EP23 Getting Back on the Mic (The Smart Way)
Getting back into podcasting after a break? Let’s refresh your tech, mindset, and workflow so you can ease back in without burning out.
Ideas Discussed This Episode + Episode Timecodes:
00:00 – Ready to get back into podcasting? Let’s dust off the mic and refresh your process.
00:46 – Step 1: Check your gear—microphone, camera, editing software, and past resources.
02:00 – Step 2: Ease back in—batch record, schedule episodes, and find an accountability buddy.
02:48 – Step 3: Avoiding burnout—set boundaries, rethink your format, and pace yourself.
04:38 – Step 4: Make podcasting fun again—experiment with segments, guests, or shorter episodes.
05:00 – Action step: Record a warm-up episode to shake off the rust before going public.
05:50 – Teaser for next week: Winning back listeners—without the desperate begging.
Getting Back on the Mic (The Smart Way)
After a break from podcasting, it’s time to shake off the rust and get back in the groove! In this episode, we cover the practical and mental refresh steps you need—from checking your gear to setting boundaries—so you can restart with confidence and avoid burnout.
Getting back into podcasting doesn’t mean jumping in full speed without a plan. First, take a moment to check your equipment—does your mic still work? Has your editing software updated? Declutter your workspace and refresh any past notes or checklists to ensure a smooth transition.
To avoid overwhelming yourself, ease back into podcasting with a sustainable workflow. Batch recording can help reduce stress, scheduling episodes in advance keeps you consistent, and finding an accountability buddy ensures you stay on track. If burnout was an issue before, consider changing your format—switching to a fortnightly schedule or using seasons can help keep your energy up.
Above all, podcasting should be fun! Try new segments, tweak your format, or experiment with a secret episode just for your engaged listeners. And if you need guidance, Zoë Wood from the Video Confidence Coach is here to help you relaunch your podcast with confidence—without burning out.
TIME FOR A QUICK QUIZ 🤓
What’s a good way to ease back into podcasting?
A) Record a test episode
B) Ignore all previous planning
C) Release daily episodes
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Answer: A) Record a test episode - You can always start small 🧡
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Unknown Speaker 0:00
You've decided to get back into the groove for podcasting, but now you need to refresh everything. So let's dust off your mic and figure out how we're doing that, both literally and figuratively.
Unknown Speaker 0:18
You're listening to the Victorian podcasters podcast, your bite sized slice of podcasting. Know how we're all about connecting Victorian podcasters, newbies, pros and the on gona crowd. We'll put your money where your mouth is and join our emailing list and Facebook and LinkedIn groups for exclusive updates, resources and our Community Q and A, because podcasting doesn't have to be a solo gig. The podcasters is proudly produced on wadawurrung land.
Unknown Speaker 0:46
And yes, I did say fic a ticket for Italy. So the first thing that you need to do practically is make sure you check your gear. So does your mic still work if you're doing a video podcast, does your lights and camera still work? Do you still remember how to use the editing software. Has the editing software you use updated or upgraded since the last time that you've used it? Do you need to re teach yourself how to use it? Do you have any files or any checklists that you've made previously? Do they need to be refreshed? Now is a good time to start, and if you've got the opportunity to maybe decluttering your files, as well as decluttering your physical space where you podcast, is also a good opportunity, because now you can, because you're getting back to the groove right now, I'm aware that it can feel very gun horror to start like going full throttle back into podcasting now that whatever made you take the break in the first place has passed, or you feel more equipped to be able to take on podcasting again, but I want you to slow down a little bit. I want you to ease back into your podcasting routine and start slow. Can you batch record a bunch of episodes to reduce your stress, not even editing them, just batch recording, like I do here at the fake podcasters. Are you able to schedule anything ahead of time. Are you able to put in calendar reminders to remind your time where you're actually recording or batching a bunch of episodes? Do you have any accountability buddies or anyone, say, in a community of local podcasters who would be able to keep you on top of your recording and your podcast goals. If you're wanting to look for accountability buddies, why not check out Vic podcasters. We're always on the lookout. About every three months, we make sure to provide some opportunities for people to have accountability buddies in their
Unknown Speaker 2:35
podcast. Vic podcasters was brought to you by the video confidence coach. That's me emboldening women and non binary superstars with killer video marketing strategies, empowering them to show up, stand out and smash their goals.
Unknown Speaker 2:48
Now that you've cleared away all the mess, both the mental and the physical, hopefully, now it's time to think about avoiding podcasting burnout again. Now there is, I'm not saying that you taking a break from your podcasting was initially because of burnout, but there is a good chance it may happen either again, or it may happen in the first place because you're too busy running on that treadmill trying to get back into the swing of things. So as we've established in our previous episodes in this series. So why not check it out if you're unfamiliar what went wrong last time, and what can you do differently to make sure that doesn't happen again? What boundaries can you realistically set for both your recording and editing goals? Do you find yourself being a bit too precious in the editing room, or is it the opposite, where you try and self correct as you're recording? This can be helpful sometimes, but most of the time, it just takes more energy and effort out of what you do. So what can you realistically do to make sure that you don't burn yourself out and now that you're also thinking about starting afresh with this comeback, maybe think about moving to a different format, instead of a weekly format, maybe moving to a fortnightly format to avoid burnout, or maybe look into doing seasons of the podcast so you're able to take breaks, yes, for about a month or maybe two weeks whatever you need to do. But if it is to avoid burnout, highly recommend taking that break, no matter what your audience will understand and as you're getting back into the groove, let's talk about making podcasting fun again. Are you able to try any new segment or guest format within your podcast? Are you able to make it interesting for you and your audience. Because, of course, a lot of your community would love to hear the old you and the old format again, but if you are enjoying yourself and actually getting back into the reason why you're doing podcasting in the first place, experiment with shorter episodes, if that reduces your burnout, or maybe it's just a new thing for you,
Unknown Speaker 4:38
always remember why you started podcasting in the first place and bring everything back to that. Because hopefully that's why you started podcasting in the first place, to make it fun, but also to reach out to your community, an action step for those who are branching back into the podcasting arena, why not try and record a warm up episode? Now this isn't necessarily a podcast that you're going.
Unknown Speaker 5:00
Released to the public, but just something to shake off the rust and get you back into the flow of things. What is a topic or something that you've been interested in trying out that again, it's not necessarily going to be shown at the public, or maybe you can show it to a select few of engaged listeners or Patreons or people on CO fi, what can you offer people, maybe later on, but down the track, when you're back into the swing of things, or if you want to just make it a secret, offering to those of the Vic podcasters, I don't think we'll say no. Using this warm up recording, you can play around a bit with the test recording, have a bit of fun with it, and remind yourself that you are capable. You've done this before, and podcasting is supposed to be enjoyable next week, we're focusing on winning back your listeners without begging, because you're back into the groove again, right? Let's do this.
Unknown Speaker 5:50
That's it for this week's episode. Tune in next week for more tips, updates and the occasional pun. Good Ideas buzzing, excellent. Head to the show notes in this episode for details that you'll need to dive deeper into Victoria's podcasting community. Zo podcasters would like to acknowledge and pay our respects to the wadawurrung people of the Kulin nation, the traditional custodians of the land on which we work, live and play. We pay our respects to our elders past and present. We stand with the traditional custodians in these lands and working towards a more equal future. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land. And hey, don't forget, podcasting is better with mates.
The above episode description and transcript were generated with human knowledge + ai.
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