or a quarter before upload, use a tracker to plan your topic lineup, release dates, and guests. Work backwards and map out your timeline, then dedicate a few days to batch record all the interviews. It also helps if you can outsource the editing and show notes so you can focus on other tasks. With this adjustment, you won’t have to rush an episode every week. It not only takes your worries away, it also ensures quality content and backup episodes in case of any mishaps.

Repurposing content is key

Don’t sweat content ideation, just work with the ones you’ve got. Strategize how you can best repurpose existing topics so one episode creates other kinds of content. You can also reverse repurpose a non-podcast material, like a webinar or blog, to produce a podcast episode. And as long as it’s aligned with your podcast direction, another way to repurpose is to extract segments from existing episodes, and transform them into other formats like Ask Me Anything, Coaching Q&A’s, or even an encore episode for greater awareness on a topic.

Manage guest expectations

In working with guests, it’s best that you two are clear on some expectations, especially on the release date. Is the interview time-sensitive or is it evergreen? Do they expect you to release it on a certain date? But you’ve planned your whole calendar, so do you rearrange? Lots of stress can come from unmet demands that come from unclear assumptions. A good rule of thumb is to balance honoring commitments and setting boundaries. See what you can do but don’t over accommodate at the expense of your podcast. And if you can’t deliver their request, negotiate and always be honest.

Connect with others

When podcasting gets tiring, allow yourself the grace to step back for a bit and admire the community you’ve built. These are people who were once strangers, but are now friends because they share a tiny space you’ve created on the internet. It’s also a fun exercise to brainstorm for ideas or solutions with friends, teammates, and other like-minded people to reinvigorate your passion.

Still lost? Here’s a case study

Now you may not see the effect of podcasting immediately, but when you're consistent, the returns are significant. For example, branded podcasts – those with quality audio, stellar marketing and social media presence – are quickly gaining traction in the industry for their power to greatly increase brand equity, brand familiarity, and content rating, providing a win-win situation for both brand and podcaster. To reach successes like this, you have to adopt smarter podcasting practices, so some day, your ROI will come.