Happy Tuesday morning loves!
I have to say I have had a lot on my mind lately. What you might ask? The #1 topic, balance. Today's post will ultimately become a random list of questions. Feel free to send them on to a friend who might be able to help or look up from your computer or phone and ask someone around you. Feel free to answer as many as you can! I am desperately in need of help soon!
I am hoping by the end of this post and with the help of all of you that I might find my answers.
My ultimate question: How do you balance your social media and blogging with your work/home life?
I find myself starting around 9:00 pm writing and reading blog posts. I don't shut down the computer until close to 12-1. I get up at 5! How am I even functioning? Oh yea Starbucks! But really, this seems like WAY too much time on the computer just for blogging? I will log on to write a post or jot an idea down and end up spending the entire night online. Then you have to add in the browsing of Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and now here recently I have tried to pick up Twitter again.
How do you manage all of this time on social media?
These ladies who have tons of followers, sponsors and multiple sites that they keep up to date, usually have full time jobs and some are mothers.
Please enlighten me on how you manage to balance your life.
What is your blogging schedule?
How long does it usually take you to create a blog post?
Is this feeling normal for a newbie blogger?
I find myself being called out by close friends and family members about my "glowing face". While we sat at a family dinner we noticed one table of eight seated. Every single person at the table had a cell phone in their hand and the conversation was non existent. This got me thinking. How many times has that been me, the glowing face?
I have my phone in my hand 24/7 and I know of a lot of friends and family who do the same. I don't want the worlds of FB, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Blogger to take over my real world. I enjoy them all and I wouldn't want to give any of them up but I am asking you my wonderful followers, how do you make it work?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
XO
I totally understand what u are talking about! I struggle with this too... On one hand I feal bad when I take a break... But breaks are good :)
ReplyDeleteBreaks are good and I need to remember that. I spend too much in the social world and find myself missing out on reality. Hopefully we can both find a happy medium!
DeleteXO
Well I do several linkups a week to not only get more followers, but those are easy posts because I already know what to write. I also write many posts at a time then either save them as drafts or schedule them to post. It's okay to feel overwhelmed hosh I know I do. I work full time, own a small business and studying to go to law school. I think its very important to have meals with no phones. Technology can be such a distraction. You can also link your FB and twitter so that when you tweet it will automatically show up on fb. I am sorry of this a bunch of rambling but I am writing this as I go. You can also a share post on instagram and link it to fb and twitter. This will kill more birds with one stone. The biggest suggestion to you is to have a plan. Like in the beginning of the week know what you will write and when. It will save loads of time trying to come up with an idea on the day of.. As far as blogger, I use this bloggeroid applocation when I am on the go, it will post stuff as drafts so that whenI get home all I have to do is pick up where I left off. I love this app bv it has an html.mode for linkups. I hope this helps, if I think of something else I will let you know.
ReplyDeleteNo the info is good. A lot of great suggestions! I do need to link my FB, Twitter and Instagram. That would help out a lot. I think I haven't gotten use to Blogger yet so I sit down for 3-4 hours a night, losing sleep, reading and posting blogs. I do need to plan ahead. I find myself with a lot of extra time on Sunday so I need to use that time wisely and gain more sleep through the week! Thx for the suggestions! I think I will download that app today! Sounds like an awesome plan!
DeleteXO
I'm a newbie to the blogging world so I don't have too much advice to give! But I'd recommend totally "unplugging" once in a while during family dinners, gatherings with friends, etc. Give your family and friends 100% of your focus, and then you will feel less guilty spending hours online. I recently read a cute idea. When you sit down for dinner, make a pile of cell phones. The first person to grab their phone from the pile during dinner pays the bill :)
ReplyDeleteMolly from littlebittyprettylife.blogspot.com
That's a great idea. I do need to unplug more. I think that is where I feel the most guilt. I feel like I am not giving 100% attention to the correct people and areas of my life. Thx so much for your imput.
DeleteXO
I'm sure you've heard a lot of bloggers say this, but I keep a list of 10-15 blog topics that I could easy write about at any given point. If I feel like I have absolutely NOTHING to write about, I grab something from there. I also preschedule almost all of my posts over the weekend so I'm not as busy during the week. Ultimately, you have to find what works best for YOU and YOUR schedule! :)
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! I think prescheduling is going to be my ultimate solution. I find myself with more time on the weekend than each night. I usually have topics to write about its just finding the time that allows for it. Your suggestion about the 10-15 list is great. Thanks!
DeleteXO
I do most of my writing over the weekend. I try to have the entire week planned out for the most part. I also have tons of drafts just waiting to be scheduled.
ReplyDeleteThat seems to be the ongoing trend. I think I am going to start with that! Thanks for the suggestion!
DeleteXO
That is a great strategy! Setting boundaries is something I really need to start doing...otherwise blogging can be an all-encompassing thing.
DeleteOh, I wish I knew how to balance it all! As a full time student, mom and wife, blogging can become an easy distraction. A way to escape. But then I'll look up, realize I've been all over the blogosphere, and I didn't get any homework done during that precious time between when Kiddo is tucked in and when I NEED to be. I've lost hours and hours linking up, perusing, reading, writing, commenting, editing...you name it. And it's always a blow to realize that spending hours linking up resulted in one additional follower (or none). I've considered doing away with the GFC widget on my blog for that reason. It's so easy for me to get obsessed with the numbers and forget why I started doing this. Those with a gazillion followers and daily posts? An enigma to me. I also realize that I sometimes (or a lot) use my blog as a reason to avoid the things I don't want to do. Like homework. Or that paper that needs to be written. Or the laundry pile that threatens to bury us alive. I could talk about this all day...there are so many things about the blogging world I have yet to understand. Still, balance is something I strive for everyday. If you discover the secret...share? :)
ReplyDeleteI am right there with you. I did download an app that I write my entire blog on at lunch time while I am at work and then I transfer it to the computer and add pics after work. I tried this routine all last week and it saved a lot of time! I spent about an hour online total after work than 3-4 hours. I also managed to make it to bed around 10-10:30 every night which never happens. I am learning based upon fellow bloggers that they use the weekend to pre-blog and schedule postings for the entire week. I am usually free on Sundays so I am going to try this tomorrow and see how it goes. More sleep=less stress=more time with the fam! Hope you can find a routine as well! Have a great weekend and thanks for commenting!
DeleteXO