How to Create Social Media Content Without Overwhelm: The 5-Day Approach

The good news is, it doesn't have to be this way! Instead of cramming everything into one session, you can stretch your content creation over the week, tapping into different parts of your brain each day in bite-sized chunks. This approach not only helps avoid burnout but also keeps your creativity flowing and you are more likely to stay consistent with your content messaging.

Use my Monday to Friday Content Creation Strategy…

Monday: Planning & Strategy

Mondays are for mapping out your social media plan for the following week, so you are always working ahead of schedule. This removes the daily panic of not knowing what to post, then sharing a random image at 9 pm so the algorithm doesn't think you have ghosted your socials (we've all been there!)

Think of this as setting the stage—what are your goals, and what message do you want to share with your audience? Planning doesn't just mean creating content ideas; it's about aligning them with your overall marketing strategy.

On Monday, focus on:

- What content do I need to produce this week to achieve my business goals e.g. audience growth, nurturing my audience or generating sales?

- Who is it for, and what do I want them to do after seeing it?

- What platforms will I use, what emails do I need to send, and what articles do I need to write?

Spending time on planning ensures that your content has a purpose, and when the rest of the week rolls around, you won't be starting from scratch.

Tuesday: Writing

Tuesday is for writing because writing requires its own space and copywriting mindset. This is when you bring the ideas from Monday to life. Writing is a creative process, and it's important to give it dedicated time without the distraction of design or scheduling.

On Tuesday, focus on:

- Drafting blog posts, captions, or emails.

- Writing with your audience in mind — what will engage and resonate with them?

- Letting your ideas flow freely without worrying about perfection. You can always refine it later.

This focused time allows you to dive into storytelling and express your ideas, without the pressure of managing the visuals or other tasks.

Wednesday: Creating, Designing & Storytelling

Now that your words are on paper (or screen), Wednesday is for visuals. This is when you create the graphics, design the posts, and bring your written content to life through images and storytelling. You'll be using a different part of your brain here—one that's more visual and creative, perfect for designing without the distraction of writing.

On Wednesday, focus on:

- Creating visual content such as social media graphics, or Pinterest pins.

- Designing layouts that complement your written content.

- Ensuring that your visuals align with your brand tone and strategy.

- Film and edit any content needed

Separating the visual aspect from the writing helps you stay fresh and reduces the chances of feeling stuck or frustrated.

Thursday: Approve & Refine

By Thursday, it's time to step back and review everything you've created for your social media channels. This is your chance to refine your work, tweak the messaging, and ensure everything aligns with your strategy. A fresh set of eyes will help you catch any details you might have missed earlier in the week - if you are producing social media content for a client this is where you would send for approval.

On Thursday, focus on:

- Reviewing all written and visual content.

- Refining the copy—checking for clarity, grammar, and tone.

- Ensuring everything ties together with your overall strategy.

This day is all about fine-tuning, so when you get to Friday, you can confidently schedule without a second thought.

Friday: Schedule

Friday is for the finish line—getting everything scheduled and ready to go. By this point, you've done all the hard work. All that's left is to schedule your posts, making sure they're set to go live at the right times and on the right social media platforms. This is also a great day to plan any last-minute engagement tasks for the week ahead.

On Friday, focus on:

- Scheduling your content on the relevant platforms (Instagram, Pinterest, your blog, etc.).

- Setting reminders to engage with your audience when posts go live.

- Planning any additional promotional activities for your content.

Why This Works: A Brain-Friendly Approach to Social Media

One of the reasons this method works so well is that it taps into different parts of your brain across the week. Writing, creating, and strategising all require different mental processes, and switching between them too quickly can lead to overwhelm or burnout. By dedicating specific days to specific tasks, you allow yourself to fully engage with each part of the content creation process, avoiding distraction and making the whole experience more enjoyable and productive.

Stop Social Media Overwhelm in Its Tracks

If you've been struggling with consistent content creation, give the 5-day approach a try. By spreading the work across the week, you'll not only be more productive, but you'll also find it easier to produce higher-quality content that resonates with your audience and produces results. No more sitting down and trying to do it all in one go—just consistent, bite-sized, focused work that keeps your creativity flowing.

Are you ready to seize the week ahead with a stress-free, winning social media plan? Give this method a go and let me know how it transforms your approach!

Frances Brown is a qualified Personal Performance Coach, NLP Practitioner Social Media Manager & Pinterest Guru, and part of the Retail Champion Consultancy team. Working with Frances, you can start with a social media audit of your existing channels to understand what's working and what's not. Get a full social media content strategy written for you to execute or outsource it to her altogether with a full management package.