Following on from last Satudays blog FAQ’s, I thought I’d keep with the theme this month and make Saturday a blog related writing day. After all, bloggers seem to do a lot of blogging and not as much of the advice or sharing experiences – that’s no ones fault, we’re all just super busy.
Running a blog alongside working full time can be tiring at times – my boyfriend worked out that with all the hours I put in I actually work 7 days a week. But at the end of the day this blog is something I am super proud of and as well as being a creative outlet it also looks really great on your CV. I’ve been quite lucky as I’ve only ever blogged alongside my full time job. I’ve never been at uni or part time and had an extra day a week off, so juggling the two is starting to come very naturally. When I used to work 9 – 5 with flexible hours and a rediculous break allowance things were much easier, but now I work 9 – 6 with a small break and a total of 2 hours travel a day – despite this, post have become far more frequent and I think even my mum is a little impressed…
Let’s Get Started…
Before I get on to things I do and tips… I post a lot, but this isn’t a post saying everyone else should be doing the same, it can be applied to you if you only like to post twice a week or a few times a month!
The first thing I started off by doing is deciding on how often I wanted to post each week and what type of post I would do each day to keep things fresh – it works far better than a week of mostly outfits and then a week of beauty. I keep a big tabbed notebook and the first page shows my blog rota – although I don’t need it as it’s now embedded in my brain!
Blog Prep
Once I knew the types of posts and the number I wanted each week I started to jot down ideas the week before. These could come to me as I’m getting ready in the morning, at work or in the middle of the night – always carry a note pad or your phone for moments like these. Every Friday I collate my various little lists and take a look at the posts I want to create in the next week. I then shoot all the images for them (or videos in some cases) at the weekend. If I have the time I upload the photos into blogger and if I’ve got a lot of time (or i’m having a sleepless night) I write them too. Once I have an idea of what I’m going to post Monday to Sunday I write them in my 2013 diary, so I have a clear view of my week and whether there are any gaps – and then assess whether I really care about said gap.
There are some months where I’m busier than others and in those I do some serious prep. Example: This month I spent the long weekend prepping content so that when I’m gallivanting around with the boyfriend for his 21st birthday, you won’t even notice I’m gone! In this case I actually have three weeks of April set out – but this is my most extreme to date and if I don’t have to do it, I won’t!
Do I miss spur of the moment blogging? No, because I still do it – if I sprawl my makeup out in a perfectly messy way whilst doing my makeup and like what I’m using – I’ll snap it on my phone (the first image is a perfect example of this) and write up the blog post on my way to work, I’ll then just push my schedule back (but I don’t like doing this – it makes my diary messy) or add it to the end of the list to post.
Although a lot of prep is done in the evenings and on the weekends, I can’t always put the blog first and if I’m out with friends I won’t be thinking about the blog (unless we’re talking makeup). In this case a blog post might not be ready on the day it’s set to be published. This is a fairly regular occurrence as I’m not perfect when it comes to organisation. In this case I blog on the way to work, on my break, and sometimes on the train home. I mostly do this on my phone – this and a fair few other items really help with blogging on the go…
Helpful Blogging Tools
Blogger App – you can write, edit and publish posts all from your phone. I honestly cannot recommend this enough!
Dropbox App – I have an insane love for dropbox – it’s great for getting phone photos onto my laptop but also for getting blog photos on to my phone to use on instagram or in a blog post later. It’s also super handy for transferring files if you arrange guest posts.
Emails – if I didn’t have my emails on my phone I would have missed out on some seriously good emails in the past. I can respond super quick to nice exciting bloggy emails and emails from the accountant (not so exciting to everyone else, but still exiting to me).
Memory Card – this depends on how you take your photos, but I have an SD card. This comes in super handy when I shoot some very quick outfit photos with my brother on his Cannon and I don’t have time for him to send them to me. I pop my card in – he snaps away – I take the card with me to work and upload photos on my lunch break. (Note: this works on my Mac but on another computer you may need a memory card reader) This also works for if you’re on the go and just won’t be using the same computer.
Studio lighting – I would never say this is essential, but if I have late night inspiration or want to shoot videos or product photos and the light is bad then these are babes! With my current routine I generally tend to use them for filming, but I have had moments of an evening where I’ve had the sudden urge to blog and didn’t have to worry about poorly lit photos.
Social networking/blogging apps – If I’m on the go and I’m not writing a post (or sticking my head inside a magazine) I like to catch up on twitter, instagram, bloglovin, youtube (if I’m on a very long train ride) – you get the jist! Catching up on these means that once I’m home I can focus on my family and boyfriend a little more and don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. Twitter is also a handy tool as you can use it to update everyone on recent posts – if you have a super busy day ahead of you then it might be best to schedule them!
Note books and diaries – I’ve already touched on these, but they’re so handy for jotting things down so that you can then focus on something else. I keep my blog and my personal life together in both my diary and “to do” lists as it gives me an accurate representation of how much I have on my plate in one day/weekend. I also use them to take notes from videos or even other bloggers advice. Example: I took my notepad along to see Anna a few weeks ago and she thought I was very cute!
It’s all about utilising your spare moments in the right way really – which is a good skill to have whether you blog frequently or not. Saying that, it’s also important to keep a healthy outlook on things – if I don’t post, I don’t panic. I’ll move my week around a tad or I’ll just give myself a day off! The good thing about blogging alongside a full time job is that you don’t get fired when you forget to post – it’s not your sole income and it’s no biggie. I enjoy being stupidly busy – part of the reason why I work in the events industry – but it’s all about doing what makes you happy at the end of the day.
This is a great post! Really helpful, thank you! I was just wondering how you upload/insert your photos to posts? I use the upload tool on blogger but I always get a really annoying grey border round my photos :/ xx
Great tips! I've just schedueled a post for every single week up until the end of June, because I'll be too busy revising for my exams!! It's always great being prepared!Xx
Lucy Cole | A UK Fashion Blog
Thanks so much for doing this post! I'm just starting out and it's really helpful 🙂
I'm still new to blogging and while I love it I've found it difficult to balance regular posts as I am in my final year of study and I'm not posting as often as I'd like… This was really helpful, I feel inspired to get organised and get my posts under control! Love your blog 🙂
this is very true and will help so many new bloggers out there 🙂 it took me a while to figure out what worked for me!
Nafisah xxx
I just started and these are GREAT tips!
http://talisatalksbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/
This was really helpful, going to sign up to dropbox now x
srslylou.com
Loved this post and the tips were so helpful thanks!
I love your blog & it'd be great if you could check out mine 🙂
http://cthrnsyr.blogspot.co.uk/
Catherine xx
Great tips. I blog around my full time job too, it's hard work but I love it!
This is so helpful. Thankyou!
Great post, I always carry my little Pink Pantone notebook with me for jotting down ideas for posts, purely because I always have brainwaves at the most random of moments!
http://hannahrebekahcampbell.blogspot.com xxx
This is a great post, thank you for sharing 🙂
So organised too, and a really good idea to carry an SD card!
Carrie
xxxx
http://carriebrighton.blogspot.com
This is great advice as i'm just starting out too it really helps.
P.xx
greywalls94.blogspot.co.uk
Would it be possible for you to do a blog post on your blogging notebook and how you organise it and the benefits of it? Possibly a video? That would be so helpful as I'm new to the blogging side of beauty! 🙂 xx
Great post! I find it's really good organising blog posts, it's much easier too.
j4miejohnston.blogspot.co.uk
Jamie ♥
This was so helpful! I need to get a little notebook to write all my ideas down! x
graciousghost.blogspot.com
Really enjoyed this post! Great to hear how you organise yourself! I started jotting things down in my diary and notebooks but I've been a little slack recently, hopefully this will get me back into gear! x
Amy | http://amysbeautyjournal.blogspot.co.uk/
Thank you for posting this, it's really helped out with some ideas on how to manage my blog. I currently work full time and study part-time for an Open University degree so don't really have a spare second, but I guess the love for blogging prevails and I always find time for everything in the end.
Great tips!
Lyndsay ♡
Fizzy Peaches
Your posts are always so helpful! Can you do one on taking photos for your blog??
Www.trendischic.com
is it possible to blog about the lighting and how you photograph things?
Thanks for the tips I'm getting into the swing of blogging and loving it, my notebook is my saviour!
www.beblacknblue.blogspot.co.uk
www.bloglovin.com
Fantastic post!! I think all of us bloggers can take something from this to help get a healthy blog/ life balance ♥
great post! these are really some awesome tips
This is such a great post, thank-you. Super handy little tips that I will definitely be applying to blogging from now on. Sometimes I struggle managing a part time job and my blog, never mind a full time on!
chelseyxlou.blogspot.co.uk xo
Thanks for these great tips, I've recently started my blog, work part time and have a 2 year old so thanks for sharing!
alittlepopofcoral.blogspot.co.uk
SOme great tips some I didnt know and so I do daily. Lovely post and very well put together!!
Pipp xx
http://pippjones281190.blogspot.co.uk
Definitely good tips, I kind of wish I had a commute to spend more time writing though, my ten minute waddle to work doesn't cut it!
I did find online some blog planner templates that fit in my filofax though! I also admit to writing blogposts at work and emailing them home to myself on quiet days! naughty…
L x
Very helpful! Thanks!
Projectmblogger.com
Great post, I'm in the process of revamping my blog and getting organised when there always seems so much to do is one thing I'm trying to get on top of. Some very useful tips on here.
Just followed you on Bloglovin'
Niki of Style Ekko
I cant tell you how much you sound exactly like me! my life is like yours so much and I couldnt have written a better post! Thanks also for the "Dropbox" app 'tip'… I just downloaded it 🙂
please check out my blog and say hi when you have time! I'd love to talk more! xo
www.stephypenny.com
Such a helpful and insightful post Suzie – I only started blogging last July and sometimes find it hard to juggle my time between my full time job and blogging so this post has been beyond helpful!
Keep up the good work.
Hannah cagneyandlace.com
This is such a helpful post – definately needed these tips as my sister and I are just starting our blog! Thank you! x
Thanks for this fantastic post. It was really helpful and makes me feel like even though I'm a baby in the blogging world, I'm slowly getting the hang of it.
Vanessa xo
helloo lovely!! i just found your blog and im like woooooow der! its beautiful!!!
is there any little possibility you could check mine out its fairly new eee
thankyou xxxxxx
hughesingg.blogspot.com
mwah x
What a great post. Im going to try your tips for organising my blog. Im a pretty organised person in the rest of my life but somehow, my blog just gets into a chaotic mess sometimes and Im not sure how to pull it back into neat and tidy order.
hi, just wanted to say i read your blog religiously and have been umming and ahhing about starting my own for a while now, but this post has really inspired me into finally getting off my ass and actually doing it! so thankyou 😀 x
Thanks for sharing! I tend to take about 4 or 5 sets of photos at once for the following week, mainly because it can be hard taking photos in a shared house, don't want to be trying to set my tripod up while my housemate is trying to cool spag bol!
Corinne x
www.skinnedcartree.com
Thanks for the tips! 🙂 I try to take all my photos for the week on my day off so I'm as prepared as possible. Im still quite new to all this though so this really helped 🙂 xx
prettylittledoodahs.blogspot.co.uk
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Really helpful post thanks! I read part 2 first and then had to find part 1 😉 I'm currently at uni so I do struggle because I feel guilty blogging because I know I should be doing work! I also have a part time job too. I found you on YouTube and you channel and blog are definitely my new favs! x
xbeccabe.blogspot.co.uk
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