My son asked me the other day “Mom how can you do so many things and find time for them, your are like super mom!”. Now he’s 8 years old so I was able to decipher what he was trying to express to me and I had to turn around because I almost bursted into tears (I’m such a sap). The fact that my 8yr old notices all the hard work and effort I put into everything I do on a daily basis means the world to me! It’s very difficult and 9 out 10 times I am tired but I want to be a well-rounded person so I sacrifice sleep. Blogging is where I’m able to be expressive about anything and it’s also taught me so many things about myself I’ve never knew.
I don’t know about you guys but anytime I can get a sneak peek into someones blogging routine I’m all for it! Like I’ve said in the past blogging as a whole is essentially all the same premise but that can be said for anything in life, everyone has their own method that suits them best. Mine goes a little something like this. . .
THOUGHT PROCESS – First comes all the brainstorming, inspiration and research. Having an editorial calendar is a good way to see what type of post you can plug in on said date. When I first started blogging it was strictly beauty but then I added fashion and lifestyle to switch it up a bit. Adding more topics to talk about adds variety to your blog and gives a sense of who you are as a person. I am on IG, Pinterest and Bloglovin all day and usually a photograph or post will trigger a thought for me. I have my notebook to jot down my schedule and admin things (emails to respond to, favorites for the month, wish-lists, contacts, etc). I use scrap paper to brainstorm because I’m usually all over the place. I start talking to myself and writing chicken scratch or key points, ideas come to me at the most random times too!
DRAFT – I will start a draft if I feel the idea is post worthy. Sometimes I’ll have posts typed up before I even take photos or vice versa. Proof-reading is probably the hardest part because you second guess yourself when it comes to grammar. You can always google something if you’re unsure but I read my post out loud, it really helps with finding minor errors. If I really want to get ahead on a given week because I’ll be busy with personal things I will have a few posts scheduled, I don’t have to log in and do it manually. After its all done I check links within the post to make sure they’re working.
EDITING PHOTOS – I’ve spoken about photography a few times so if your interested on how I edit mine you can click here. Saturation is a key tool for me, I like a more muted color palette to my site and it’s very appealing to the eye. I’ve learned over the past year that less is more and it’s how I’ve been living my life. All of my blogging tools are mainly Apple so the iCloud transfers my pictures in a matter of seconds, I use my phone to edit all my photos. I know they sell Wifi SD cards to transfer your pics straight from the camera but I upload all my photos from home so it’s not a must-have. I feel like that would be an option for me if I traveled a lot or had some type of commute, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have one though!
EXECUTE – Last step is to hit the publish button (if not scheduled) and share on social media. IG is usually how I get the word out about everything but I’m starting to get the hang of the whole tweeting thing too! I think its good to have a Facebook, Twitter and IG just because you never know what social media you reader might prefer plus its another way to get your name out there.
I do all of my typing at night once my kids are down for the day because its quiet, dishes are done, work area is clean and I can now unwind. I can get away with blogging mid-day if my daughter naps and my son is in school but that time is usually saved for chores so it all depends on what I have going on that day. The more consistent you are with blogging the easier it will become and you will adapt but scheduling is key to keeping your sanity, it can be very overwhelming at times. I try to respond to all my comments everywhere because I love interacting with my veiwers. I know some people get upset with all the huge bloggers because you’ll look at the comments and there isn’t one response but imagine having to reply to 156 comments? That’s tough! I might not get back right away but I try to do my best! SOOOO my main tips to you are
- Get yourself a notebook, pen and start scheduling around your personal life.
- Be consistent but don’t overwork yourself, you can always work your way up to full-time blogging.
- Be humble and gracious.
- Not everyone will approve or agree and that’s ok.
- Remember, less is more!