The Balancing Act of Working Full-Time & Maintaining a Blog
I have been managing a consistent blog for four years while having a full-time career. While typing that out, I cannot believe four years flew by that fast, and it seems like just yesterday, I was purchasing my domain. The keyword to focus on in my first sentence is 'consistent.' I point to that word because I have come across many who are "getting back to blogging," "taking a break," or "doing a relaunch." This is no shade to anyone because the luxury of a blog is deciding when or how often you post.
There have been times we have all logged onto blogs and the last time the owner updated the website was six months or more. I knew that if I wanted to obtain more NEW & CONSISTENT readers, I needed to blog regularly to give people a reason to continue to return to my site. I set the cadence of publishing a new blog post every Tuesday, and I was pushing out so much content that people thought Dom N' The City was a full-time thing, and that was not the case. The question was no longer how do you blog consistently, but how do I manage to work a 9-5 and blog.
Let's go over 6 tips on how to manage the balancing act of working full time and blogging!
Automate social media content
I always encourage individuals to look at social media channels such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest as drivers for your website. You want to create and automate content that will encourage the reader to check out your site or follow some call to action. I use apps such as Planonly and Hootsuite to schedule content versus live posting. Automating as much as possible allows you to focus on work while at work. Every two weeks, I will sit down and plan out content specifically for Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Tip: Want to see other apps I use to run Dom N' The City? CLICK HERE
Batch content
What is batching content?
Later describes it as
…a productivity technique where you create all of your captions or visual content during a set period of time.
You will learn that batching content will require you to think effectively and creatively to another level. A food blogger that mainly provides restaurant reviews may need to plan out an entire Saturday of what businesses to visit to get content. I have done this countless times and obtained a week or more worth of content in one day. For fashion bloggers, it may mean shooting six looks in one day. Outside of thinking effectively and creatively, it may require that you sacrifice a day out of your weekend to knock it all out.
When I am batching content, I think of how I could use it, such as Instagram Reels, Pinterest, Twitter, blog posts, and more. The more you batch content, the more efficient you will come with the process.
I talk more about batching content and the benefits of being a 9-5'er in this article with Teachable written by Mika Robinson.
Utilize a scheduling or planning system to account for your time
Organizing your schedule is honestly the glue holding it all. Some individuals like using a digital system such as Google Calendar, Trello, Asana, or just good ol' paper and pen to keep it all together. I use a physical planner (Erin Condren - if you want me to be specific), Google Calendar, and Asana. Using a physical planner allows me to write out minor tasks and deadlines to obtain and and end goal or larger goal and keep me on track. My Google Calendar allows me to view my schedule on the go, and Asana is a braindump for all my ideas.
Tip: I have utilized my calendar to remind myself of the main focus of my Insta-stories on certain days, such as reminding my readers to sign up for my newsletter or promoting an upcoming blog post.
Taking short breaks when necessary to avoid burnout
Burnout can be SO REAL and expected in this space because you are constantly wearing multiple hats. You are the copywriter, photographer, SEO specialist, publicist, and owner of all of this.
When I feel like I am nearing burnout, I will reduce my cadence of posting or take a week off. I also enjoy taking a week off near popular holiday times when I know more of my readers are likely to less time on social media, such as the week of Christmas or other significant holidays.
Tip: The exact method you use to avoid burnout in your 9-5 I recommend applying in your blogging.
Center yourself in your WHY or PURPOSE
I believe remembering why you created your platform allows you to stay centered in what you create and do. This also tends to be my North Star when making judgment calls on working with brands. My purpose for creating Dom N' The City to amplify the reach of small, local, and minority-owned businesses.
Tip: When working with brands, make sure it aligns with who you are or what you stand for. You have earned the trust of your readers, so don't take it lightly.
Discipline
Having discipline with your platform and running it like a business in the early stages will help you as your brand begins to grow. While you will experience growing pains, having a schedule and being disciplined is what will set you apart when it comes to working with brands.
I hope these tips are helpful in the balancing act of blogging and working a full-time job.
If you have any additional questions, please drop a comment.
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