Lots of people are under the misconception that blogging is easy and that all you have to do is write a few paragraphs down and you’ll start earning big bucks right away. Of course, people that have actually tried blogging know that this is far from the case. There are plenty of problems that can pop up when trying to become a successful blogger. All of these problems make posting difficult and severely decrease your productivity. If you’re trying to make it as a blogger, or are already a full-time blogger and just need some advice, then follow the advice below.
Have A Plan
It’s very hard to be productive if you’re not really sure what you’re doing. You have to have some sort of plan in place so that you know the direction that your blog is going to take and the type of content you want to publish in the future. Your plan could just be a list of possible post titles, but it could also be an incredibly detailed plan of what you intend to do over the coming weeks. Have a to-do list for each day, and tick it off as you go along to make sure that you’re getting done what you need to.
Work Your Hours
Not everyone is productive at the same times in the day; Some people work best first thing in the morning, others in the afternoon, and some get their best work done at three o’clock in the morning (all the insomniacs please stand up! That’ll be me!!). You need to figure out when you’re most productive and set working hours for this time period. Make sure that your family and friends know your working hours so that they don’t distract you as much.
Don’t Work In PJs
When you work from home, it can be incredibly tempting to just work in your pyjamas. It does kind of make sense, as you’re cutting out getting dressed from your schedule, giving you more time. However, it can be difficult to feel fully awake when you’re in your pyjamas, so you might find it hard to work and be productive when you’re in clothes that you wear to sleep in.
Put Your Phone Away
Your phone has the power to keep you distracted for hours, after all, it has all of your social media accounts, your emails, games, videos, and so much more. If you want to stay focused on the task at hand, which is writing good-quality content, then you need to stay off your phone. Put it in a drawer in another room so that you’re not tempted to check it every five minutes. If you’re worried about missing anything important, tell people to call the house phone while you’re working if there’s an emergency.
Take Breaks
Like with any other job, you should allow yourself a break or two throughout the day to give yourself some time to relax between workloads. Your lunch break is especially important, as you can’t work without energy, and you need food to provide you with this. Take your break in another room so that you’re actually on your break and not eating while continuing to work (we’re very guilty of this!). You can even go on your phone during this time.
Sort Your Computer
If you have a slow computer, it can slow down your entire day. After all, it will take longer for it to boot up for you to do research, for you to write your posts, and for you to add images, and then upload the post. This is why it’s so good to have a technology partner, as they can provide IT support, and get your computer running as efficiently as possible. This means that you’ll waste less time waiting, and have more time to actually get work done.
Tidy Your Workspace
No matter what people say about “organised mess” and being able to work better in a chaotic environment, if your workspace is cluttered and untidy, you are going to find it difficult to concentrate on writing. You will also get annoyed when you want to write down a great idea, and the have to spend twenty minutes looking for a working pen. A tidy office means a tidy mind, so you need to get organised if you want to keep your mind on writing.
No matter what people say, it’s impossible to become a successful blogger overnight. It takes hard work, determination, and concentration. It’s not easy, but if you follow the tips above, you may just find that it can be a little easier. Good luck with everything, now, get working.
If there is a blogger in your life, or you just want to treat yourself to something here are a few great blogger gifts that would be perfect for a Christmas gift.
Personalised Blog Planner / Daily Planner Notepad / Desk Planner Pad / Blogger Mug / Pen Pot /
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*This is a collaborative post*
Love, love this post! I was aware of most of the different points already but it’s great to have someone else remind you of them. Especially when I am so guilty of working in my pyjamas, being a bit untidy at times and eating lunch whilst working! Have pinned your graphic to my Blogging Inspiration and Advice board as I’m sure other people (and future me!) could do with a reminder to keep things on track!