Improving your blog - how do you juggle blog time?

Welcome to another edition of Improving Your Blog!

 Every so often I'll throw out a tip that will hopefully help you improve your blog or blogging habits. For all blog tips to date, click HERE. 

Today's topic:

~ How do you juggle blog time? ~

Admit it! You feel downright giddy when you get this screen on your monitor.

 I mean, the sky's the limit. Will you change the world today showing a new creation? Will a wonderful new conversation strike up within comments you totally didn't plan? It's all so fun and exciting to hang with like minded individuals that 'get you'.

But if you're like me, you find it tricky to strike a balance with work, the homestead, family and blogging. And with summer is on it's way, now what? Do they make those baby carrying snugglies for laptops?! Screens that view ok in daylight?!? Waterproof laptops for the pool maybe... hmmm...

I 'think' I know the right thing to do when it comes to scheduling blogging time, but I admit, I break my own rules ALL. THE. TIME.

Honestly, it got a little crazy for awhile. I had a laptop for my son right beside mine and we'd do our thang side by side. And then suddenly my son got 'too busy' to do homework, chores, go outside and hang with friends... know what I had to do? Remove his laptop. AND vow to only go on mine once he's in bed.

And do I follow through all the time? Nooooo. But I'm slowly improving. :) Sorda. Hey, I'm writing about it so that's the first step, yes?!? 

~ 4 questions for blogaholics ~

~ 1. Is your blog office location an issue? ~

Is your blogging area super accessible, tempting you every step of the way? Like mine?!?

My laptop sits in my kitchen and subliminally calls me over CONSTANTLY. Perhaps it's too accessible, however, I'm not good in closed in spaces. I LOVE blogging here, it's central, I can see out every single window and it's around all my... eclectic-icity. :)

Is it part of my problem? YES. But I'm not willing to move the laptop, so I have to solve the issue another way.  Don't be stubborn like me. If your location is tempting you far too much, you can always try moving your blogging area to where you don't readily see it.

~ 2. Do you host scheduled events? ~

This is a BIG one. I find the more scheduled events I promise, the more I have to deliver. At one point I was in a weekly decorating contest, my weekly SNS linkup party, and the weekly Workshop Series on Wednesdays. And then when life got in the way, things came crashing down pretty quick. I had to let go of something.

Tips on scheduled posts:

1. Plan no more than one scheduled event at a time. Try that and make sure you can deliver, then add more if you feel you can keep up. Better yet, biweekly or once a month helps too. But do I do that?!? Ohhhh nooooo. But you're smarter than me, so pace yourself out according to what you can deliver comfortably.

2. Start your scheduled post WELL in advance. That way you can do a photo shoot one day, edit the photos on another, and then finally, write your post. This maneuver has saved me many times over. Do it all in one day and you'll never get off that computer and get some sleep. Ask me how I know.

3. Do the bulk building on the weekend. Even if my post was being worked on a week ahead, I always knew I had more time on the weekend than a weekday, so I did/do alot of hacking on weekends. My friends, there is a REASON I have SNS on Sat and Sun. :)

~ 3. How do you plan your posts? ~

Something I LOVE to do (but generally gets me into trouble time wise) is, when inspiration hits, write my new post at that very moment. While the idea is hot, so is your enthusiasm, so writing becomes effortless. However, this isn't so good when the kiddo is late for school...

Two things that help me plan posts are:

1. Start a post when inspiration hits, but purposely don't finish it. Leave it in draft mode to come back to later. I prefer this method over #2, but you do have to be tough on yourself and know when to stop.

2. Write the idea down in a notebook with a star beside it. Have that page especially for new post ideas you can refer back to when you run low on post inventory. Have a notebook in your vehicle, beside your bed, wherever you hang out. Some of my best ideas come to me while driving or doing housework, so be on guard with that pen and paper.

~ 4. Do you plan to blog, or are you spontaneous? ~

Do you set aside blogging time, for example when the kids are in bed, or do you gravitate towards your computer when you know the timing isn't perfect?

Today I was blogging after dinner and the dishes weren't done, the laundry wasn't folded, and the lawn was too long. My son BEGGED me to get off this thing, so know what I did? I flicked it off and we went for a bike ride instead. Yes we did! We left all the work behind and just left.

The way I see it is, if I can be spontaneous with blogging, I can also be spontaneous with play. Or anything else that goes on. It's all about the right choice at the right time. Or, be better equipped than me and come up with a plan and stick to it. Then teach me. :)

I'm so far from having solved this issue that I really have no right in attempting to guide you! So, I'm also open to suggestions. Let's help each other. Because it's just really hard to always stick to the 'right' thing to do when passion takes over, isn't it?

How do you juggle blog time?

What are your ongoing problem areas? What changes do you plan to make? What's worked for you? Is anyone gonna create laptop snugglies or waterproof laptops?!?

Let's chat. I need a new game plan and some fresh new answers.

Riiight... let's BLOG about our BLOGGING HABIT. :)

Did you miss the 2000 Followers Event draws?

A sweet petite tote! (2 choices)

A custom painted grain sack!

An original painting!

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A vintage cream and sugar pin cushion or ? (3 choices)

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Enter all 6 draws until Sunday, 11pm Pacific.

Check out the sidebar to enter or click the title above.

The themed linkup (alongside the anything goes) this weekend is refurbished headboards.

Have you made an old headboard into something else?

Bring yours along and see you Friday, 7pm Pacific!