Recently I have noticed a lot of people (especially bloggers who are also students!) talking about how they are having a rough time keeping up with blogging during the school year. I can definitely relate, but after 3 years I have my routine down for the most part.
1. Keep a running list of ideas- I keep a notebook where I write down any and every idea I get. Even if it is only half developed and I am not sure if it is good or not, I will write it down and go back to it later. I promise this is the only way I am able to post consistently because I ALWAYS have things to write about.
2. Write posts ahead of time- personally I have more time on the weekends to write, so I set aside a few hours to write and schedule all my posts for the week. I try to have my Monday-Friday posts scheduled by Sunday night at the latest so during the week I don’t have to worry about writing posts and can focus on emails, comments, design, networking, and other blog things during any down time.
3. Use an editorial calendar- I print out monthly calendars and use sticky notes to write down ideas. But find a way that works for you and stick to it! See how I organize mine here. Underneath the sticky notes I will note important dates for collabs and stuff like that. Any other info I need to note I will put in my planner that I use for everything else.
4. Make a daily to do list and make sure to include at least one blog related thing– It is no secret that I am a big fan of to do lists. Many days, especially during the week, I do not have time to do much blogging stuff. But I will try to put at least one blog item on my list to accomplish, whether it is tweaking a design element or replying to comments or emails.
5. Schedule tweets ahead of time- I use Hootsuite and swear by it. I am able to schedule all my tweets for the upcoming week and I don’t even have to go on Twitter for a few days if I choose. I used to only schedule my posts for the day, but now I schedule old posts, other people’s articles, and other fun tweets in as well! Don’t worry, I do still “live tweet” from my phone. ;
6. Make sure to post at least a few times a week on every social media outlet even if you can’t do once every day. I personally try to Instagram once every day and tweet/pin multiple times a day. If I am following someone on Instagram who goes 8 weeks without posting a single pictures, there is a VERY HIGH chance I will unfollow them. I would prefer to follow people who post pictures I love on a regular basis
7. Organize your inbox- Use unroll me to get rid of newsletters you don’t want anymore and delete any old emails. If your inbox has a system, it makes finding old emails and replying to important ones so much easier. I am planning on doing a separate post on how I organize my inbox, so let me know if you want to see that!
8. Pick a posting schedule that works for you– I don’t mind if a blogger posts once a week, as long as it is a great post and they are consistent! I personally try to post Monday-Friday with the occasional weekend post as well, because that is what I have decided works for me. Maybe your schedule allows you to post twice a week. That is completely fine, but just remember that consistency is key!
How do you balance blogging and life? If you are a full time student or employee it can be extremely difficult to have enough time for it all, but I hope this post inspired you!
xo, Scarlett