The Content Container Trap & Why You Might Be Overthinking It
I knew packing was painful, but when you pile ADHD, executive function issues, and a sprinkle of perfectionism on top of it, it’s a recipe for a complete mental breakdown.
There was a point during the process of moving out of my last apartment where I was completely tapped out, crying on the floor, and my partner said to me, “Just start throwing stuff in boxes.”
Which, like, okay, logical.
But also, no??? Are you *actually* telling me I should pack the last of my kitchen mugs with literal rolls of toilet paper, and just feel fine about that???
My brain practically short-circuited at the thought.
But my partner DID have a point. I was making things unnecessarily complicated and time-consuming for myself all because I wanted to only pack things together that made sense together. I wanted things to be neat and tidy and easy to find during the unpacking process.
Mugs with other dishes.
Towels with toiletries.
Books with office decor.
It worked fine at first — until I got near the end and was left with a pile of random stuff that didn’t fit any clear category.
I kept wanting to start new boxes to keep things categorized and tidy, but that only stalled the process.
Which is how I ended up still actively packing on the day I was SUPPOSED TO BE MOVED OUT, exhausted and running out of time.
The Container Trap And How It’s Killing Your Creativity
The same thing often happens when it comes to content.
I’m talking about only wanting to create content when that content fits neatly into our existing platforms or content pillars. Anything that doesn’t fit gets delayed, discarded, or maybe never created at all.
For me, anytime I have an “out of the box” idea, I find myself either:
- Putting it off if I think it doesn’t “fit” my platforms, or
- Wanting to start a whole new “box” (aka another whole ass thing) just to slot it neatly inside
The first one makes sense sometimes – but also, sometimes the “off-brand” content can and should be shared. The content that doesn’t fit perfectly in the “box” you’ve built for your online business is actually what often resonates the hardest.
And the second one just straight up isn’t sustainable. Not every new idea you have needs to become its own separate thing.
Because really, if you’re building a brand online, that brand is also YOU.
(I know this has been said a million times and is kind of cliche, don’t roll your eyes pls just hear me out)
This doesn’t mean that you have to overshare and become so coupled with your business that your life BECOMES the content.
It just means that the “box” doesn’t really matter as much as you might think it does.
If you start viewing yourself as the brand, then (almost) anything you make already automatically fits:
🧵 The off-topic Threads post (I’ve got about 3487 of those)
✏️ That photo of a random doodle you did in your notebook
💻 The essay that leans a bittt more personal than business-y
It all falls under the umbrella of YOU.
Some of my favorite creators are all the time mixing in random, human stuff with their “professional” content – and it’s one of the reasons I keep following them.
An example of someone who does this extremely well: Sara at Between The Lines Copy. She talks about being an ADHDer, being a single mom, and her intense love for Cape Cod and beach days – but her actual “thing” is website copywriting.
Part of the reason her brand stands out so much is because she integrates all the different facets of herself into her “main” content. It arguably WOULDN’T hit as hard if she separated them all into their own individual, sanitized boxes.
As an online business owner, it can feel compulsive to keep your platforms “niche” and streamlined. But I’d argue this actually makes people less likely to follow you, because you seem more like a niche content robot than an actual human being.
At the end of the day, we’re all humans trying to connect with other humans. People like seeing the behind-the-scenes stuff. The messy stuff. Your unique interests that make you, you.
You can throw all that stuff together and people will honestly relate to you even more.
Sometimes, the kitchen + toilet paper combo really does make the most sense.