Time Management: My System {Part 1} Blog

I enjoy having a very full and active lifestyle.

{I sound like I am a retired grandmother right now}

Part of that "full and active" lifestyle includes times that are crazy busy and I don't have time to go eat much less stay on top of other less demanding tasks.  

I want to share how I keep up with my blog.

Blogging seems like less of an overwhelming task when I schedule it and break it down into smaller chunks.  I enjoy it so much that I want to write and not let it become a chore - or worse, let it take over my life. Remember, I should not let the things that matter the LEAST influence things that matter MOST.

To keep myself sane, but to still write and post often I...

• I schedule my posts.  Very rarely do I hit "Publish" and post "fresh off the press" content.
  It is usually something that I wrote two or three days ago (and in some cases even longer ago)
  How far ahead I write posts usually depends on what my personal & family calendar looks like.

• I break writing (most) posts up into 2 or 3 sessions. For example, writing this post, I will do a rough draft - get my ideas out into a general breakdown of what I plan to say, then I will come in and flush out the ideas into complete thoughts. Only after that do I put in the final touches on the post like pictures etc.

•  Task orientation vs. time allotment. I'm not very good at working in a certain time frame. I can't sit down and say "I have 30 minutes to complete this task". Plus, usually if I am online, I am multitasking between work, or other commitments and blogging. So I complete one task and then move to what else I need to do then. I'll have a goal for the day finish post xyz then I break it down into "finish this paragraph or thought, then move on abc".

• I keep a file for {L&&L}.  This is the best thing I have done for myself and blogging!  I knew that somewhere out in the Pinterest world was a template for a printable calendar and other great blog resources.  (Sure I could make my own, but why reinvent the wheel?)
  
  I had been making lists - and putting notes about blogging on top of notes about Children's Choir, my volunteer activities and Thirty-One! - things were getting so jumbled. Now I have a home specifically for my Blogging notes and ideas!

• I don't read everyones blog, every day.  I really struggled with this at first. I love reading my favorite blogs and keeping up with what is going on in everyone's lives - but it's just not realistic! When I was at Mamas Write, Mandy from {Biblical Homemaking} was discussing time management and this exact issue came up.
  
  She put it into perfect terms that make so much sense! Would my husband be okay with me catching up with my girl friends every day on the phone? No, of course not - he would be so aggravated if I spent 3+ hours talking to the girls daily.  He however doesn't mind when I catch up with them once a month or so. So why is blogging any different? Reading everyone's posts would take me more than 3 hours and I just can't sacrifice that time that belongs to my husband on a daily basis.    

I hope that my simple things can help you manage your time in blogging better!

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This is post one of a series of time management posts to come, so stay tuned!