Currently my title is Stay At Home Mom/Full-time blogger. The full-time blogger title is one I’ve given myself, however after looking at it retrospectively it’s not as far fetched as you may think. I may not be bringing in the big bucks that the legitimate full-time bloggers like Emily, Julia, or Taza are but I do dedicate a substantial amount of my week to blogging (more on that below). Because I manage much of my blog from home I thought that today I would share some tips to do so efficiently.
One: Have a set schedule
Guilt-free blogging, the by-product of creating and sticking to a schedule. Caring for Remy is my number 1 priority when I’m at home, however blogging is something I enjoy doing as well. It’s easy to let the lines between home-life and blogging blur, which is why having set ‘office hours’ is an easy way of not crossing that line. While I love blogging, I don’t want to be stuck behind the computer screen missing life so I’ve set the following schedule for myself:
Nap time //12:30-3: During this time I typically catch up on social media, schedule posts via dlvr.it for the remainder of the day, edit and tweak the following day’s post and write down any ideas for future posts. I also apply to jobs and/or catch up on my blog reading, if time allows.
Night time // 8-11: Daddy is in charge of putting Remy to bed at night, so I dedicate this time to blogging. This can include starting posts based on the ideas I wrote down earlier in the day, editing photos, putting final touches on future posts, commenting on other blogs, answering emails, and scheduling any future posts/tweets/FB posts for the week.
If you do that math, that’s 30 hours a week dedicated to Fabulously Average. Yikes!
Two: Be Organized
When it comes to blogging, being organized is a skill I’m sure many of the top bloggers have. And by being organized I mean having some sort of planner/calendar. There are plenty of ways to keep your life in check, and when it comes to blogging utilizing a planner or an editorial calendar is a major time saving tool.
Tons of bloggers swear by the Day Designer. I hear the Passion Planner is pretty nifty too, however I’m a Target Sugar Paper planner gal myself. For under $10, I scribble in content on the calendar portion and schedule in birthday, doctors appt., etc. in the monthly breakdown. As far as jotting down ideas, that’s where I utilize the notes section! With that said, I would love to check out the Mama Miss All-Inclusive Planner. I love how everything is broken down specifically for those that blog! Also, for those that want specific blog planners/calenders, Pinterest has a ton free downloadable ones;)
Three: Designate an ‘Office’
While I consider this a major tip in mastering the art of blogging (or even working) from home, I currently do not abide by this step. I think that in order to be efficient during your ‘office hours’, one needs to have a space where they can work, and I’m not talking about the couch or the comfort of your bed. Both a couch and a bed offer too many distractions, like television or the fact that you’re attempting to work in a comfy bed. You know no real work will be done, so I highly suggest carving out a space in your home solely for work. Whether it’s a small desk in the corner of a room or a tiny space on the dining room table, having a designated office area will help in efficiency and in being able to step away when working is over.
In Conclusion..
Trust me when I say that I’m far from having it all balanced and figured out because on more than one occasion I’ve sucked at keeping it all straight and pulled together. However I can attest in saying that since I’ve implemented these 3 tips my blogging has gotten better – more focused, planned and might I say something I can be proud of?
I hope this post was beneficial in some way and that you leave today with at least one tip of useful information. Do you have any other tips or ticks to effectively blog from home?
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