Admin Well-being I've got no more energy left to run my community!

[Cedric]

Let's get real for a moment. Being a webmaster and running a forum isn't always a walk in the park. Life has its own way of throwing curveballs at us, and sometimes, we find ourselves battling fatigue and low enthusiasm for our beloved online communities. Winter often hits us hard with being sick and being burnt out running our communities.

I'll kick things off by admitting that there have been times when my work schedule and personal life situations left me drained, making it hard to find the energy to devote time to my forum. But here's the thing – I still try to visit the forum daily and keep the discussions going, even when it feels like the members are less active than usual. We as an admin still need to lead as example and not expect our members to run our community.

I'm not alone in this, right? Have any of you experienced a dip in enthusiasm or energy for your forum? It happens to the best of us. The burning question here is: how did you overcome it?

Let's share our experiences and strategies for reigniting that forum flame. Did you take a break and come back with a fresh perspective? Or maybe you found inspiration by connecting with other webmasters and sharing ideas? Perhaps you introduced new and exciting features to your forum to rekindle interest?

There's no one-size-fits-all solution to this challenge, but by opening up about our own struggles and successes, we can help each other find ways to stay motivated and engaged with our forums, even during those inevitable slumps.

So, fellow webmasters, have you ever lost enthusiasm or energy for your forum? How did you fix the problem? Let's hear your stories and insights.

 

[Clarice]

I have honestly become depressed over low activity on my forum.

 

[an0nym0us]

The forum is in waves, there will always be ups and downs, the important thing is that you continue to produce products for the members without losing interest and finding it somewhere else.

 

[Cedric]

I have honestly become depressed over low activity on my forum.

What have you tried so far to increase activity? Do you post daily yourself?

The forum is in waves, there will always be ups and downs, the important thing is that you continue to produce products for the members without losing interest and finding it somewhere else.

Very true. We see that all the time. Especially when the Holidays are near.

 

[Clarice]

I would add stuff to generate more people to come and join up. New skins, graphics. I even added some new holiday-type stuff.

 

[Cedric]

I would add stuff to generate more people to come and join up. New skins, graphics. I even added some new holiday-type stuff.

What stuff do you add? Skins and graphics aren't going to convert into activity. Content is more important than ever.

 

[Clarice]

I also add posts and stuff. I get the feeling that Jcink is no longer the popular forum host it once was, but with my husband not able to find a new job, I can't afford a paid one.

 

[Cedric]

I also add posts and stuff. I get the feeling that Jcink is no longer the popular forum host it once was, but with my husband not able to find a new job, I can't afford a paid one.

It's true, our time is more limited than ever so many of us prefer to spend our time onto more serious platforms, often paid ones. So free forum hosts are in a decline even more than the paid options. But that doesn't mean it can't be done. Look at Paul's forum Funjoint. Prime example of a free hosted forum that is successful.

 

[Al]

Don’t feel bad about taking some time out. Burnout is a real thing with a real risk. If things are getting too much, take a nap. There is no shame in prioritising your mental health over a hobby.

In the middle of this year I had no forums. Now I have three. Or is it two and a half? Or is it four? I sometimes feel I am drawn to the NEXT BIG THING and that’s something, another thing, that I need to work on. Focus on what I already have and not get sidetracked by the next fancy. We all know that forums are a long term project and hard work. It’s important not to spread yourself too thin.

So now with my three forums, or is it two and a half or is it four, and my four blogs, I have a lot to keep an eye on. I also have three kids, a full time job, some semblance of a social life, family demands, a requirement to sleep occasionally and wine. Let’s not forget the wine.

I see no shame in taking my foot off the gas when I feel my energy levels are low. Thing thing is, your forum never goes away. If you take a day off it will still be there the day after. Sure, there may be a lack of activity if you – the owner – have not posted, but if you’re lucky others may have continued to check in and look things over in your absence. It doesn’t matter. Better to take a day, lose a potential new member who drops by when there is no-one online than to suffer burnout and throw in the towel completely.

One solution is to ask someone to share the burden. There is not shame in asking for help and this community is full of people who will gladly have your back if you need them to. Forge relationships, help each other.

Ultimately, you have to prioritise self-love over forum-love. Because if you don’t look after yourself you can’t look after anything or anyone else.

 

[Clarice]

It's true, our time is more limited than ever so many of us prefer to spend our time onto more serious platforms, often paid ones. So free forum hosts are in a decline even more than the paid options. But that doesn't mean it can't be done. Look at Paul's forum Funjoint. Prime example of a free hosted forum that is successful.

I do have some new ideas I am planning to try. My now former partner has his plate full right now so I can't ask him to come back to help. I am trying to figure out my next move as I continue the planning for the new stuff.

 

[Nomad]

I have energy and enthusiasm, however, my major problem is not having enough funds to promote sites for better traffic and revenue.

 

[Mike30]

I have honestly become depressed over low activity on my forum.

Those cycles are normal and everyone goes through that situation. Forums are a moving target. If you don't keep it moving, it goes away.

 

[Ravenfreak]

I've had days where I wouldn't have the energy to post on my forums. However, when I do feel this burnout coming on I take just at least one day to take a break from my communities. I log back in and post whenever I feel less burnout, after all if you're not online it doesn't look good on your part. I think it also depends on the niche of your forum too. For example, I'll admit I haven't had the motivation or drive to keep my inclusive community going. The reason being is reporting on all the negativity, it upset me and I needed to take a step back. That's when I sort of realized, that running that type of forum takes a very special person and I can't really keep running a site that affects my mental health. Likewise I could never run a mental health forum, since I know it would mentally drain me after a while trying to help others. I'm thinking of getting a back up of Free to Be Us, and archiving the forum but keeping the back up in case I wish to return to the project in the future.

 

[Empire]

Get those days all the time, and I have to deal with it on my own