The question I’ve received the most since I started my blog 4+ years ago – How do I balance work and blogging?  Well, I figured it was finally time take this popular topic and put it out there in a blog post.  I’m going to break it down into list style with some of the key things I do to balance both. I will say though, I’m by no means perfect at it.  I still have days were work drains me, and I don’t work on my blog when I should be.  For me, work pays my bills, so it gets priority on my time and energy.  These little tips have helped me mix in blog tasks without feeling overwhelmed or like I never get to have a social life.

1) GIVE YOURSELF GRACE 

Touching on what I said above, know that it is ok to skip a post whether it be on the blog or Instagram.  It’s ok to not share in stories one day.  It’s ok to take the weekend off of social media if you need it. It’s ok to let yourself rest and recharge.  When I first started, I wanted to do it all.  I quickly learned that I only had 24 hours in a day, and I really value sleep.  I’ve never been a blogger who stays up until 3am working on a blog post.  Once about 10pm (sometimes earlier) hits, my brain just can’t put words into sentences anymore.  Know how much you can handle, and give yourself grace if you don’t get to all the to dos today.

2) MAKE A TO DO LIST 

I have a morning to do list that is the same everyday. Things like promote today’s post and check emails.  I’m much more of a morning person, so I prefer to answer emails in the morning before work.  My evening and weekend to do lists vary depending on what I need to work on and what my social schedule looks like.  I’ve created a semi-routine that works for me by creating these to do lists.

My weekend to do lists are typically longer.  I prefer to get most of my blog work done on weekends so it frees up my nights a little.  On Weekends, I shoot photos, add in links and photos for this week’s posts, sometimes write the posts, layout my instagram for the week, more emails, work on backend issues and the business side of the blog.  I usually keep my night tasks to 2-3 per night.  It helps me feel like I have some time to rest and relax after a long day at work, but I still feel blog productive.  A few night tasks for  me, write posts, check emails, finish any weekend tasks I didn’t get to.

3) MAKE A SCHEDULE 

When I feel my to do list start to overwhelm me, I break it down and turn it into a schedule or smaller parts.  I will block out time to work on specific tasks and schedule in breaks.  I also love to take big tasks and breaking them down into smaller pieces to make them feel more manageable.

4) SURROUND YOURSELF WITH SUPPORTIVE FRIENDS

My friends are super supportive of my blog.  If I tell them I can’t come out and play because I’m working on blog stuff, they understand.  If I need to post to Instagram while I’m around them, they ask if I need help taking a photo.  My blog is a passion project that I choose to devote time including occasionally skipping some activities to work on.  I love that my friends never make me feel guilty for this choice.

Also, reach out and make friends with other bloggers in your area.  You can help shoot each other’s photos, bounce ideas off one another, share advice, or just have someone to talk to who understands blog life.  Slide into their DMs or hit up influencer events in your area.

5) STAY ORGANIZED 

I have a content calendar, dropbox to easily access all my blog files and photos on my computer and phone, a home file system, my hand written running to do list, a blog ideas book, and spreadsheets for finances and tracking my monthly analytics.  Take time to create an organizational system that work for you.  It saves time to to know exactly where to look when I need a photo, to know which posts to work on, and what tasks I can work on if I have some spare time.  I also spent an entire day organizing my email.  It was chaos and took me forever to get through.  Now I have folders for different types of emails and people I correspond with.

6) SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO PASS ON FUN 

While my full time job is priority number 1, blog is number 2.  Sometimes this means skipping on a shopping date or joining my friends on a Saturday to watch college football.  I shoot on weekend mornings, so I give up going out the night before to get my beauty rest.   If I need to write my blog post, I leave happy hour early or arrive late to ensure it gets done.  Sometimes balancing work and blog means allowing other things to slide to the side.  This is why number 4 is so important, but I do think it’s important to make sure you still enjoy life. So if you feel you need a break, reference #1 again.

7) SHOOT CONTENT IN BULK

I meet with my photographer about every 3 weeks.  We spend an hour together and shoot 5-6 outfits.  Since I post 2 outfits a week, this gives me 3 weeks of content.  This year, I’m planning to start adding in more beauty and lifestyle type posts.  My current plan is to set aside one weekend day a month and shoot all my planned posts for the month on that day.  Shooting in bulk is SO helpful in keeping your content rolling out.  It also helps prevent scrambling at the last minute to put something together.

If you are on the struggle bus with balancing work and blog, I hope some of these tips help out.  It definitely took some time for me to find balance and what works for me.  Create a schedule that works best for you.  If that means you post twice a week to your blog and every other day to Instagram, then do it.

Everyone will tell you what you should be doing, my last piece of advice.  Listen to what others recommend, and then do what works for you.  Even if it means completely ignoring what they recommend.  Everyone has different schedules, lifestyles, bed times, and finding what works for you and letting go of what doesn’t is the key to finding balance with work life and blog life.  Good Luck and I hope you find the perfect system that works for you.

Photography by: Banavenue

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