Creating Content Mindfully is an Art
It is 6 pm on Friday evening. I'm home from work, with a packed schedule for Saturday and a shoot planned for my reels on social media on Sunday. Just for information, my social media handle is courtesyandcarriage where I upload content every single day. I have to make a choice: either sit up late tonight and create some content just for the sake of it, or cancel my movie and lunch plans for Saturday and devote time to developing content mindfully. I do understand that creating content just because I have to post something will do me more harm than good, but a weekend outing is very tempting... However, I must choose wisely. So, I opt for the second option.
Now, what do I mean when I talk about creating content mindfully? After all, designing content—words and graphics—is a creative process. It simply means being thoughtful and intentional while creating content, with the goal that whatever one creates must resonate with the people one wants to reach out to. Of course, in today's world, it is a tough call. After all, we are all juggling different things throughout the day—home, work, kids, and the list is endless. Add to that the plethora of information available to all at a click of a button. All the more reason for the content we create to be focused, intentional, and meaningful so that it makes a positive impact on the minds of our audience.
These are a few tips that can help you create content with intention...
Self-Discipline: This is the most important one. It's not only important to be creative, but also crucial to be consistent. Being consistent means being organized and disciplined. However, staying disciplined doesn't mean working 24x7 because 'all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.' To prevent burnout, make time to rest. Also, find time to take care of your near and dear ones and your health. Create a schedule that allows you to work on things you like without sacrificing necessary tasks that you might not enjoy. And whatever you do, do it with focus and intention, avoiding multitasking a zillion things!
In spite of all this, things may not go as per plan. Life happens to us all, and sometimes our best-laid plans and schedules do go for a toss. But if you are disciplined, chances are you have a plan B in place that will help you tide over hurdles.
Be genuine, be real: Be true to yourself and to others. Be aware of what you post and the impact your post could have on your audience. It could be sensitive and could hurt the sentiments of others. Internalize what you post; your thoughts and behaviors must be in harmony because that will help you win the trust of your audience. Use an empathetic tone of voice; speak directly, no pretenses, please.
Know your audience: It is not enough to just provide information. You want to create content to influence action among your audience. And for that, you need to know who you are talking to, and your content needs to be focused toward this intended target group. So, know who you are reaching out to, and then ensure that your content is useful, relevant, accessible, easy to understand, and does not offend any cultural beliefs.
Build a strong connection with your audience: Engage with your audience and try to understand their interests and needs. When they respond to your content, make sure you read their comments and connect with them. Share your personal experiences, offer advice, ask them questions— all of this will help you create a strong connection. Put yourself out there and start building a trustworthy relationship with your audience.
Being a content creator myself, I have started applying mindfulness in my work, and let me assure you, it has paid off! For example, halfway through my journey so far, I realized that I was spending a lot of time creating short videos by manually editing long videos, and the quality of my work was compromised. Then, I discovered this amazing tool called QuickReel. Now I save so much time and effort in editing my reels, and I do not need any manual intervention while creating my reel. In a few minutes, it's ready to post. This tool has helped me stay motivated in my journey as a creator, improve my efficiency, as well as the quality of my reels, and I can now redirect my time and effort towards researching new content and engaging with my audience.
Consume content mindfully: Today, we live in an age of 'information overload.' From cinema to the internet, to OTT, to social media, we are consuming so much content that it could be detrimental to our progress if we do not control the quality of intake. Check the purpose of the content on your feeds and choose whether they motivate you to become a better version of yourself or break you down to feel a sense of lacking. Remember, what you consume will help you find the inspiration and fuel your creativity in crafting your content, which in turn will help you connect more deeply with your audiences.
