Collaborative Post
I work, I blog, I run a home and I parent two children who are very busy little people.
Life tends to be a juggling act of multitasking and prioritising in an attempt to stay on top of it all. I find it easier to stay organised when I’m at work and parenting but the blogging side sometimes takes a back seat and spirals out of control a little.
Blogging is a great way to earn money, allowing you to be in charge of your own little empire but it also comes with a massive lack of structure. There’s no one else to manage your work load, telling you when and how to do things or giving you strict deadlines so it’s important to try and stay organised to help your stay on track.
Here are my tips for staying organised as a blogger –
Try and stay organised
The most useful piece of advice I can offer for anyone with a busy schedule is to try and stay organised. The lack of structure while blogging can feel liberating and flexible but it can lead to you feeling stressed and reduce productivity.
If I don’t have things in place to keep me organised, I feel overwhelmed and incredibly stressed. I make realistic lists of things I need to do and work my way through them. I’m a pen and paper kind of list maker, I like to see things in front of me that I can physical mark off as I go.
I try to ensure my blogging working environment is clean and tidy which helps massively. I no longer have the luxury of my dedicated ‘ home office’ now we have two children, but I do have an area in our bedroom with a desk and comfy chair where I can work. I dream of a larger space in the garden which I can fill with modern office furniture and enjoy the peace and quiet but I think that’s unlikely to happen for while.
A fast and reliable internet provider
I appreciate that this is sometimes a lot more difficult than it sounds but .. a dependable internet connection is a must for anyone who works from home. Ask for recommendations in local FB groups, check with your neighbours to see who they use and whether they are happy with the service and check your speed online. When the kids are at home, I have to blog around them, often cramming in ten minutes work here and there so I need to know my internet will fire up and work quickly with no fuss.
Reliable equipment
A reliable laptop or desk top is very important. It doesn’t need to cost a fortune but look for something that can handle a number of tabs being open and lots of RAM so it works quickly and can handle multiple applications open at the same time. My laptop is 4 years old now and still does everything it needs too, quickly without any issues. I would definitely recommend insurance to cover your equipment too, not only in case it is stolen, but also in case it is damaged. We have specific insurance for our two laptops where they are fixed or replaced within a week which we’ve used a couple of times over the years and it’s brilliant.
Set working hours
One of the best things about blogging is that you can set your own working hours but it can be hard to differentiate between home life and work life when you’re working at home. I try and cram in as much blog work as I can while my children are out of the house ( my big one is at school full time but my youngest is only at nursery two mornings a week at the moment) but then find myself working well into the night after they’ve gone to bed.
In recent months I’ve been trying to set myself more reasonable hours, tried to stop myself replying to emails after 6pm and closing the laptop completely no later than 8pm. It allows me time to switch off before bed and some time to binge watch whatever is on Netflix.
Say no
Sometimes it’s quite invigorating to say no. When I first started blogging I used to accept a silly amount of work and then struggle to fit it all in. Now, I tend to be a bit more picky. I only accept products to review that I know the kids will love or collaborations with brands I like.
Allow yourself time for Admin
Blogging isn’t just about writing posts and taking pictures, there’s also lots of necessary ‘admin’. Whether it’s replying to emails, updating social media or updating you media park, there are so many things to do. Allow yourself a block of time daily or weekly to keep update with the smaller things so they’re less overwhelming.
Do you have any tips for organisation and blogging effectively?
