Here are the show notes for Episode #14 of Young House Love Has A Podcast, a recording of the closing talk we gave at the 2016 Haven Conference in Atlanta, GA. In this special episode we reflect on taking nearly a year away from blogging: why we stepped back, what we learned during that break, and how hindsight clarified five key lessons that shaped our next steps. We also talk about what we would do differently and the fresh challenges that come with living and working in an always-connected online world.
You can listen to this episode on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio — or use the player embedded below. On this page you’ll also find a selection of slides that illustrate some of the points we discussed during the talk.
Haven Conference
Image source credited to the original conference photographers (episode thumbnail and presentation images).
What This Episode Covers
This episode is a mix of candid reflection and practical takeaways. We outline the five clear lessons that became visible after stepping away from daily content creation for almost twelve months. Each lesson grew out of real decisions we made — from protecting family time, to reassessing priorities, to recognizing how the blog and podcast fit into our broader lives. Rather than present a hard-and-fast rulebook, we offer honest examples that illustrate what worked, what didn’t, and how we would approach similar choices today.
Topics discussed include:
- Why taking a break can be healthier and more productive than pushing through burnout.
- How time away clarifies what matters most professionally and personally.
- Practical approaches to balancing public life online with private family life.
- How content priorities shift when you stop chasing every algorithm and return to what you enjoy creating.
- Strategies to rebuild momentum after a long pause without losing your voice or audience.
Slides With Visuals
The slides included below provide visual context for several ideas we mention on the episode — from comparison diagrams showing offline versus online life to playful visuals we used while delivering the talk.
Why These Notes Matter
Whether you’re a creator facing burnout, a reader curious about the behind-the-scenes choices of long-running blogs, or someone thinking about pressing pause on a public project, this episode gives context and actionable ideas. The lessons are practical: they don’t promise a single right answer, but they do offer perspectives that may help you make more intentional choices about how you spend your creative energy, preserve your privacy, and sustain the people and routines that matter most.
Want to Explore More Episodes?
If you’re trying to remember a topic we covered in a past episode, there’s a master list of previous episode highlights that organizes what we’ve dug into across the podcast’s run. That list makes it easier to find earlier conversations about projects, process, and life behind the blog and the mic.