Over on Twitter recently @jimlavin asked if I had any ‘ideas how someone with a normal day job can schedule time to blog on a regular basis?‘
Image by Helico
This is actually a great question and one that I’m sure many others will grapple with. While a handful of bloggers are able to blog full time the vast majority of bloggers can not and blog ‘on the side’ before, after (and I’m sure for some ‘during’) other work or life commitments.
This is how I started out. When I started blogging entrepreneurially I was working 3 part time jobs and studying part time (in addition to other ‘normal’ life stuff like being a husband. You can read more of how I progressed from a part time blogger to a full time blogger here.
Following are a few lessons that I learned through that process. It doesn’t just focus upon the topic of scheduling posts (although does give a few tips on that) – but rather probably gives more general advice for those juggling blogging and other priorities such as work, family and other commitments – particularly advice for those wanting to transition from part time to full time blogging.
Priorities
When I first started blogging it was simply a hobby and something I did out of interest. I had no intention of making money from it or growing it into a business. However when I began to realize that there was potential for this medium to earn an income I (or ‘we’ as I always involved my wife in the decisions) had to make a decision as to whether I was seriously going to pursue it or not.
If you want your blog to grow into a significant income stream or to achieve other serious goals then you do need to make a decision to invest time, energy and perhaps even a little money into it. Making this decision doesn’t guarantee success by itself but for me it was important.
In actual fact for me there were probably a series of 4-5 such decisions. Each time I let go of a part time job to put more time into blogging was a decision that we thought long and hard about and was effectively a stepping stone towards going full time.
Set Aside Regular Times
This might vary a little depending upon your situation and personality and style of blogging but I found that I worked best when I set aside regular times to blog and established a daily pattern of when and where I did it. For me the times that I blogged varied a little at different periods depending upon my other commitments but I distinctly remember a time where I was getting up an hour earlier than normal to do a solid hour of blogging before going to work. At other times I would set aside time in the evenings (the same time each night) or arranged to have access to a computer over a lunch break at work.
I found that if I didn’t set time aside to blog (and to effectively diarize it) that I simply didn’t do it (or struggled to). For me it was a little like exercise – if I don’t set aside the time it doesn’t happen.
Boundaries are Important
One of the things that I struggled with particularly in the first year or so of blogging was the setting of boundaries. Working a number of jobs, studying, family life and blogging all competed for my attention and at times blogging encroached upon some of these other aspects of my life when it should not have.
My last point of setting aside time to blog was helpful in this but so was giving those around me permission to tell me when I was getting obsessed with blogging.
Batch Blogging
One practical tip that I would give those juggling numerous hats is to learn about Batch Processing. I’ve written about how batch processing made me more productive but in short it is a technique where you set aside concentrated time to do one particular task rather than trying to achieve lots of things all at once.
For me there was a time where I would set aside every Monday morning simply to write posts for my blogs. I’d take my laptop to a local cafe, stay offline, switch off my phone and church out 5-6 posts in a morning. I’d then schedule these posts for the days ahead and let them publish automatically. I would still do other shorter/newsy type posts during the week – but the posts I wrote on Mondays were my longer, deeper more feature length content.
I found this approach to writing suited me and released me during the rest of the week to concentrate on my other jobs as well as other areas of my blogging.
Gradually Increase Time Invested into Blogging
If you read my story you’ll see that ‘going pro’ as a blogger was a fairly gradual process which effectively involved me decreasing the time I put into other work to increase the time I put into blogging.
While this is not the only way to do it (I know 1-2 bloggers who just decided to go full time and live off savings) it is the approach I recommend IF you have the goal of going full time (and I say IF because I know many bloggers don’t want to go full time). I recommend this approach mainly because building successful and profitable blogs takes time – deciding to quit your job and go full time as a blogger is a nice dream but in reality most blogs earning enough to support a full time blogger take years to build. Unless you’ve got a nice nest egg to live off in the mean time you’re cutting off the income stream that will sustain you while your blog grows.
Bring Those Around You On the Journey
IF your goal is to go full time (or even to earn a significant part time income from blogging) it is probably going to impact those around you. For me it was something that impacted ‘V’ (my wife) more than anyone else.
‘Honey, I’m going to be a full time blogger’ is a statement that you might want to think twice about saying over breakfast one morning (or at least wait until her mouth isn’t full).
‘V’ was incredibly supportive of my vision to grow blogging into an income stream but it was a process for her as much as it was for me. It meant that we were giving up other income in order for me to concentrate my time upon blogging for starters.
One of the sad things that I’ve seen happen a couple of times over the last few years is bloggers forging ahead with their vision to ‘go Pro’ without bringing along their partners. Blogging is great, but it’s not that great!
Daily Posting isn’t Essential
When you’re starting out the pressure to post every day on your blog is great. In talking to many new bloggers I find that many struggle with this expectation of daily content. Those who don’t achieve it often feel guilty or as though they’ve failed. Others keep the daily posting level up but as a result let the quality of their work slip.
Here’s the thing – daily posting is not essential to grow a successful blog.
For example – when I while Digital Photography School has two new posts go up each day these days – when I started I posted just 3 times a week to it. My goal was to write 3 high quality, helpful, unique, engaging feature length posts each week for the first month or so and then as the blog grew to increase that frequency. I worked toward producing 4 a week, then 5, then 6….. and beyond. It took me over a year to get it to daily posting even though I was working full time as a blogger.
Daily posting is great, but don’t stretch yourself too thin early on. 2 quality posts a week is better than 7 average ones.
Editorial Calendars
To help with the posting frequency it can be well worth thinking about developing an editorial calendar. For me at different times this meant setting time aside to set goals for the types of posts I wanted to write each week.
Some bloggers take this further and allocate a different type of post for each day of a week (ie Mondays might be the day for reviewing a product, Tuesdays might be a day to do a ‘how to’ post, Wednesdays might be a ‘reader discussion’ day…. etc).
I didn’t do this allocating of topics for days type editorial calendar (at least I never did it for long) but I found when I thought ahead about the content that I wanted to produce, identified topics ahead of time and even set myself deadlines for them that I was much more productive than if I just got up each morning and sat down to write with a blank mind.
Further Reading on Editorial Calendars – Editorial Calendars and Professional Blogging and 7 Ways to Keep Fresh Content Flowing on Your Blog.
I normally set aside time in the early morning to blog.
This is a great post!
Thanks,
Nate
Excellent article. I am new to blogging and am just about to start posting to my new blog. I have a full-time job as well as evening and weekend commitments so I have planned my work on the blog around the “free time” I have available.
I am also now carrying a notepad and pen with me to jot down notes during those slack periods at work as well as emailing home URL’s for useful websites I come across at work during my lunch hour.
Darren, this is great advice. I’ve been all over the place, time-wise. I need to get things a bit more scheduled and prioritized. I’ll need to read more on the “editorial calendar”.
By the way, you used the phrase “church out 5-6 posts” in the Batch Blogging section. Is that a typo or is it Australian slang? If the latter, it has a nice ring to it.
Shalom
LoneWolf
I certainly agree, that a few quality posts are better than daily drivel. It seems too many bloggers feel they need constant presence, in order to get noticed. I like themes/templates with featured post options. This makes sure you can always put your best foot forward when new readers pop in. It wouldn’t be very productive to have a new visitor bounce, because the first few posts they see don’t reflect the quality of your blog.
A great set of hints, Thanks.
Thanks for this. While there is quite a bit in here about taking the blog from part-time to paying full-time, I enjoyed reading between the lines on how to just keep my blog interesting and valid while working to keep my employer happy.
All in all, my blogging activity brings me greater knowledge and experience which I can bring into my every-day job, so it’s a win-win situation.
oh man, that is so relevant to me at the moment.
especially since I am burning time blogging that I should be using for quality time with my wife. And the more I blog the harder it is to bring her in on the journey. Maybe there is a time to step back and establish balance least you burn everyone out.
I love you suggestions – great stuff and encouraging.
Phill
Great advice.
Setting aside regular time to write is good advice, but may not always be possible, so don’t sweat it, if you can’t always stick to the schedule.
You may not always have a PC at hand, so have a small note pad where you can jot down ideas or even write articles when you get a few minutes during the day
If you do happen to get more free time than usual, try to bulk up on articles, so that you can schedule them in advance.
Just a few thoughts
Good points raised Darren :0)
I have ‘fixed times’ ie: lunchbreak at the day job and early evening before band stuff and life.
It’s taken me a year to realise if, for whatever reason, I’m not able to blog for a day or so that the world doesn’t end nor the sky comes crashing down.
Avoiding burnout is essential :0)
Thanks once more.
J
This is great advice, and takes the pressure off new bloggers who feel that they must immediately produce at the same level as professional bloggers who’ve been building their blog base and resources for years.
I’d add the following: ask yourself how much you enjoy blogging. The best case scenario is to be blogging for the joy/fun of it, rather than because you have to meet some sort of self-imposed schedule.
Darren, this is just what I needed to read today. Thanks for describing the way you work and how you structure your writing projects. Batch processing is a unique idea. I’ll go read that article now.
You’re all up in my brain! Thank you for stressing the importance of boundaries. I’ve been blogging for less than 3 months and churned out 60 posts in that time – all with a husband, 4 kids, a full time job, and an exercise workout each morning (and got a little stressed, imagine that).
But my last two weekends have been totally off limits to any type of blogging and I’ll continue that. I’ve set a schedule to post 5 days per week Mon – Fri, with a post written each evening after the kids go to sleep. I’m in bed by 11:30 pm and up at 5:30. It’s working. I feel better. Go figure.
This is THE topic du jour with me. I am new to blogging and having a terrible time trying to figure out how to balance it with everything else I’m doing. What’s worse is that I dove in head-first and started five blogs simultaneously! It’s an impossible task but one I felt was important to build links to my main blog. Thanks for your suggestions – it was very helpful to think about scheduling time and scheduling posts so my mind would be free during the week for other activities.
I’ve dutifully written down on index card this idea of making an editorial calendar, complete with examples you’ve listed. I’m moving around some type of posts that will suit my blogging pace. Very helpful idea, this.
I have a day job, but I find the strange mix of job and blogging not too stressful. I’m comfortable posting every other day. But I’m planning to rev it up to daily posts once I get my blogging rhythm down pat. And yes, my job pays me third world wages, but I’m keeping it. I love blogging more, but I have to be practical. My blogging can’t pay for my utilities yet. :)
This situation fits me pretty well. Thanks for the suggestions.
Darren, thanks for this post. It really recharged my ‘blogging’ battery, to push me to be more serious in taking this forward.
Good post, I am sure this has relevance to many of us out there. I guess the other deciding factor is what you are blogging about and your target audience.
If you are proving articles and how too’s then quality definitely rides above all else. However if you are blogging about relevant topics and time is off the essence then we may need to squeeze these in ASAP.
Will re-tweet on twitter :)
I failed twice at blogging before my third (and current) venture succeeded. For me, finding the time meant finding the passion first. Now that I blog about marketing, I have little trouble finding things to write about and carving out the time to post.
I end up thinking about possible topics and angles throughout the day. By the time the rest of the family goes to bed at night, I have a fairly solid outline in my head. I can then crank out a 250-word post in less than 15 minutes.
So, that’s my advice: blog your passion.
Great advice, especially the last point. Because my blog is photo based, which requires going to different locations, I usually plan these out. Different events, venues, and activities are featured. It takes time to do these, but I love every minute of it.
Wow, Darren! This was exactly what I needed to read today! I’m a mom of three little ones, CEO of my household (hee) AND The Mogul Mom–I struggle with juggling it all!!
I recently sought guest bloggers to help me with the writing workload & it’s helped a TON. I’m going to implement some of your other ideas!! :)
Thank you so much!!
Heather Allard
very inspiring post darren, im gonna follow your steps :)
Hi Darren, nice information. Daily posting is still a diificult task considering the time available. Happy to know that its not essential to post daily. Nice to know about your earlier blogging times
Thanks Darren. I will forward this to my contributors and try to find someone to make a long term commitment and become co-author.
Although I can not post daily, with two or three persons, it will be easy to post daily.
I failed twice at blogging before my third (and current) venture succeeded. For me, finding the time meant finding the passion first. Now that I blog about marketing, I have little trouble finding things to write about and carving out the time to post.
I end up thinking about possible topics and angles throughout the day. By the time the rest of the family goes to bed at night, I have a fairly solid outline in my head. I can then crank out a 250-word post in less than 15 minutes.
So, that’s my advice: blog your passion.
You really just have to make a schedule so you have enough time to do everything in your day. I do like the idea of writing a whole bunch of posts in one day. Then you do not have to worry about writing any more during the week. You can work at your other jobs and then come home and market your Blog. A simple way is just by going and commenting on the other Blogs.
Great post! One of my struggles have been juggling time and responsibilities. Some of these items on your list are areas I’m currently working on, including: Setting Aside Regular Times, Batch Blogging, and Editorial Calendars type work.
I’ve begun to realize that I will not have time EVERY DAY for posting so batch posting is beginning to appeal to me. I need to find the consistent time each week to sit down and do it.
I’ve also began a weekly post topic (Fridays) and as I get better at meeting that deadline without struggle, I’m planning on adding more weekly topics on other days too. I want to let my followers know what they can expect when.
Thanks for the TIMELY advice!
Count the cost of blogging before you begin! You have to be passionate about your topics or you’ll likely burn out. I think that bloggers that get started just for money, usually fade away fast.
I’ve been a part-time blogger for over a year. It isn’t always easy, but it is fun. I make a little, but not enough to justify the time I spend at it.
I write before work and on lunch hours. I also squeeze in some time on weekends. Part-time blogging is hard, but not impossible.
I carry a cheap spiral notebook to jot down ideas in as they occur to me. This is absolutely invaluable! A one-line note will bring back the whole idea. When I don’t do this, I generally completely lose it. Crap!
I don’t post on weekends. I occasionally miss a day during the week. As others have pointed out, the world does not end. Give yourself a break!
I take time off when I go on vacation. Now that my blog is a little older and has more readers, I am able to recruit guest bloggers to write for me when I’m gone. This works out well. Don’t hog your blog!
I started out blogging merely for interest. It’s interesting how it actually leads me to the belief today, that it’s something I want to do for the rest of my life. It’s definitely a dream to work home-based, and currently struggling on should I quit/not quit, it’s only a matter of time.
What I got from your book~ the 6 Figure income, mainly,is the encouragement that this could happen. It’s important to see part-time blogger do have a chance to go full time, which is why double-hardwork is on the table. I agree on the boundaries, and the not-necessarily 1 post/day (so much better to hear it from the pro himself), however, we do need to ensure the quality, isn’t it? ^^ thanks.
Fantastic advice, I am currently struggling with blogging (just starting a new blog) and all other commitments, including full time job. Your post gave me hope though and I will start acheduling my work and keeping up with writing posts. Fingers crossed.
Kasia
this is a great post. im one of the part time blogger who decided to do it more seriously this year. my day job & daily life takes up most of my time & i do find it hard to keep up with my several blogs every week. but it is my passion.
and i appreciate your detailed articles & efforts very much! thank you for your great advice.
I’m glad somebody addressed this issue. It’s a great article. It seems like many advice articles on blogging address the mechanics of blogging. Not many address issues as how to juggle other things in real life as family, work and other commitments. Thank you!
Great post, Darren!
I’m struggling with trying to juggle my life as a stay at home mom to a very (VERY) active 22-month-old and my desire to put more time into my blogging efforts. While I can usually find the time to post 5 out of every 7 days, I’m having a harder time finding the time (and energy!) to read/respond to other bloggers in my niche (which is very important!-as you know and have said time and time again).
I have this dream that one day life will be somewhat predictable, and I’ll be able to have a set time to blog. For right now, I work around nap time!
Darren, I am reading your book PROBLOGGER Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income. It is great and really SO helpful for new bloggers like me. It has tips like above and the nuts and bolts of everything you need to start and maintain a blog. Thanks!
It’s very important to have a balance between personal life and blogging. You have discusses about a very good topic. But I would like to say that niche bloggers have to work a lot to catch up with the competition in blogging
this is exactly the post I needed to see!
Thanks!
I am struggling with this now. This post will help me take a step back and think about where I want to put my priorities. It is interesting that you say daily postings aren’t necessary. It depends on where you go and who you read, but this answer can vary. I am currently writing daily posts, but may consider scaling back a little until I can become better at managing my time. Thanks for your tips.
Thanks Darren,
Wonderful article. I been looking for one on a similar note. I guess you always have something up your sleeve.
Cheers,
Eddie Gear
Hi Darren,
Thanks a lot. Great advice and covered most of pausing questions! I will prepare myself to follow this article!. Cheers!.. :)
Darren –
Totally helpful and down-to-earth advice. I need to work extra hard on scheduling and creating some boundaries because my husband and I are self-employed. So we already had the issue of work acting like a liquid (filling any space/time available) even before the advent of our blog.
I have identified the time of day that I write most effectively (morning) and now I need to actively set it aside so that I can write.
I am struggling with blogging often enough, and need to learn how to write several posts to have in reserve.
Thanks for sharing your process and guidance.
Nice tips Darren.
Currently my priority is study. I am engineering student at one of the top technical institute in my country, India. It is a rare opportunity available to selected students only. Only 5000 out of 5 lakh get admission. I cannot look down to it.
I also love blogging, so I am trying to proceed slowly. But studies are holding me back. I hope your tips help me to do well in blogging.
Thanks for the tips.
I am currently trying to work out a new schedule for my blogging. I was stuck in the “post a day” mindset for the longest time and realized my other projects were suffering. Now I am just trying to find a middle ground between that and weekly posts.
Hi,
These rules are 100% true. Working on your blog I consider to a graduated experience. I think that if you’ll start posting an article everyday from the beginning you’ll probably “die” by the end of the first month (for a starter). Writing everyday a quality article can be a little bit overwhelming but in time everybody can do it – this is a result of daily reading other people’s articles on the niche you’re blogging and developing your own ideas.
Planning is another very important thing, as it is stated in this article. Without planning I feel like writing in a big void – with no real goal to achieve.
Good article,
@TomaBonciu on Twitter
nice post, iam facing the same problem as i work for 8 hours a day, reach home by 6 in evening and then start working on the net from 9 onwards as my net service itself starts from 9, i will have to read this whole post 3 – 4 times to fully understand it
This is such a great post and well needed for me. I work full time and blog part time but need to do all the steps you have suggested. I have done one though, I have decided that I want to blog seriously. So once again thank you for your wonderful advice.
The batch blogging idea has sustained me for several months now. I carve out a few hours each weekend (usually Saturday mornings) to crank out as many posts as possible and schedule them for the coming days. My family treats this time like Dad is going off to his PT job, because in many ways that is what it has become. The remainder of the week is spent working at my full time while sneaking in blog administration during any downtime I can find.
I’d also add….don’t let your own personal “me time” get away from you as well. Be diligent about your health and wellness, and step away from the computer to exercise, socialize and ground yourself once again.
The thing that I appreciate about Darren’s approach is his steadfast adherence to his goals. He started out with X number of posts per week and by the end of the year planned to have Y number of posts per week.
This is not the way most people operate in my estimation. It’s all about self discipline and meeting goals. I write posts when I’m inspired to do so. If I thought “now it’s time to write a post” I would start having flashbacks of being in school and writing papers.
It would not work for long. Maybe Darren went to a better school than I did and enjoyed that sort of thing.
Blogging shouldn’t be about work or homework unless its about making money and its a job. Are there other good reasons to blog? Maybe just to enjoy being creative or communicating your point of view.
If blogging is something you do while you have a job or two chances are its not about making a lot of money. Maybe its about enjoying being a blogger. Because the idea that you will make a lot of money at it can be quite disappointing in the long run.
Just enjoy it. Enjoy life. And don’t worry if you write a post once a day or twice per week.
I have recently entered the blogosphere myself and I faced many of the issues you mention here. Especially the part about post frequency. Thankfully, I had done a lot of research into that (ALOT of it on this blog!) and have done pretty well balancing my “Day Job” , family life and my writing of posts. If you prepare a schedule for yourself, specific time set aside for blogging, it works really well! Thanks!
A great article, it’s something I’ve had to deal with for the past 2 years at techAU.
Scheduling posts is something I’ve considered, but never done. I think after reading this I definitely will use scheduling.
That said, you can only really schedule generic posts. When your covering the latest movements in the tech industry, or any for that matter, your always competing against other blogs to be the first, or at least shortly after.
Anyway thanks for the advice. A lot to consider about the future.
Great article, again. These informations are especially useful for newbie bloggers.
Good post! I just started setting aside time to blog, and I’m trying to make that a regular time like you suggest, although it doesn’t always happen.
I’ve also been thinking about doing the batch processing practice…spew out a bunch of posts when I have time to. I find myself lacking in inspiration when I do that though, and only get out 2 or 3 at a time.