Fitting It All In

Lots of you often email/tweet or even ask in person how I organise my work/life/blog time and make space for everything. I could spout off a list of small things that help slightly until I’m blue in the face, but today I wanted to let you in on a few honest secrets of mine that are the reason I am able to pack so much in…

1) My flat is ALWAYS a mess. You’ve seen it in my vlogs (heck, lots of you say it makes you feel better about yourself – who am I to take that away from you?), I’m not a naturally neat person anyway, but I haven’t taken out the recycling or done the hoovering in a longer amount of time than I’d care to admit. Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?

2) I hardly ever see my friends. I have three best friends, two live in different cities and one works night shifts, so normally our schedules collide once in a blue moon. There’s very little popping round for a cuppa in our world.

3) My family and boyfriend are incredibly supportive of the fact that I have a never ending to-do list. In all honesty I don’t always get to spend as much time with them as I’d like to and have cut down a little on certain aspects of my work to try and make more time for them. My gravestone ain’t gonna read “made a darn good blog posts and YouTube videos” and mean anything.

4) I very rarely watch TV – making exceptions for Game Of Thrones and the Eastenders Ominbus once a week. If I put the TV on things don’t get done, so I don’t actually let myself watch it most days. No matter how much Gossip Girl on Netflix is calling.

5) I don’t get a lot of sleep. I’ve had days where I’ve rocked up to work feeling like I’ve been hit by a truck. Sadly it’s not due to one too many amaretto and cokes. I’ll say up late writing or editing if something needs to be done and if I have to get up in the night to check that my video hasn’t failed then i’ll do it. The aim is to upload my videos during the day/evening, but often I just don’t have time. All I can do is order a chip sandwich and a large coffee the next morning and put my game face on.

6) I don’t switch off. I don’t think I could relax if I tried. The thing is, I love blogging. This blog isn’t really a beauty blog anymore, it’s about my life and everything I like to put in it. I like to document my favourite bits and it’s like a diary (just not a secret one). If I went on holiday I’d love to be able to vlog and blog whilst I’m away. It’s just something I love doing – and I think that’s one of the reasons why points 1, 2, 4 and 5 (3 is not okay) often happen.

The point of this post isn’t a sob story, no one ever got anywhere through having a moan on the internet. I just wanted to let others who struggle to fit everything know that that is okay. There is no magical way of working full time and blogging full time without a fair bit of sacrifice, hard work and determination on your part (and often those around you too).

In all honesty, over the past year I’ve worked really hard on Hello October to post as often as I can (until recently it’s been at least 5/6 days a week) but not being able to blog every day isn’t the end of the world. If you’re struggling to fit everything in in your life at the moment (whether it’s blog related or not), just keep in mind that although it often looks like the people around you are coping and doing it all, chances are there are other areas of their life that are not perfect. And that’s fine, because no one is.

40 Comments

  1. Sarah morethanadored
    04 Jun 2014 / 9:09 pm

    Keeping it real is the best. I hope lots of people read and take note of this post. I often see comments on blogs where people are saying things like 'oh your life is so perfect' or something like that… Hopefully this post puts it into perspective a little for those people 🙂

    Sarah | More Than Adored

  2. Jenny
    04 Jun 2014 / 9:25 pm

    Fantastic read, Suzie! x

  3. ErinElizabeth
    04 Jun 2014 / 9:29 pm

    This is great advice, and it's nice to know not everybody has everything together all of the time.
    ErinElizabeth

  4. Furnaz Ahmed
    04 Jun 2014 / 9:37 pm

    I'm in the same boat. Working 7days a week, blogging daily (trying to atleast) this is such an honest post and made me feel better about juggling it all. Thankyouu xx

    beautyclassyfied.co.uk

  5. ZOE LONDON
    04 Jun 2014 / 9:42 pm

    my house is a complete mess! i have no time to tidy it. i feel you on this xx

  6. Daisy
    04 Jun 2014 / 9:43 pm

    Great post Suzie. You've got such an amazing blog and YouTube channel, all of the hard work definitely pays off!

    Daisy x
    www.cupcakesandcherries.com

  7. Simi
    04 Jun 2014 / 9:46 pm

    Love this post Suzie – I can totally relate especially to 1, 2 and 6. Such honest post, thanks for sharing.

    www.raindropsrosesblog.com

  8. ShannonDarko
    04 Jun 2014 / 9:53 pm

    This was a great read – it's nice to see such honesty! It's pretty much impossible for anyone to have every aspect of their life 100% organised and it's good to be reminded of that!
    Shannon x
    shannondarko.co.uk

  9. Daniella C
    04 Jun 2014 / 10:05 pm

    great post!

    xx

    daniella

    simplybeautifulelegant.blogspot.com

  10. Gina
    04 Jun 2014 / 10:11 pm

    very true – you can't work all the time! www.thewanderlusthasgotme.blogspot.co.uk

  11. Ruby Sterland
    04 Jun 2014 / 10:13 pm

    This is so reassuring to see Suzie! You do such a great job balancing work, blogging and all the rest of it. Also, I'm so glad I'm not the only one that puts off the hoovering, it needed doing a few days ago and it's getting slightly ridiculous now…! xx

    www.totalmodisch.blogspot.co.uk

  12. Becky Christmas
    04 Jun 2014 / 10:34 pm

    I love this post, I can completely relate. I work full time and run my blog around that and it's a lot of work. Luckily, my boyfriend is extremely supportive which makes it a lot easier. But I am trying to switch off a little when I can and spend time with family and friends and really be in the moment when I'm with them as blogging literally takes over my mind 24/7. Lovely post, so needed to read this right now 🙂 xx

    http://www.twentynothing.co.uk/

  13. Roisin Elizabeth Keats
    04 Jun 2014 / 10:58 pm

    This is an amazing post! I always feel like I'm failing at at least one point in life when trying to balance everything so it's nice to know that even people who seem to have blogging and working down to a T feel like they're not perfect either! x

  14. Abi Kempen
    04 Jun 2014 / 11:18 pm

    I love how honest this post <3

    you do such a great job with your YouTube and blog. I enjoy every single post and video. you can tell how much love that you put into it!! I was at the benefit launch a few weeks ago and wanted to tell u how much i enjoy your work on your videos and posts but felt too shy! oops! <3

    keep up the great work lovely

    xx Abi ( Kemples) xx

  15. cheyenne
    05 Jun 2014 / 5:42 am

    your blog definitely shows you work hard at it, i love it!
    xo, cheyenne

  16. Anita
    05 Jun 2014 / 5:45 am

    Well said! You do such a great job and it's important to keep it going but don't sacrifice the stuff in life that is really important (family etc) 🙂

  17. Lindsey Tollefson
    05 Jun 2014 / 6:47 am

    I loved reading this!

    blousesandblush.com

  18. Maddy
    05 Jun 2014 / 6:49 am

    Amazing post, it is so good of you to be truthful! Writing a blog and balancing it with everything else is hard, but possible! xxx
    Maddy from UNSTITCHEDD

  19. Phoebe Cowley
    05 Jun 2014 / 8:33 am

    Had no idea that you had a job as well! Seems like you literally have two full time jobs then- it'll all pay off in the end I'm sure 🙂 xxx

  20. Hope Butler
    05 Jun 2014 / 8:37 am

    I loved reading this post. Sometimes people don't appreciate how hard it is to work and blog full time. You are doing a great job Suzie! I hope you get to spend more time with your family and boyfriend over the summer! H xx

    www.hopesgone.blogspot.com

  21. Anonymous
    05 Jun 2014 / 8:54 am

    so young and already so wise!! you're right, nobodys perfect even though it seems so sometimes. it's lovely that you're able to do something that you're so passionate about. that was so nice to read, thank you so much!
    xxx anna

  22. Manouk Maat
    05 Jun 2014 / 9:15 am

    Thanks for sharing this with us. Showing vulnerability makes us like you even more! We're all the same.. We need sleep but we're too busy working, we want to see our friends but distance sometimes get in the way. We all try our bests.

    WOMANOUK (beauty and portrait drawings)

  23. Ivana
    05 Jun 2014 / 9:19 am

    You go girl!! I dont have the same situation as you, but I know how it is to see you best friends once in a blue moon. You just keep going and it will be worthwhile. You are such an inspiration.

    Ivana, xoxo
    http://elleandicecream.blogspot.com

  24. Rachael Sigee
    05 Jun 2014 / 10:33 am

    Really refreshing to read a post from a blogger who doesn't pretend everything is perfect! I have a full-time job and a blog and you really have to make time for it (a lesson I'm learning). Thanks for posting!
    R xx

    http://you-little-wonder.blogspot.co.uk/

  25. Beth Searle
    05 Jun 2014 / 10:48 am

    I can definitely relate! I'm a full-time uni student, (commuting 3 hours daily), and working four jobs as well… And sometimes you do just have to let things go, because time isn't going to happen. But hopefully it'll all be worth it at the end of the day. 🙂

    Beth. x

    http://bethsearle.blogspot.com.au/

  26. rae t
    05 Jun 2014 / 11:17 am

    Definitely appreciate the honesty in this post. I think people often do not realize that in order to be successful work-wise, a lot of other things sadly to get sacrificed in the process!

    rae of love from berlin

  27. Sara
    05 Jun 2014 / 12:10 pm

    Oh I'm so happy with number two (sorry…), I thought I was the only one in a situation like that! Sometimes I feel so forced by the social media to have a lot of friends and see them all the time, because that would be the only way to be happy and to fit in. We prove them wrong 😉

  28. Charlotte Philpotts
    05 Jun 2014 / 2:13 pm

    This was such a lovely post! It's nice to know that other bloggers find it hard to fit everything in too! x

    www.amuchprettierpuzzle.com

  29. Lillian ParisianToBe
    05 Jun 2014 / 2:47 pm

    Suzie, I applaud you for doing so much. In my opinion, I think it's important to have a lot of important aspects in your life, and maintaining both a fantastic job and a slap-bang-amazing blog (: is something you should truly be proud of. Since I'm a school student and pre-professional ballet student, I can totally relate; although the fact that I'm a neat freak means I freak if my room isn't clean enough. Hehe. x

    xo Lillian from Parisian To Be

  30. Cherie Tang
    05 Jun 2014 / 4:01 pm

    Well done for your hard work! I'm currently doing exams and it's been difficult to doing more than 2 posts a week, which seems like nothing but I'd prefer to put out quality content rather than a large quantity. (And obviously its not a full time thing for me haha) Keep going! xx
    cherieedle.blogspot.com

  31. Daria
    05 Jun 2014 / 7:12 pm

    I think this must be my most favourite post amongst all on your blog: so down to heart and made me feel 10,000 times better about my blog-related struggles. Juggling everything is already so hard in life and when you want to be 100% present on the internet too it becomes complicated and stressful. So glad I read your blog – I very rarely leave comments (I am not a good follower I'm sorry, I read, take it all in without leaving my appreciation for your efforts) but I must admit your blog is one of my favourite and all the effort you make you mentioned in this post definitely pays off! 🙂 xx

  32. Ramsh' Ashford
    05 Jun 2014 / 9:21 pm

    Probably one of the most genuine posts I've ever seen!

  33. Marianna
    06 Jun 2014 / 9:52 pm

    Thank you for this post! This may sound random, but it' SO refreshing to hear someone admit their place isn't super tidy – all of those room/condo/house tours on YouTube make me feel like a failure as an adult. Also, I seriously wish my body only needed a few hours of sleep a night – I always feel like there aren't enough hours in a day 🙂

    Marianna | www.impressionblend.com

  34. Tiffany
    07 Jun 2014 / 3:05 pm

    great post. as a new blogger, i love to read posts with tips and advice. thanks for sharing!

    TIFFANY | www.tiffanyeatworld.com

  35. GraceFul Moments
    09 Jun 2014 / 8:33 pm

    Couldn't of read this post at a better time, this is me to a T !! Cannot relax for nothing and always thinking of the next thing that needs to be done before finishing what I'm currently working on! So nice to hear its not just me 🙂

    My Youtube: www.youtube.com/gracebruce
    Blog: http://www.gracefulmoments.co.uk

  36. badgirlgoinggreen
    13 Jun 2014 / 4:35 pm

    Great post! Thanks! x

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