Every week, we share one of our favorite ‘how-to’ posts about blogging, social media, and the community we LOVE to love. Our desire is you consider HLB a resource in your efforts to blog BETTER – we want to be stronger bloggers ourselves, and we see the desire for stronger posts and cleaner designs. We understand wanting to know the BEST plug-ins, aps, programs, and resources to keep your site in tip top shape. And nothing makes us nerd-out more than getting super meta about all things blog-world. We’re not experts, we’re simply bloggers ourselves – sharing our own experiences, tips and tricks of the trade each Thursday with a BTT post. We welcome your questions, your suggestions for future topics, and your ‘how-to’ post recommendations at healthylivingblogs@gmail.com!
Today’s post comes from our friend Erin of Erin’s Berries!
Everyone has schedules that they need to stick to, deadlines they need to meet, and friends & family they want to keep in touch with. How on earth would you have the time to blog too? I get asked that question all the time. And I always answer, “It’s honestly not hard – as long as you have realistic expectations.”
I’m not the type of blogger that posts more than once a day. I don’t have the time (or the energy) to wake up extra early before work and post about my breakfast, post at lunch, and again at dinner. I try to blog as much and as often as I can, with my full-time job.
How to Blog with A Full-Time Job
1. Carry around a notebook with you to document all your ideas. You never know when a great idea for a post will pop up in your head. You always want to jot them down so you can remember them later. I’ve found myself noting things down in movie theaters, gas stations, and Wal-Marts. You could start just by creating a notepad on your smart phone too!
2. Find a time that works for you each day to blog. I find it easier to blog directly after I get home from work. That way, I’m still in work-mode and I haven’t completely melted into the couch to watch my TV shows.
3. Try to write multiple posts in one sitting. Sometimes if I want to cover different topics, I’ll write like 5 posts on a Saturday. Then, if I want to include daily eats on the day of, I just have to make a quick update. It saves me a lot of time and allows me to focus on work and spend time with my friends and family.
4. Get involved with Twitter. Twitter is a great way to connect with your readers while you are not updating your blog. Use Buffer.com to schedule tweets for when you are extremely busy at work.
5. Get your priorities straight. Always remember that your full-time job comes first. (That’s the one that pays the bills!) Once you get into a position that you can blog full-time, and then it won’t matter. But always remember to blog on your own time and not on the clock.
6. Set a schedule for yourself. Only blog however many times a week that works for you and your schedule. If it’s 1x/week, that’s perfectly fine, but try to stick to your schedule.
a. Don’t stress if you are not able to blog for that day/week. If you have to go an extended amount of time without blogging, let your readers know.
This past month is a great example as how I managed my priorities while blogging. I’ve had a crazy month at work – I’ve been working late hours and have been booked solid on weekends. And honestly, I didn’t have time to get to my blog. I was so busy that I would go through a day and wouldn’t even think to post anything. Then, one week past, then another, and then another.
I started to worry because I wasn’t keeping to my 1x/day post schedule and was afraid that I might lose my readers. But I reminded myself that my priorities were in check and that my job and personal life needed to come first. I wanted to keep my readers in the loop, so I continued posting to Twitter to let them know about my daily life. Also, I wrote up a post that explains I’m busy but would update soon. I felt so much better. My readers were happy to know that I wasn’t MIA and I was happy to re-connect with them. Now, workload is dwindling down and I can start posting on my regular schedule again.
It’s simple to blog with a full-time job as long as you have the right tools, the time, and a schedule that works for you.
What a great post by Erin! I couldn’t agree more that it is feasible to be BUSY and blog! It’s all about time management and setting priorities. On another note, learning that I don’t have to blog everyday was HUGE. Once I finally realized this for myself, my blogging actually improved. You can’t blog because you “have to”– you have to blog because you WANT to and you have something to share. Such an important lesson!
What a great post! I was getting really overwhelmed with blogging and teaching full time. Then I realized I should probably focus more on my job that pays the bills…and only blog 2-3 times a week. It’s working out much better.
Thanks Erin! For this great information.I am a freelancer writer and I agree for your opinion about blogging.
Thanks again…Such an important lesson!
I have found myself in the same spot… I work full time and commute 10 hours a week. With the holidays, I have hardly had any time to blog. Thanks for sharing!
great tips! sometimes itz hard to manage blogging with a full time job so setting some goals definitely helps! and buffer is awesome! hehe
great advice. blogging with a full-time job is no easy feat. when you factor in having kids as well makes it even harder. for me as a working mom and wife, the only time i can blog is when everyone is in bed and out for the night. late nights have become my “me time” and blogging time.
That was really great info. I love it. I always hate to see bloggers apologizing for not being able to blog. We all have real world lives and totally understand. Great advice.