Finding A Balanced Blogging Routine

Finding a Balanced Blogging Routine
{...or blogging}

Ever since I took a little break from blogging a few months ago I have been able to come back with new eyes and a new energy.  In the five years I have been blogging, I have found that posting routinely comes in seasons.  A few months ago I pulled back to posting once a week.  I got a break and came back to my regular three times a week posting.  I had too much content not too.  The funny thing is that I did not find a balance until I stepped back and reassessed.  I looked at my life, my time, and my priorities and had to decide how much was left for blogging.  Surprisingly I have more time than I thought but only because I have made some changes that allows me to go about blogging in a more healthier way.  Here are two things I am doing differently to find a more balanced blogging routine.

1. I have stopped pressuring myself to visit other blogs.
For five years, if you commented on my blog, I commented back.  Five years.  That is a long time and that is a lot of commenting.  Though I credit it for a lot of the growth of my blog (especially in the early years), I had to stop pressuring myself.

Now I have chosen to respond by email if I can and when I have the time and desire, I visit other blogs.  I still love to read, comment, and get to know readers.  But in order to have a healthy overall life as well as not burn out from blogging, I had to let this go.  And I would say these past few months of blogging has been so good for me.  It is so enjoyable and so freeing.  And by not pressuring myself so much I put less weight on the comments I do get.  I love comments.  But my words and my worth were no longer defined by how many I got!  Oh man!  Is it not ridiculous that so much weight is on comments?  I know you are there and I am so grateful for that.  Your comments help fuel my writing and I suppose if I stopped getting comments one day I might question what I am doing, but I have finally decided to not let comments define how I blog...or who I am!  Amen!?

2. Blogging comes second to my life.
Unless there is some sort of deadline I am obligated to, I no longer pressure myself to make blogging a top priority.  My husband, home, housework, and health all come before computer time.  Once I have taken care of all those things for the day, then I log on.  Most days I usually do not get on the computer until the afternoon as I try to take advantage of my mornings to get other things done when I am the most productive.

When I am happy, I am a better blogger.  When I am balanced, blogging doesn't feel like a chore but instead a fun hobby that I look forward to doing when I have the time.  And my blog benefits from it.

// Have you found a balance in your blogging routine?
  


7 comments:

  1. I understand this and agree, Ashley. I was gone most of July and posted in advance for 3 days a week (rather than my normally daily posting) and that was quite freeing. It's been two years of daily blogging, and I'm considering a change, too. Better balance off-line does lead to better on-line balance. I'm glad you've found this balance!

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  2. I so agree with you...I have been having these feelings for a while, I just can't be on here all day, it's impossible, when did it stop being fun?
    My life comes first, so I've had to take a lot of time off this summer. I think I'm going to just post when I have something to tell. Winter time is the best for blogging not summer as I've found out.
    Thanks for posting about this!

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  3. Eh, I don't think comments matter all that much as far as making me feel like my blogging is "good enough". Some of the biggest bloggers that I read will only get 1-2 comments per post, but clearly they have a huge following still.

    I read and comment VERY often on other people's blogs, but not so I'll get comments back. I just have a group of girls that if I miss something they write, I feel like I've missed an episode of my favorite show!

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  4. Thanks for your wisdom. I can relate that a blog can be consuming. I love doing it, but you are right...it needs to come second to real life. I'm still in the building phases of the blog, so I understand I need to invest in it early on. But I appreciate the advice of one who has 'been there.'

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  5. Ugh I'm totally still working on this balance, it's very hard! I love blogging but with my fitness journey taking a front seat, its hard to find the time I used to. I loved hearing about what works for you and hopefully I can adopt some of them!

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  6. I've had to ease up on commenting on other people's blogs too. I'm happier when I comment because I want to, not because I'm trying to drive them to my site. It's not because I don't care. I just have more important things to focus on like my family and my self-care.

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  7. I think I need to print this post and put it up on my refrigerator, or my bedside table, or my forehead so I don't forget it. Ever. Thank you Ashley... I literally just moments ago told a friend I'm having a hard time taking even 30 minutes a day to work out when it used to be such a huge part pf my life (pre-blogging). Now I don't think twice about sitting and mulling over every last little detail of every picture and every word. You are right. Health and LIFE comes first, so AMEN!

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