I've blogged both when I was and wasn't working and you can probably guess it's a lot easier to blog when you don't have another job to tend to.
I started my blog in 2011 (or was it 2010?!), back when I was an undergrad. I barely blogged once a month. Then I got pregnant and took my blog in a different direction; a mommy blog. I started blogging weekly during pregnancy and biweekly once my daughter was born. Easy, right? Then in January when I decided to start building my blog, I blogged weekly and often twice a week. It's hard enough to blog with kid(s), and add working to that...
Making your blog work while you have to work 40 hours a week at another job is plain tough. Here are 5 things I've learned to do so your blog won't suffer.
1. When you get an idea for a post in your head, write it down!
Use your "notes" app or something of the like. Better yet, use a calendar. Once an idea pops in your head you might not remember it later and you won't have the time to sit and brainstorm ideas if you're busy.
2. Take time on a Saturday or Sunday to binge blog.
All those ideas that you have written down; turn those into posts on the weekends. Write at least a few posts to last you for the week.
3. Schedule posts on your blog. And schedule posts to your facebook fan page ahead of time.
After my daughter goes to bed, I spend some time scrolling through my facebook feed and bloglovin and find all the articles (or memes) I really like. I then schedule to share them on my facebook fan page for the next day. I try to find at least 3 to share a day. On a good day I will schedule 5.
4. Have an entrepreneurial mindset.
So, you have to be as efficient as possible. This means outsource the most time consuming jobs. I struggle hard with this because I want to do everything. But if taking photos and editing them is taking up too much of your time, buy stock photos or hire someone to edit ones you already have. You can hire someone to do anything; from creating a logo to managing your twitter account. If it helps you get ahead, it's worth it.
5. Multi-task. Prioritize.
There are nights where I would really like to read a book, but instead, work on my blog. BUT, to compensate for my lack of reading at night, I have started to utilize audiobooks and listen to them at work or at the gym. Now I get the best of both worlds. You just have to learn to swap things around, be aware of your priorities, and willing to be flexible. Think of your days like a puzzle and every day you're trying to figure out how to fit the puzzle pieces together to make it work!
Making your blog work while you have to work 40 hours a week at another job is plain tough. Here are 5 things I've learned to do so your blog won't suffer.
1. When you get an idea for a post in your head, write it down!
Use your "notes" app or something of the like. Better yet, use a calendar. Once an idea pops in your head you might not remember it later and you won't have the time to sit and brainstorm ideas if you're busy.
2. Take time on a Saturday or Sunday to binge blog.
All those ideas that you have written down; turn those into posts on the weekends. Write at least a few posts to last you for the week.
3. Schedule posts on your blog. And schedule posts to your facebook fan page ahead of time.
After my daughter goes to bed, I spend some time scrolling through my facebook feed and bloglovin and find all the articles (or memes) I really like. I then schedule to share them on my facebook fan page for the next day. I try to find at least 3 to share a day. On a good day I will schedule 5.
4. Have an entrepreneurial mindset.
So, you have to be as efficient as possible. This means outsource the most time consuming jobs. I struggle hard with this because I want to do everything. But if taking photos and editing them is taking up too much of your time, buy stock photos or hire someone to edit ones you already have. You can hire someone to do anything; from creating a logo to managing your twitter account. If it helps you get ahead, it's worth it.
5. Multi-task. Prioritize.
There are nights where I would really like to read a book, but instead, work on my blog. BUT, to compensate for my lack of reading at night, I have started to utilize audiobooks and listen to them at work or at the gym. Now I get the best of both worlds. You just have to learn to swap things around, be aware of your priorities, and willing to be flexible. Think of your days like a puzzle and every day you're trying to figure out how to fit the puzzle pieces together to make it work!
Let's hear from you!
Who works full-time? What things do you do to keep your blog running smoothly?
3 comments
LABELS:
blogging,
Working Mom
I love the name of your blog! This is such great advice for those who are working a full time job as well as for students.
ReplyDeleteThank you! And yes, I didn't even think about students!
DeleteI use all of these tips for when I blog and work. Saturday evening and Sunday evening are my days where I write all my ideas and then the night before is when it's finalized and published/scheduled. It's hard keeping up with the blogs I regularly read though, some days I have to just spend the evening reading and catching up.
ReplyDeleteliz jo @ sundays with sophie