How I Balance Blogging And Working Full Time
Like many bloggers out there I work full time in marketing where I’m tip-tapping at my computer all day long on something or another while still running my blog and posting almost every single day. Alongside this I edit a music website, so some freelance copywriting and still have a social life (although I have no idea how).
I’ve spoken before on why I wouldn’t want to freelance full-time, I know it’s just not for me, but something I know plenty of people struggle with is the balance. The balance between having a career and working full-time, but also wanting to blog and be as successful as you can within that area. For everyone how they do it is different but having the balance is so important. Here are six of the ways that I plan and organize my blog but until then here are some tips on how to balance blogging and working.
Bulk write posts in advance
I always find that bulk writing works really well. When I come back from a trip I’ll write multiple posts about it including an overview, things you have to do, tips, specific locations etc so I can schedule them over the coming months. I always try and work 2 weeks or so in advance so if a friend invites me out or I know I’m busy at the weekend I have enough posts to keep me going. This is especially useful as post almost every single day.
Schedule everything
Not only do I schedule blog posts in advance but I also schedule tweets promoting my posts and Instagram images. I leave some spaces in my Instagram schedule where I can post on the spot stuff (usually weekends when I am busier and likely to have a good image). If I’m scheduled in advance and then decide to take a few days out I know I’m not going to fall too behind.
Set a stop work time
On the nights when I’m not out being social I try to set myself time to do blogging stuff such as taking images for posts and scheduling social media and then setting myself downtime when I can have a bath/ watch TV. I’m a workaholic and I know I could carry on working until midnight replying to emails and taking part in Twitter chats etc if I didn’t assign specific times to work.
Don’t be afraid to step back
Sometimes when I haven’t scheduled enough or I know I’m going on holiday I just take a step back for a day. If I miss a day blogging for whatever reason or don’t schedule tweets for a particular post I don’t beat myself up about it and instead, just accept that it’s part and parcel of life. I’d rather not miss out on a social occasion than miss a day of blogging and while I don’t solely rely on it for income I don’t need to. Hayes and Jarvis did some research which found that a third of people admitted to feeling stressed on holiday because of their job. While I’m sure a lot of them were normal full-time workers, I bet this is something which freelancers fall down on, I know if I was away for two weeks I’d be tempted to check emails so I didn’t miss a collaboration or paid opportunity, and then it’s not really a holiday is it?!
If you blog how do you balance it?
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36 responses to “How I Balance Blogging And Working Full Time”
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All About Me
Rhian Westbury
Travels and Destinations
Nothing currently planned
This is such a useful post! I always write a few posts at a time so that I have them ready for the following weeks.
Emily xo
http://www.emilynewstead.blogspot.co.uk
Great ideas! Bulk writing in advance is a great tip, I am always leaving everything until the last minute! I’m so disorganised!!!
Scheduling is definitely something I need to get on top of… At the moment, I stay up until midnight or later almost every day just to get posts written…
You are so organised! I work a full time job so most of my blogging gets done during the weekend. I might steal your schedule idea, I find it brilliant.
I work full time too so being organized is so important x
Honestly I have no idea how you do it! You are amazing, I barely manage to blog and I don’t do anything else haha!
I’ve been thinking lately about having some blogs bulk written in advance! I think it would help so much as I also work full time!
Hi Rhian,
I always say that a professional knows how to manage his time and work. I am a full time blogger but I remember the time when I started blogging as part time and very easily managed my full time work and blogging together.
I need to work on bulk writing as I can’t keep up especially when the kids are at home. I also need to figure out how to schedule posts as I am sure that would help me.
Really loved your planner. I should now using planner as blogging takes lot of time if not planned. Nice tips to balance work with blogging.
I recently relaunched my blog because – aside from wanting to change directions – I had found myself falling way behind and getting lost in the stress so I took a month off and I employ many of the same tactics as you to get through the week juggling a job and a blog!
Schceduling is sooooo important. I rely on my planner so much and if it wasn’t for my planner I would be completely lost. Thanks for sharing.
This is actually helpful. Time management is essential part anything and everything that we do. Absolutely loved your planner.
Me too the planner was awesome. That is probably something that I should do myself even now as I find it hard to manage my time x
We are new to the blogging world and need to work on bulk writing..that surely will help, plus it gives you an idea of what kind of pictures to click beforehand.
Oh wow, you are mega organised. I’m a write it the night before to publish in the morning kind of person lol. x
I think it is amazing how organized you are. I love that you bulk schedule everything, this is something I should have done when I was working full time alongside my job x
This is great! I think scheduling really helps. Thanks for sharing how you do it! 🙂
It’s very important to stay organized. Congratulations <3 Brilliant schedule idea! Thanks for sharing it with us ! hope you're having am nice week!
I can’t stress enough about how important bulk writing is! I will blog on the way to work and home again when I’m on the train – it makes a huge difference! xxx
I also work full time and although I have about twenty something posts written I find that by the time I reach home I have don’t have enough natural light for food photos, so it has to wait until the weekend. I will definitely put some of your advice into practise and do a schedule that I can try to stick to.
When I returned to work full time, it took me ages to find a good balance, now I’m back part time with two children and find the whole balance thing so hard again
yes i totally agree with this! even when I’m on holiday, I’m always thinking about my blog but i need to relax and enjoy
omg don’t know how you do it, well, now i do, but I found it so hard that I had to step back a little. You just smash it! Hats off x
I am trying to sign off emails and shut my laptop at around 7pm most nights, but feel like I should “shut office” at 5pm like most!
ah I so need to sort this out this is where I really fall behind, when my depression days kick in.
thanks for the tips lovely x
That is what I should do and plan what to post and when and not be so random. Thanks for sharing this 🙂
That is such an important thing to do– I didn’t even think about doing a whole laid out detailed plan like that. That is a great idea!
~ http://viabella-thebeautifullife.blogspot.com/
I’ve started bulk writing posts and it definitely helps. Love your colour coordinated schedule – definitely going to do something similar.
really need to work on bulk writing and scheduling post… i have tried both, but with work and my daughters schedule…its getting hard to keep up
Writing posts in advance and in bulk is really important to me, I wouldn’t be able to run my blog without doing it! xxxx
I definitely need to do more scheduling instead of just posting when I have time. Interesting that you don’t want to freelance full time.
Yass Marketing galdem! I hear you on this one. Sitting in front of a computer at work, then coming home to sit in front of a laptop to blog can be draining. I got so excited when I saw your scheduling Google doc. I’m so nosey and love seeing how other people plan – that sounds so geeky doesn’t it? Definitely admire your ability to balance everything!
I really need to be more organised with my blogging, especially as I’m going to uni soon! I’m rubbish at scheduling though!
This is a list of everything I *should* be doing to stay ontop of stuff but am not. I’ve just graduated but doing a bit more studying so hoping to get ontop of all this before I start a full time job!
I’m lucky that I only work part time, but I could definitely learn a lot from your organisational skills.