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Case Study: The 30-Minute Habit That Transformed Kelly’s Blog

Posted By Darren Rowse 29th of November 2017 Be Productive 0 Comments

30-minute blogging habit

Today on the blog we have a case study from one of our readers. Or rather one of our podcast listeners, as it was a tip in a particular podcast that spurred on today’s guest author to make some significant changes to her blog over the course of a year. I hope you enjoy Kelly Dunning’s story, and her insights and advice on how she has made the most of one simple habit to banish the guilt of not posting and rediscover her passion for her travel blog Global-Goose.com.

My blog used to make me feel sad and discouraged.

Why?

I loved working on it, but I rarely ever got around to it. I’m a full-time freelance writer with a travel blog as a side project. I spend a lot of time on the road. Like many bloggers out there, my blog is often sidelined by my full-time job and other commitments.

By the time I finished my freelance work at the end of the day, I was tired and wanted to get away from the keyboard.

I made this excuse for years, and while I always got my freelance writing work done my blog was embarrassingly neglected. Sometimes I wouldn’t write a post for weeks, and if I did it would be a small one just to remove the guilt of not posting.

This made me feel awful. I’d started the blog as a passion project. Traveling was the pivotal decision that changed my life.

When I hit the road for the first time, I felt so empowered and excited. I started my travel blog because I found a love for traveling that I wanted to share with others. Unfortunately, I wasn’t doing it as much as I wanted to because I couldn’t find the time. (At least, that’s what I told myself.)

I never struggled to think of things to write about. In my head I had an almost infinite list of blog posts I wanted to write. I just wasn’t making time to write them.

Finally, after a lot of stress and procrastination, I found myself in a rare moment of honest self-reflection. I realized I was just making excuses. Have you ever heard the saying, “If you argue for your limitations, then surely they are yours”? I was definitely guilty of arguing for my own limitations.

I had to get around this “limitation”, and figure out how I could write for my own blog in my spare time after writing all day as a full-time job.

One simple thing completely changed blogging for me.

I decided to spend 30 minutes on my blog every day, before my workday even began. Yup, just 30 minutes. I figured it was small, but it was better than nothing.

That was a year ago, and what a difference it has made.

“It’s Just What I Do”

The idea of a 30 minute per day blogging habit was inspired by one of Darren’s ProBlogger podcasts – “3 Productivity Tips to Help You Build Healthy Habits.” Darren says that when he’s forming a good habit he tells himself, “That’s just what I do.” There’s something very powerful about this. It works as a convincing mantra to help you instil a habit until it becomes something you do without even thinking about it.

So, I started setting a timer first thing in the morning and working on the blog for 30 minutes. Now it’s just what I do.

I started this habit in November 2016, and I’ve kept it up ever since – a full year now. This habit has allowed me to transform my travel blog, and I’ve published more high-quality posts than I ever had before.

Why This Works For Me

Working on my blog every morning for 30 minutes a day has been an effective strategy for me because:

  • It’s a small amount of time that I could always squeeze in, no matter how busy my day was. That’s 3.5 hours per week (14 hours per month) of steady work – certainly more than I was doing before.
  • I would have never been able to carve a 3.5 hour chunk out of my weekly schedule. But 30 minutes per day is always possible. I do it first thing, before any other distractions creep in and take over.
  • With a 30-minute timer ticking down, I use my morning blog time very efficiently and get a lot done in a short amount of time.
  • Since I’m working on my blog a little bit every day, it’s often on my mind and I think of ideas and ways to improve it around the clock.
  • I often find I keep working once the timer rings because I’m engaged in what I’m doing, and want to keep going until I finish that particular task.
  • Working on the blog for 30 minutes in the morning also gets my creative juices flowing, makes my other writing better, and puts me in a great mood.
  • Beginning with a solid 30-minute session of working on the blog means I’ve already accomplished something I’ve set my mind to before I even start my workday. This boosts my confidence, and gives me a great start to the day.

How Has It Made a Difference?

Thirty minutes a day may not seem like much. But it has made a huge difference to my blog over the past year. Looking back on the past 12 months, this is what I’ve achieved:

  • Published 51 blog posts, which is almost one a week. I’ve never managed to maintain the habit of blogging consistently for that long before. And many of these have been long, in-depth, evergreen posts.
  • Updated/improved/fixed errors in countless other posts. I notice these areas for improvement more often because I’m looking at my blog every day.
  • Improved the quality of my blog posts due to the increased practice.
  • Completed a 23,000-word travel guide for my website that I started writing years ago but never finished.
  • Thought about the “Why?” of my blog so I can define exactly how I want to help readers, and then implemented the changes.
  • Increased my Facebook page fans by 1,269.
  • Increased my Twitter followers by 1,570.
  • Increased my blog traffic by 24% (comparing October 2016 to October 2017).
  • Created a user-friendly “Start Here” page to organise my content and help readers find what they’re looking for.
  • Started and maintained a Pinterest Account, and designed beautiful pins to promote my posts.
  • Made a page and a Google Form for guest post submissions, and worked with guest authors to create blog posts.
  • Wrote several guest posts that were published on relevant websites in my niche.

I’m not saying this is miraculous. Some blogs have certainly grown faster than mine. But I’m proud of what I’ve  achieved in the past year because without this simple habit I wouldn’t have done nearly this much.

Yes, I could have done a lot more if I’d been working on my blog full-time. But that just wasn’t realistic for me with my full time job. With this habit, I could make it work around my other commitments.

I work on a blog post nearly every day, and it usually takes me several days to to complete one from start to finish. Sometimes it takes a while because I’ve created some long and in-depth guides that are 3,000-5,000 words long. (I’ve learned that juicy, detailed and helpful blog posts give the best experience for my readers, so that’s what I’ve been focusing on.)

One of the most important differences is the way I feel about my blog. Instead of making me feel embarrassed, futile and frustrated, my blog makes me so happy right now. This habit means my blog is no longer a side project I feel guilty for neglecting, but rather an active, thriving blog with a steadily growing readership. Every day when I get up in the morning, I’m excited to work on it.

A couple of weeks ago one of my readers emailed to let me know that one of my posts had been incredibly helpful for them, and was the inspiration for them to travel abroad for the first time. Knowing I made a profound positive impact on someone’s life is such a rewarding feeling.

Plus, my blog now serves as a much better showcase of my writing skills, and is a more effective portfolio when applying for freelance writing jobs. I’ve been getting more and better writing projects in the past year, and I think there’s a direct correlation.

What If I Miss a Day?Case Study: The 30-Minute Habit That Transformed Kelly’s Blog

Now before you assume I’m some kind of super-woman, I admit I don’t do this perfectly. I don’t always achieve the 30 minutes every day. Sometimes I wake up late. Sometimes I’m not feeling well. Sometimes I’m lazy. And sometimes I’m sleeping under the stars in the Australian outback with no computer.

But the habit is ingrained now, so if I miss one day I’m usually right back on it the next morning. After all, it’s just what I do. I’ve decided that it’s unrealistic to expect I won’t miss a day every now and then. That’s fine with me. But I make sure that missing days is an exception and doesn’t happen that often.

I’ve found that achieving success when working towards a long-term goal (like building an awesome blog) depends more on cumulative habits than what you do on any given day. It’s kind of like living a healthy lifestyle. If you have a long-term habit of exercising regularly, and you eat healthy food on most days, treating yourself to a double-fudge brownie every now and then won’t make too much of a difference because it’s the exception rather than the norm.

How I Make The Most of My 30 Minutes a Day

I’m often amazed at how long 30 minutes can actually feel. When I’m focused, I can get a surprising amount of work done in this time. I can usually write 600-800 words in a morning session. Then, when I finish a post, I use the next couple of 30-minute sessions to work on uploading to WordPress, formatting, adding images, publishing, promoting on social media and all other follow-up actions.

Here’s how I make my 30 minutes really count:

  • I put my phone away so I’m not distracted. If I whittle away the 30 minutes checking Facebook notifications, I won’t get another chance to work on my blog until the following day.
  • I listen to classical music on my headphones because it tunes everything out and helps me stay focused.
  • I use Trello to organise everything I’m working on for the blog. I have separate columns for Blog Post Ideas, Blog Posts in Progress, Miscellaneous Tasks to Complete for the Blog, etc. It helps me see the big picture and figure out what needs to be done next.
  • I have at least two different blog posts on the go at any given time, so if I’m not feeling inspired to write about a particular topic that morning or if I hit a block, I can spend the time working on something else.
  • I have other blog-related tasks for the days when I want to take a break from writing. This includes scheduling social media, uploading blog posts, adding photos, creating Pinterest graphics, reaching out to influencers, etc.

This simple habit has helped my blogging enormously, and might help you if you’re busy and struggling to find time to blog.

I challenge you to find 30 minutes in your day to work on your blog, whether it’s in the morning like me, at the end of the day, or whenever works for you. It may not seem like a lot, but it really does make a difference.

Bio:

Kelly Dunning is a Canadian freelance travel writer. She lives a nomadic lifestyle with no fixed address, working from the road since 2011 with her partner Lee, a web designer from England. They’ve traveled to more than 50 countries, and offer travel tips, stories and inspiration on Global-Goose.com.

About Darren Rowse
Darren Rowse is the founder and editor of ProBlogger Blog Tips and Digital Photography School. Learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Comments
  1. Hey Kelly,

    Thanks for the great tips you gave us. Will look into Trello. For me, I usually dedicate at least 2 hours a day to the blog. Fortunately, it’s during my train ride to/from work.

    Being consistent with those 2 hours, helped me get 9K+ pageviews during the first full month of blogging.

  2. Barbara Wanner Gelinas says: 11/30/2017 at 6:09 am

    Hi Kelly,
    I appreciate your practical examples. I struggle to find time for blogging and I haven’t even launched yet. My main obstacle is not wanting to start something I can’t follow through with. Your suggestion is encouraging. Thanks, B

    • Kelly Dunning says: 12/05/2017 at 7:57 pm

      Hi Barbara! I’m really glad you found it helpful. I know what you mean about not wanting to start something that you can’t follow through with – but the issue is that it is sometimes hard to find the hours you need to create an entire blog post from idea to completed and published.

      I find that by working on my blog posts at little bit every day, they are much more likely to be completed.

  3. disa rastogi says: 11/30/2017 at 5:03 pm

    Hi Kelly,

    Thanks for your inspiring tips. I have also been going through the same journey as yours. I am into full- time Digital Analytics and whatever time I get on weekends, while it away like that and spend very less on blogging.

    I am going to start with 30-day habit of blogging now onwards. Hope it helps in me achieving my blogging goals.

    Disa

    • Kelly Dunning says: 12/05/2017 at 7:57 pm

      That’s awesome, Disa!
      How has it been going for you so far? :)

  4. stacy lyn says: 12/01/2017 at 12:37 am

    Absolutely love this blog post! It’s incredibly inspiring. I have always practiced a 15 minute rule with may kids – meaning I work an hour and take 15 minutes playing with them then work an hour, etc. Of course they are with me much of the time I am working. I make videos for companies and write for magazines and it is super hard to get to my blog. This is going to really help. I know I can fit 30 minutes in. Thank you for making this so simple!

  5. Kristine says: 12/01/2017 at 1:02 am

    Thank you Kelly – your detailed example of this simple habit helps me start thinking about how to incorporate it into my life. I struggle with the same issues you did: I don’t have the time because “xyz…” And your transparency about how sometimes it is a bit of challenge helps even more. So, thank you for the inspiration and your actual mechanics of getting it done! I’ve GOT to look into Trello!!!!

  6. Hi Kelly,

    I am a freelancer and I don’t get to work on my blog every day. Like you, I always make it a point to work on my blog every day before I do any client work.

    It isn’t always easy, but like you, I’ve developed the habit and now it just comes natural to put my blog first before I touch any client work.

    It’s great to hear how well it has worked for you. Congrats on finishing your guide, I know how exciting it is to accomplish something that you’ve been working on for a while.

    Your post is inspiring and it just goes to show that if we remain consistent and work on it everyday, overtime we will look back and see what we created.

    Thanks for sharing this inspiring post and I have no doubt that your blog will just continue to grow.

    Have a great day :)

    Susan

  7. Hi Kelly,
    Thank you for the inspirational post. I have lost my way a little lately due to the usual life things but I know 30 mins is acheivable. I am back on the horse as of today.

  8. Kelly Dunning says: 12/01/2017 at 5:22 pm

    That’s exciting, Tegan! I find that building a blog is more about a consistent effort over time than any one thing. If you can find 30 minutes in your day and keep up the habit I’m sure you will be amazed at how much you are able to do over the course of a year! Good luck with it. 😀

  9. Thanks for the tips. Laziness sometimes overcome me. Hope that i could get that 30 minute a day lifestyle.

  10. Good stuff Kelly. The power of commitment wins again!

    I committed to writing 1 travel page daily – for fun – a number of months back. Doing so has opened me up to many opportunities. Not because of hard work, but because I was ALL IN on writing these pages daily.

    I also committed to writing 2-5 guest posts daily. All well, and I have never looked back.

    When you are all in, and simply created a new habit, you do the things you really wanted to do all along. You just don’t cower to your ego excuses, following your fun instead, and choosing to focus your attention and energy on something that you really value.

    Thanks for the inspired share.

    Ryan

    • Sue J (Suzy Homemaker) says: 12/02/2017 at 9:40 pm

      More fantastic and very timely advice. And you are so right. Thank you Ryan!

  11. Neetiraj singh tomar says: 12/02/2017 at 7:32 pm

    thanks for sharing this useful knowledge

  12. Sue J (Suzy Homemaker) says: 12/02/2017 at 9:20 pm

    This is fantastic advice! I always feel compelled to write one post at a time and make it perfect (with pictures) before moving onto the next. I like this approach very much. I can also clearly see how it can help me in another important area of my life right now, so thank you so much for this very timely post. Sue

  13. I love this post – thank you! I’ve just started pulling my content calendar together for 2018 and I think I too can do 30 minutes first thing in the morning a habit. I’ve always let my blogging come last to client work but I can definitely afford 30 minutes first thing morning. Really like the results too. :)

  14. Laiba Faisal says: 12/05/2017 at 12:02 am

    Nyx

  15. Hi Kelly,

    Thanks for showing us the power of 30 minutes a day.
    It’s definitely better than not having any dedicated time to your blog or having an erratic content publishing schedule.
    Thanks!

  16. d9creation says: 12/05/2017 at 11:41 pm

    More fantastic and very timely advice. And you are so right

  17. Good stuff. I started doing exactly the same thing, for exactly the same reasons. I now get up at 5am, and 6am – 7am is my “blog time.” I need a full hour, because writing doesn’t come easy for me, even after 3 years of blogging.

  18. Online Assistant says: 12/06/2017 at 1:44 am

    Awesomeee!!! its inspiring to read such stories, good tips and certainly the way to go.

  19. Rob Clifton says: 12/06/2017 at 2:58 am

    I’ve been struggling with consistency and this post has certainly inspired me to re-commit and not try to do too much. I always look for large blocks of time to work on my blog, and like you, my full-time job prevents it, but I like the idea of carving out a small but doable time frame.

  20. Trello has been a life-saver for me. And I think blogging first thing in the morning is key. One can’t honestly expect to find inspiration at the end of a long day.

  21. Hi Kelly, this is so great! I’ve started on a similar journey a few weeks back and while I’m struggling to keep it up, I’m focusing on the positive. I tell myself that it’s not bad if I exceed the time frame or never get to it, as long as that’s not the norm. Now, I try to stick myself to a schedule and follow upon it as much as possible. It works wonders when you avoid all distractions and give your attention to the task at hand. Also, setting up deadlines and having accountability partners. Good luck with your blog, Kelly! I enjoyed reading about your experience.

  22. Great results! I definitely need to do this, otherwise my blog just goes by the wayside, and everyday stays in the low priority basket. I use Trello and think it’s a great tool to stay organized with so many tasks to do for my clients or my own website it was really hard to keep track of before I started using Trello.

  23. budgetjan says: 12/16/2017 at 9:26 pm

    I think this is a great idea and can imagine that the 30 minutes could easily grow to more. Once the creative juices begin to flow I imagine the ideas start flowing also and this is where Trello would come in useful. An interesting article that shows how consistent albeit small steps can grow a blog.

  24. Marcus Perkins says: 12/17/2017 at 4:09 pm

    Hey Kelly.

    This was awesome post. I can really relate because I have just finished reading the book Miracle Mornings for Writers. I have recently started my own routine of carving out some time for writing daily. It’s only been a week, but I have already accomplished more writing than I have since I’ve started my blog in November.

    I’m proud of the progress I am making and I’m really committed to forming the habit.

    Your post is the coincidental breath of fresh air that I needed to keep working towards my goal.

    Thanks again for this post.

  25. Hello Kelly,

    Thanks so much for being so honest.
    I feel exactly the same about my blog at the moment – and this has been going on for almost 3 years now. I’m so happy to hear that this worked for you.

    I tried something similar, but ended up not sticking to it.
    I really want to give it another try because I certainly don’t want to give up my blog!

    I can’t cut down my sleep any further. I rarely get to sleep more than 6 hours – and I’m also not a morning person. So, I’ll try to place the 30 minutes in the evening – although this will also be tough.

    I hope I can revive my blog using this method. :)

  26. I love this post so much! This is definitely a daily habit that I need to start working on. I’ve already managed to build a habit to do yoga every morning and I need to get started on my blog as well.

  27. Oh Kelly, Amazing post.
    It was like you were describing my story.

    I am too a freelance writer and My work takes so much time, there is not enough time to write my own blog posts and experiment new ideas.

    I will definitely follow 30 minute rule from today. thanks for this post.

  28. food skills says: 12/26/2017 at 7:39 pm

    Thanks you so much its really good

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