4 Tips For Balancing a Blog With Full-time Work

Fitting creativity into your life can be a struggle for those who also work full time. Often by the time all the daily requirements are filled, there is simply nothing left mentally or insufficient time to invest in creative or personal ventures. Here are a few tips for balancing a compelling and interesting blog and your full-time job, while still keeping your sanity. Remember that trying to do it all and have it all is a great goal, but it can get overwhelming and leave you feeling like you are not doing enough. You are enough, and as long as you show up and try each day, then you are doing enough. 

Four Tips For Balancing A Blog 

With a Full-Time Job

● Set aside specific and regulated time. This may seem obvious but think about how often you planned to get to work on your creative project and put it off instead for week after week. Treat the time you set apart each day for your blog just like you would your clock in time at your regular job. You would not put off your eight-hour shift at "work" so do not postpone your one-hour shift on your blog. You may be surprised at how much you can get done in one focused hour.

● Put your distractions aside. If you find that when you sit down to work on writing or formatting your blog, you instead end up on social media or answering emails then leave your phone in another room and add an app on your computer that locks certain websites for a determined amount of time set by you. Princeton University actually recommends that if your friends distract you from your study or work at home goals, you can enlist them to help to counteract this.

● Train your brain. Have you heard of Pavlov's dogs? You can classically condition your own brain by only doing certain things in specific areas. For example, if you set aside a certain time and specific place to work on your blog then your brain will automatically switch to this mode after a few weeks of practice. You can even program yourself with other cues, such as a particular scented candle or gum that you only use when you work or a certain level of light that means, to your brain and senses, that you are writing.

● Some effort is better than zero. Even if you are not feeling it, show up and do the work. Some days you will not feel proud of your content; other days you will amaze yourself. But either way, just do it, and do it every day. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce warns not to overcorrect if you feel like you did not accomplish enough one day because that will lead to burnout. Do your best and start the next day fresh.

IN CONCLUSION

Time management is about so much more than simply planning each moment meticulously. We all get 24 hours in a day; yet some seem to do so much more than others. There are factors ranging from distractions, skill, support, and even self-worth that come into play. Just remember your voice matters. Do not overthink it, be yourself, spread your message, and try to enjoy the process. Running a blog can be rewarding in many ways -- including financially -- but it should also be somewhat organic, reflect you, and be of quality to the people searching for a real voice and real answers to the issues covered on your site.

 Author Bio: 

Patrick Bailey is a professional writer mainly in the fields of mental health, addiction, and living in recovery. He attempts to stay on top of the latest news in the addiction and mental health world and enjoys writing about these topics to break the stigma associated with them. 

Learn more at Patrickbaileys.com

Thoughts here?

PLEASE NOTE: 

Pen and Prosper will be on a brief hiatus until/around December 15th. 

Have a great, safe Thanksgiving.

Image credits: Pixabay.com