Let’s get this out-of-the-way now, blogging takes up an inordinate amount of time. If it’s not coming up with ideas, or the actual writing, or the editing, then it’s the promotion, engagement and sharing of that post. Hell, it’s a full-time job. But wait, you already have one of those. Right now, you want to figure out how to balance blogging and life like you have hundreds of little elves running around doing your work for you.
What’s my secret? I have extra elves stored in my shed.
Aside from kidnapping small adults or children and dressing them up like Santa does, I have a few practical and potentially deplorable ways that will help you balance blogging and life. If you have one of course. Most likely you don’t.
Me neither.
But seriously though, when is this happening?
Balance blogging and life Step 1: Blog less often
Are you finding it difficult to churn out content day after day like some underpaid news company? Funny right? You do it for free. Right now, it’s just you and your blog, and because you can’t trick someone into joining your writing team, it’s time to stop trying. Find the sweet spot, which should be around once a week or at the very least twice to three times a month. Don’t worry, I have an entire post written about, A, “Why you should post once a week.” B, how to consistently come up with awesome blog ideas and C, how to get more people to read said blog.
Mahalo.
It sounds very simple to me, if you want to balance blogging and life, blog less often and read my blog.
Simple!
Before you go running off with delusions of grandeur, make sure that although you are posting less often the quality of your work stays the same or even elevates. I have found that the blog posts that I have spent the longest time on have not only performed better initially but have had a longer half-life than the rest of them. #Half-life3confirmed.
Season 4, coming never….
Balance blogging and life step 2: Work on more than one post at the same time
It’s always a great idea to have more than one bun in the oven at twice and although having twins sounds like the worst sort of lottery win possible, in this instance the more the merrier. If you ever hope to balance blogging and life you are going to have to grow more hands than Budda on Christmas eve. Or Santa. Utilize your time wisely, I normally have two to three posts on the go, when I get bored with one, I move to the next and then when inspiration strikes, I go back to the other one. This way I am continuously working on posts, you know, when I am not shoveling poop from my infant child’s poopy butthole.
I think I’m foreshadowing something here, I just don’t know what yet.
Balance blogging and life step 3: Focus on promotion
Writing posts and promoting and going to work and trying to eat healthy and trying to go to the gym and trying to find the future Mr. or Mrs., is nearly impossible, so focus on one at a time. I suggest the gym first because you can most likely (no you wont) find your future significant other and get healthy all at once. Once that happens, then get back to business.
You don’t have to do it all at once, its ok to focus on writing at times, but if no one is reading, focus more on promotion. If you don’t have time to write, promoting your previous posts should be a priority. You can always promote on the fly, all you need is your phone and your meaty little hands to make the magic happen. It will help you balance blogging and life, because you can still grow your blog following and stay relevant whilst you pretend to pay attention to your family. If that isn’t the droid you are looking for, then it might be time to leave Tatooine.
Another post? Really mom, the last one got like 2 views….
Balance blogging and life step 4: Ignore your spouse or family
As we speak, I am currently in a maelstrom of feces, urine and baby farts – a shitstorm if you will. Between your fulltime job or whatever it is that allows you to live and breathe in our world, it takes time. Sure, you love your husband and three kids, but you are a strong independent woman and you deserve to have a few hours to yourself to write and ponder an adequate escape plan. So maybe ignore isn’t the best word. You can “defer” your motherly/fatherly duties for a moment and get some quality blogging done, because lord knows if you don’t, no one else will do it for you.
It might be macabre, a bit dark and maligned but, if you ever hope to balance blogging and life you will have to decide to take time for yourself over your family. That, or wait for them to sleep. But does that ever happen?