Since I have started blogging, the number one question I get is:
How do you do it? How do you find time for work, life and blogging?
For some reason, it makes me laugh every time I read it, because the answer is: I HAVE NO IDEA..lol I could sit at home all day and just blog {seriously}. Between, writing posts, promoting and my blog design business – I really could do it all day, every day. But hey, that’s not reality for me, so I must manage my time wisely and here are my tips for doing just that.
1. Write it down
My mind works in two ways. Sometimes, I can just sit down and write whatever comes to my mind, but other times, I just draw a blank. This is where my “write it down” strategy comes in handy. I carry a notebook around with me all day and whenever I get an idea for a post or see something, I write it down. This gives me a full list of ideas for when I am just not feeling that expressive or creative. I highly encourage this.
2. Set Aside Blog Time
This is one of those wishy-washy topics. For me, I sit down on Saturday’s and write {almost all day}. I do this because my husband works on Saturdays, so it is a great day for me to work on blog stuff without it interfering with “us” time. My advice to others would be to set aside time to just write. This could be 30 min a day or a full day like me. I think everyones schedule will look a lot different.
3. Plan Your Posts
YES – I schedule posts, which is a tad obvious from the previous tip about about me writing on Saturdays. I really try to schedule posts for the whole week when writing, but I like to think I have an “open” schedule. If something comes up during the week and I want to write; i just write. My schedule is not a strict schedule, I leave plenty of room for flexibility and just my heart on any given day.
I plan my posts in my planner each week. This also helps me make sure I have a good balance of posts so that I am not doing all product reviews, or all posts on blogging and nothing on my life or marriage. For me, planning produces structure, balance and focus.
3. Set Goals
What really helps me is setting small goals for my blog. I say small, because I am really talking about “extra” things I want to do to enhance my blog. For example, here are a few things on my list: add popular posts section, update share this buttons, decide on new comment widget, and search for businesses to partner with. I guess it is really more of a “to do list”, but I write these down in my blog notebook, so that when I have extra time, I can work on them. Blogs don’t “grow” in a day. I takes time to get things exactly how you want them and having a list of goals or to-do’s will help you get there without feeling overwhelmed.
4. Promote Wisely
This is a biggy. In today’s world of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Google + etc., it seems like there is always some way you could be doing more. My advice first promotion tip: Hootsuite. With hootsuite, you can schedule all your facebook posts and tweets for the week as well. By doing this, you can have your posts set up to automatically be tweeted at whatever time of day you would like. I LOVE this. I can be at work doing a million other things on a Monday morning, but since I have scheduled with hootsuite, my blog is still being promoted without me even having to be at a computer.
Now, my advice for Pinterest: As far as my blog goes, I only “pin” my own images when I feel like they are “pin” worthy – meaning they might cater to a Pinterest user. On Pinterest, people love a good “how to..” or “10 ways to..” type post. I do not pin every post I write.
Instagram: I just post to Instagram on the fly in my spare time. Sorry, not much depth or insight here. I have been trying to post images from my blog more, but mostly, it is just a collection of my life in images.
Google+: Ekk.. I know I have said this before, but I am still learning the ins-and-outs of Google+. I try to promote my blog posts through this outlet, but honestly it has been last on my list and gets neglected. I need to be better, but priorities people.. priorities.
5. Be Giving
Yikes, I guess this is counterproductive, but so worth it and time very well spent. Encouraging other bloggers and networking with them is vital to your blogs success. + to me the best part of blogging is meeting new friends and really getting to know people. I think it is an awesome environment to encourage each other and really be “friends” {even if we will never meet face-to-face}. I strive to respond to every comment and every email. I really enjoy this aspect of blogging. It takes time, yes, but it is my favorite part. I guess that is why I always got bad conduct marks in school for talking.. I like to talk people.
I hope this helps you and answers some of your questions! Feel free to leave me comments or ask me questions below 🙂 I would love to hear from you.
p.s. if you want my iPhone wallpaper you can have it for free!
wide open spaces
Love this advice! I think I need more help on the artsy side of things. The Iphone wallpaper is the cutest and some other images you insert into the blog leaves me wondering “how does she create that”. I guess my knowledge of that isn’t too strong. Maybe a “how to” on that portion some day 🙂 All of the other advice is the bomb.com thanks for the input!
Charlene Maugeri
Thanks Marquis! This post was really helpful. I always tend to start posts and work on them through out the week with a day in mind that I want to publish but I never really thought about scheduling so precisely like this. And writing it all on Saturdays would work for me too because my husband works most Saturdays too. And I will have to look into hootsuite. That sounds awesome! Thanks for you insight!
Samantha Curtis
I love this! GREAT tips and something we all could get better at, I’m sure! I’m home all day with Bubba and I still don’t have enough hours in the day. My biggest struggle is reading and commenting.. any advice for that?!
Kaylin
This is very helpful. I have never used hootsuite, but I guess I need to start. Also- I like that your terms were be giving. It makes blogging seem more personal, not that it’s not persona, because clearly it is, but I have never heard it put that way before. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Michael
I think these were all great tips. Scheduling posts is a big one for me and it’s how i’ve alwas done it. I like to have a weeks worth of posts scheduled and ready to go and have other drafts as fall backs for the days I just don’t feel like writing.
Veronica Lee Burns
This was great! I loved it!
Misty
I write everything down in a notebook too. It’s 3 pages long. Will I ever get to all of it? Ha!
Aleshea
A friend was trying to explain hootsuite to me but I was confused. Thanks for clearing that up. I’m deff gonnna have to check it out cause I was just complaining to her that I was having a hard time keeping up with promoting myself on social media.
A Modern Commonplace Book
Great advice. I am writing a series on Google SEO (and Google Plus) if anyone is interested! Someday we might master this all!
Ginny
http://www.moderncommonplacebook.com
Rachel Murphree
Great advice, Marquis! I haven’t tried Hootsuite yet, but I think I will!
– Rachel/ With Love, Rachel
Amberly
Have you ever used Tweetdeck? That’s what I usually use, but I just checked out HootSuite and it looks a little better! Thanks for sharing your tips!
Amberly
http://lifewithamberlyandjoe.com
Chrissy + Nate
Love this! Thank you for sharing. I am a total planner as well, I’m actually waiting on a new planner to arrive at my doorstep, so writing things down and having the satisfaction of crossing them off a list is very appealing to me!I am interested in looking up HootSuite, so thanks for that tip!
Chrissy
http://www.everydaywiththejays.blogspot.com
Holly Higgins
I love Hootsuite! I don’t have access to Twitter and Facebook when I’m at work except for lunch time and it makes it so much easier.
Samantha @ Life is But a Stream of Thoughts
Thanks for the advice! Hootsuite is an awesome program! I use it at work sometimes, and I really like that it promotes what you want to promote WHEN you want to promote it. These will be so helpful when I get back to school and have to balance everything!
Chelsea
Great tips for managing work and blogging. When you’re a blogger Hootsuite can be your best friend! Found you through The Collective Blog Hop and I’m a new follower!
Vegan Mama Eco Baby
yes to hootsuite, yes to goal setting and yes to connecting with other bloggers! Great post!
Ashli Hall
Thank you for the tips! I am a new blogger!
Patty
Really, helpful tips…makes it seem more manageable!
Kim Sundy
These tips are very helpful. It gives me the courage to practice with Hoot Suite. It’s good to hear from a blogger of your stature, that you can have a blog and a life!!!
Thanks or the encouraging post!!
<3 Kim
http://www.amovingstory.com
Emily
Good advice! I find that I write best in the mornings so maybe I should do this on weekend mornings!
J. Lenni Dorner
Stopping by from Wildcard Wednesday.
@JLenniDorner
Thanks for tips!
Jackie
I always wondered how bloggers kept up with posting on twitter/facebook…didn’t even know there was a way to schedule them!
Savannah
This is awesome! I’m brand new to blogging and this will definitely help when I (hopefully) get a little more advanced with it!! Thanks for all the great tips!
Savannah
zonasunshine.blogspot.com
Shelbi Huntter
These are some wonderful tips!! Definitely need to be more conscientious about doing some of these things. And the idea of Hootsuite…Love it!!
Shelbi
shelbihuntter.blogspot.com
Natalie Joseph
Thanks for the advice! I am definitely going to look into hootsuite 🙂
x Natalie
http://coraltintedperceptions.blogspot.com
Courtney @ One Fine Wire
New follower! I hope you get a chance to visit my site – One Fine Wire 🙂