I don’t know the answer to this. How do I achieve a routine with blogging? I am asking everyone out there. When I say blogging routine I mean, how can I get a set routine and keep it on everything that needs done? If you want your blog to grow, and I do, how the hell do I get my mind in that militant frame of mind of, I will do X at this time and on this day and tomorrow I will do X at this time and on this day? I mean, let’s review the list of everything a successful blogger needs to do, all while working a full-time job and raising a family:
- Actually write and write well. Write consistently and all the time.
- Respond to everyone’s comments (this is probably my favorite thing to do! Love talking with all of you!)
- Read other fellow blogger’s posts and leave thoughtful comments.
- Participate in blogging groups on Facebook, Pinterest, etc.
- Add new plug-ins and learn how to use them.
- Maintenance their site (this is more for self-hosted which is my dumb ass).
- Post to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google +.
- Understand the best times of day to post on social media as well as what to post. Oh, and you must post consistently.
- Find new bloggers to follow.
What Gets In My Way
But here is my problem, I am only doing the 1st and 2nd bullet point consistently. I wish I had the willpower to have a set schedule but then either me or someone else gets in the way of that:
- Laziness
- Television show I watch religiously
- Being chattered to death by children (I’ll write about that in probably my next post)
- Fatigue
- Responsibilities at home
- 0 will power
- Responsibilities at work
I think the biggest culprits of why I don’t do more are laziness and fatigue. Then those two vices flow into “television I watch religiously” and makes me completely unproductive.
So, I’m at a loss you guys and I really need your advice. I’ve got to get some structure here. I want it as structured as me heading off to work each morning, except this doesn’t provide a paycheck….yet. I want to hear about your struggles blogging and if you have a routine, I am all ears!
P.S. Off to one of those indoor, over-stimulating, video game places for my youngest’s birthday. Sure to product a post there!
Excellent post. Like you I try and fit blogging in to a busy life and can’t believe how much time it takes. At moment I post once per week – every Satruday. Hope to up that to twice pw but second post will be short and hopefully easier to produce. I’ll Probably put that out On a Wednesday. I find having a set day to post useful. Jill x
Thanks! My goal is to post everyday but it’s more like 3 to 4 times a week. It’s just all the other stuff I struggle to incorporate.
Its quite difficult to have a blogging routine, if you ask me…..I never follow one….but what I do regularly is go through other bloggers’ posts…..at least once daily….whenever I find time….and that’s become a habit which has become a routine naturally…..and as I read, comment, share, I feel the strong urge to create and share my thoughts through my posts…..so that’s it 🙂
Oh my gosh! So how many blogs a day do you read and how long does it take you? Do you have a list you go down so you don’t forget someone? I’m intrigued.
No, no….I don’t have a list….but I try to keep in touch ….:)
Well that’s good! Really!!! 🙂
I can’t claim that I do all that needs to be done for a blog to grow exponentially, but I am happy with my routine. I go by a “five-minute miracle” approach. I write a goal and a list of short tasks I can accomplish in five minutes or less in an excel spreadsheet. Then, across the top, I write the days of each week. Every day, I do three of these five minute activities. So reading a blog and commenting takes about five minutes (maybe a little more). Posting to a few board on Pinterest and saving a few interesting Pin’s takes about five minutes. Browsing WordPress Discover, or checking out the comments from other bloggers on posts you read and liked then checking out the “about” pages of a blogger or two takes five minutes. Anyway, you get my point. Everything but actually writing the post can be broken down into five minute chunks. Then, even if you’re sitting on the can, you can spend five minutes knocking one or two things off the tracking sheet. 🙂
That’s genius! Did you make up that routine or did you learn from someone else? I would like to try that too and see if it works for me. And some of my best ideas are gathered from the toilet. Sorry, TMI!?!?
Ha! The idea originated with my friend Hadley. I can only claim the catchy title. 🙂 If you try it let me know how it worked for you!
I’m stilling figuring it out too, as I haven’t been blogging that long. My advice would be to get a planner (if you don’t already have one) and write everything on your blogging to-do list in it. Plan out a full week all at once, if possible. It helps keep you accountable and is a great visual and reminder, too. Also, pick which days of the week you’ll publish your posts, and stick to it. For me, a new post always comes out every Tuesday and Friday morning. Since you have kids, mark down nights in your planner you’ll work on your blog – and do so after they’ve gone to bed. Once you get your structure down, you’ll be ok :).
Thank you! I appreciate it. You know, I haven’t had a physical planner in a long time but perhaps it’s time to get one again. That really is a good idea.
I am with you on the TV shows religiously! I think maybe setting an alarm on your phone at a specific time of day could help? Try it out!
Yeah, then I would hit snooze 3 times. LOL! I also deal with thinking I’ll have a precious hour in the morning then my 8-year comes down and chats me to death. That’s actually the post for tomorrow. Thanks for the advice!
Went to blog camp and they stress setting an editorial calendar. Fill in reoccurring posts then the rest. Similar to the gym I feel like I need an accountability buddy ??
Wow! Where is blog camp? I totally need to go. That sounds like a great idea! Thank you!!!
The blog camp I went to was in the Boston area but I think WordPress might have ones in your area. If you go to your wp-admin panel there’s some events down there.
Thank you! I’m totally looking this up!!
Great question. To be honest, I tried to get into a routine of posting and it stressed me out as I started feeling bad if I couldn’t post or just didn’t feel like writing. I think writing “great” content is very subjective and we can never really know if our post is going to resonate with lots of people. For me, I try and write when I feel like it rather than forcing it. I also write what’s important to me rather than second-guessing what other people want to read. I think that helps with the longevity in blogging because it’s important to enjoy it 🙂
I couldn’t agree with you more! From what I gather in what your saying, inspiration can strike anytime and it never has a schedule? At least that is how I feel. I might have something I can’t wait to blog about on Sunday and have 0 ideas to blog about on a Wednesday. At least thats how I feel.
Yes definitely! There are times when an idea hits me and I can write a post in 20 minutes! Other times I may write about something I *think* will be good and it takes me a few hours!
Yeah, sometimes I begin writing something and I’m like, “this is so f****** stupid. I don’t even find this funny” then I hit DELETE and start over. Thank you for your comments!!! 🙂
Gosh, not sure I can give advice….I’m in the same boat! Although, I am not a big tv watcher, thank goodness. (My vice is books.) To me, the writing is the easiest part! It’s the ancillary activities you mentioned that make it time consuming. I also love interacting with readers, but I feel anxious about it – I want to respond in a timely fashion and with substance, etc… I’m also hard-pressed to find the time to keep up with the great bloggers I already know, let alone the ones I haven’t yet discovered 🙂
It really is overwhelming isn’t it? The writing is really the easy part and the tough part is a routine for all the other stuff. I would like to clone myself now. About 3 more of me would do.
I totally get this 🙂 I find that time-blocking works wonders and doing it at the same time every day works even better. Set a schedule for 20 minutes on one social media channel and then click over to the next. Have only one tab open on your browser at any point of time. Pomodoro is the way. I swear by it 🙂
Thank you Shailaja! I am finding the advice given to me seems to always be to break it up in chunks. To do little bits at a time. I think this is really good advice, I just need to have enough will-power to set a schedule. Thank you for your advice!!!
One of the best thing I did was find a friend who likes to blog and we have a date once a week to write together and set our goals for the week. It really pushes me to keep mine and gets me up at an ungodly hour I never would do on my own! Good luck!
Thanks Snuffy! Like a work out buddy, that’s not a bad idea. Like I read earlier, it pushes you to have accountability. Such good ideas everyone is giving me here. I am so appreciative!!!!
My ‘routine ‘ if you can call if that kicked in with this group a bit. Before that anything went!
I LOVE the Big Up Your Blog! group! I am so grateful to be a part of it!!! Someday I’ll get a routine and honestly, there are some amazing ideas here in the comments!
I love having the ideas too⛄☃️
I just don’t know. I’m in the exact position that you are. Though I’m not writing all the time, so I think maybe you’re ahead of the game compared to me. I’m thinking crack cocaine might make me achieve all the rest all the time. Seriously, I’ve no bloody idea how people do everything consistently. Maybe I’m not as motivated as some. That’s probably a lot to do with it. I find life (and yes TV) gets in the way too much. Keep up your good work though love ??
Thanks girl but your right. Maybe I’m not as motivated as others. I sometimes think I am but then I’m like, “Tommy Boy is on”. If only crack cocaine were like a B12 shot. And the irony? The crack cocaine users don’t even have good blogs. Thank you for your kind words! I’m seriously watching Tommy Boy right now and drinking wine.
Haha hope you enjoyed!
It’s really tough to maintain a steady routine, and I think most people struggle with exactly what you detail here. I am not a tech savvy person and I am not privy to the blogging secrets, that obviously exist, so I can’t help you on the correct posting times and such.
What HAS helped me is setting a consistent posting day and time. I also really try not to post anything that I feel wouldn’t cut the mustard if I was actually publishing it in print. I am a firm believer in quality over quantity. Grammar, grammar, grammar!
Also, the fun part-comments. I make it a point to answer them the same day. I also try to make my commenters feel like their comment is everything to me, because it is!
I wish I could help you more! There are so many bloggers out there who seem to know some secret the rest of us don’t. Their blogs blow up in less than 6 months time and they are monetizing like crazy. At the same time, those aren’t always my favorite blogs to visit. Just something to think about.
Agree that the blogs that seem to be hot on monetising are not my favourite blogs to visit either.
It’s so true!
That’s true about the blogs that are monetizing like crazy. I wanna be like, “what did you promise the people at Google for this fame?” Ugh, so frustrating! And I agree, I try to answer same day, no matter whats going on in my life. Even now, I’m in a hotel room as I type this. We are celebrating my 8-year-old’s birthday but I want to make sure I answer all the comments. I appreciate all of them! We’ll get there girl….we’ll get there!!!
I’m part of the Boss Girl Bloggers group and someone posted asking about how much people actually make blogging. SO MANY people responded saying they make thousands a month. The thing is, they are writing those posts no one who truly wants to just read relatable posts are reading. They’ve sold out and write about potato recipes and vacuum cleaners. That is what you have to do to make money.
I’d rather slit my wrists then write about vacuum cleaners. Now if it were a vacuum cleaner post once a month or something to shake things up, then fine. I think a lot of people make money too blogging about blogging and that’s just not me. Sure I’ll write about my screw ups or what I’ve learned but for that to always be the topic, I don’t think so.
If I could swing it that I could be humorous in my vacuum cleaner write up, I might consider it ?.
I just realized I didn’t really touch on the laziness and fatigue element. Girl, same. I make it a goal to write most of my posts on the weekend. I make it super fun by getting all cozy on the couch with my coffee, or I go to my favorite coffee place and write over delectable baked goods.
Whenever a funny thought or moment strikes, I jot it down in my notes on my phone. That way I have a start to a post, however small.
At the same time, I’ve realized monetizing a humor blog is an entirely different animal. I am looking into other options to write and make money. If you aren’t making money on your blog yet, and you really do just enjoy the writing process, then cut yourself some slack. You don’t owe any of us a post. You also aren’t tied to a deadline. If you want to lay back and binge on your favorite TV show, do it!
Ok so selfishly I want to binge on my favorite tv show and write an amazing post that may someday pay off??? Yeah, I’m a selfish jerk. My favorite part of blogging though is when I write something and I am sitting there laughing my ass off while typing it out. It is pure, innocent joy to me! You ever have that? That is, I can honestly say, the best part about blogging.
Yup! I love those posts that are so enjoyable to write that I snicker the whole time writing it ?
I know…I know….I know…..it’s a high no drug can duplicate. That may sound strange but I love when I’m laughing while writing.
Me too!! I totally get it!
I’ve been thinking about this stuff, too. While watching Netflix, playing hide and seek with Isla, and y’know, eating.
I’m not an expert, but I have days where I write/post and then the next day I’ll comment on other people’s stuff and do FB group stuff.
Also going to try and get up an hour earlier and see what I can accomplish in that time, but I don’t know if that’s your thing.
Good luck, keep going, have fun! And I’ll be interested in other people’s tips, because I’m on the lookout, too.
Like I think I am getting up early then my 8-year-old gets up and I’m like WTF? He’s getting up at 6 am and I’m like, “what do I need to do? Get up at 3 am? Sweet Jesus!” I agree with you though, it’s so hard to make the time, especially when you are a parent!
I like to write consistently, but writing things that are thought provoking are my downfall. I like to just sit and let the words come out and whatever comes of it is what it is hehe. I’m not sure I write anything *well* but that’s the beauty of my blog…since it’s not really out there to make me famous I can write whatever hehe. I’m finding I have a lot of time constraints though so a lot of my blogging stuff is getting pushed off to the side.
I know you read my blog and everyone else’s blog and how you have time for it, is beyond me? You must have a really good structure. What is your schedule? Do you have one?
Well up until this week: I delete likes and comments from my email and respond to comments over breakfast. And then Im on my laptop by around 9. Write a post, then read all the emails of new posts. Im usually done between 10-11 depending on how many emails I have and how many I actually comment on. Then I’m basically glued to my phone for new notifications all day but don’t read any new posts until the next morning but I do respond to comments whenever I have time. But now I’m trying to not be on my phone at work and I’m taking on a few more responsibilities so I’m not sure if I can keep it all up over the next month.
Well your a freakin’ champ at it!!
Lol! And I also only work 30 hrs a week and have no other responsibilities. You work full time plus husband and kids and Chichi and soccer
Ok….you make me feel a little better. Thank you!!!
Lol I’m glad! ?
I only read through a handful of comments, so I hope I don’t repeat anything! And of I do, then it is obviously spectacular advice that you should take and not even think twice about it. My ultimate goal is also growth. I don’t have a very large following right now because I don’t do all of the bullets you’ve listed above. However, I’m getting better. Now, I only post once per week (on Mondays), so I can’t help you with your daily posting goal. I can’t even imagine trying to post that much. However, what I’ve seen successful bloggers do is themed days. So I would try to write out all of the categories you feel like you use and then set them for a day (e.g. My Kids Are Driving Me Crazy Mondays). Then try to get posts set for all of the days. If you come up with a MKARMC Monday post on a Wednesday, you can always write it out and then schedule it for the following Monday. I’ve been trying to schedule my posts well ahead of time… keyword “trying,” and I know that if I ever actually succeed with that, life will be grand. Wow I’ve rambled, so to finish it off, I would suggest doing a planner of some kind. I use both a physical planner and my calendar on my computer/phone and write out my post titles and ideas weeks in advance. Right now, I’m like 2 months in advance. None of them are written of course, but hey, I’m doing the best I can. I’ve also seen a lot of really good things about bullet journals! I would love to try one, but I’m way too lazy to make one myself! Might be good for you though! Hope you enjoy the longest comment in the history of ever. 🙂
Ha! I always enjoy your comments and thank you for taking the time to write! I want to schedule posts but I’m worried that when inspiration strikes, I might be limited in when I can post it b/c of themed days? What are your thoughts on that? Perhaps I could try 1-2 themed days? Tonight I had inspiration come to me in the form of those ridiculous luxury car commericals where in their reality, everyone gets a Lexus for Christmas. So maybe tomorrow will be WTF Monday? LOL! Thank you so much for your comment!!
OH MY GOSH WTF MONDAY IS GOLD! I’m definitely in support of that idea! Giving 1-2 themed days a shot would be good! Just a nice dip of the toe into the water. Then, you’ll be able to decide to either jump headfirst or say, “fuck that” and turn to your normal, everything goes all the time ways! 😉 The hard thing is you never know if you don’t try!
Very true! So true!
Hi! I had to come and find this post since you mentioned it and OMG yes, I understand so much of this. Not having a schedule is like the number one thing holding me back, and I’m going weeks and months without posting. I need to be harder with myself, be more disciplined! I’m gonna try the once a week idea and see how I roll. I’m thinking that the blogging without discipline is not working well, especially if I want to make more of it… eg. pennies ??
Also, you don’t need to sell your soul to make money blogging, you just get money faster if you do 🙂 I see many bloggers doing things I would never do, but as long as you have your boundaries and know what you’re happy doing, then it’s all good.
Merry Xmas, and I hope you have a top and very successful 2018! Xx
You are so sweet! And you would be proud of me. About an hour after reading your post, guess what I did? I bought a planner! I found the perfect one! You inspired me! But yes, the discipline is so incredibly hard. We almost need to check in with each other. To make ourselves accountable. Like, state our weekly goals on Sunday then follow up on Friday or Saturday. Let me know if you are interested! Merry Christmas! When Santa hits the U.K., tell him to save some presents for us! LOL!