Blog Discussions

1

I work full time but like you enjoy writing a post at the end of the day - I guess in the olden days I might have written a diary... actually scrap that. I didn't. What's the point if noone else reads it.
hehe.
CB

2

I am very greatful when things are slow with my job. That is when I am able to make the most progress on my blog. Being a software developer as well, things tend to come in waves. Sometimes work is very busy and requires long hours. Sometimes its pretty slow. You can usually tell how busy I am at work by how frequently I am posting on my blog.

3

My job title is Systems Analyst. Make what you will of it. At the end of my day, when all is done and settled, it's about 8 or 9pm that I can start on my online activities. I've got maybe 3 hours to do whatever I need to do.

Since I'm short on time, I alternate my activities. Write article on one day. Comment, marketing, forums, interacting with other people on the next day. And weekends are free-for-all, depending on what my priorities are that week.

I've heard that the first 3 months are the toughest. They're right! After 3 months of trying to be a stereotypical blogger, like lots of commenting, forum posts, guest posts and stuff, I decided to be myself. I decided to do what I can for my blog without compromising on my job and my health.

If that meant only 3 hours a day, or less prolific posting, or less commenting, or no social media (even though it's like everyone's in one), then that's the way it's going to be. And that's how I kept everything in balance. And sane. :)

4

Hi Ben,
I have a full time job as an audit clerk, and my work days can really be hectic, sometimes like now, requiring overtime, to finish an audit for a client.

It has become really difficult to keep up with my blog, especially coming with at least a single post every day, which was my goal when i started with my blog. But what i found with my readers is that they don't really mind as long as i try as much as possible to update it as soon as it is possible.

You know, they say that the 3 months blog cycle is a make or break time, but because i have been a little slow in keeping up with posting, i don't feel like it's a "duty" to keep posting.

Like Vincent, i am also short on time, but until that time that i have found a sound and base readership like yours, then perhaps i'll start thinking of putting more time in it.

Short, Obakeng

5

Although I post most days, I am much more relaxed about it after over two years of blogging. I virtually never plan what I am going to post on. Just take what interests me, reacting to what I am reading and what I am doing.

Sometimes I post from work, depending on how busy I am. I work part time in a professional environment and my energy for blogging depends entirely on my work load and my life commitments.

I would struggle to maintain a serious blog, because I doubt that I would have the time to research and would likely rather do other things. My wife already thinks that I am obsessed with online stuff.

6

The question is the other way around for me. How do I balance my day job with blogging. Because if I'm not careful, I can tend to neglect the house and the kids. Which is pretty much my "day job" right now.

I guess I'm lucky in that sense because I can come and go to my blogging all day and use my "break time" to read and write.

This is going to become more of an issue for me as time goes on though and I look to get part-time work (or earn a part-time income blogging).

7

I find it hard sometimes. After working, cooking dinner, washing, yelling at teens that yes, they DO need to have showers etc, I don't have a lot left in me to draw on.
I guess I often through a post together early in the morning at work when in theory, my brain works.

8

I'm gonna start work soon and this question has been floating in my mind for quite some time. I guess I am going to take some advice from here... maybe sneak a little lunch time to blog and entrecard. Or maybe just take precious off work time to blog. When we have the passion to blog, we'd always find the time to make it happen.

9

Cellobella - today I went one better, and wrote a short post during lunch. Things were a bit quieter for me today so I took advantage of that when I had a spare moment.

Jeff - I hear you. How busy or quiet work is makes a big difference to me too. I try to get a post online every evening even if I had a really busy day, but sometimes I put more into the posts. I can actually have a very busy day and continue into the evening, but sometimes it doesn't work that way. It's hard to summarise!

Vincent - my title is Software Development Manager, but it doesn't really mean anything in such a small company. I just do what I do. I don't alternate things like you do, I just see how I'm feeling in the evening. Sometimes my feed reader fills up and I do a reading blitz. As for the first three months of blogging being hard, I must be lucky in only hitting a serious brick wall after six months. That was earlier this month. I have found my way again!

Obakeng - welcome. :) It's a tricky situation - when people don't seem to be reading, it's hard to justify spending the time, but if you don't... you may struggle to get off the ground. Daily blogging is not a guarantee of anything and in fact some readers find it overwhelming, but I'd certainly suggest some kind of regularity in your posting if you don't have a schedule yet, e.g. Monday to Friday. Thanks for joining and hope you come back soon.

Colin - it's reassuring to hear that blogging is more relaxing after two years! Seriously though, I quite like it at the moment, and I can see it gets easier as time goes on. I think we just have to find what works for us.

Lightening - are the kids old enough to go online and post a comment asking you to get offline? It seems like a good thing to have the freedom to do things whenever you like, but without organisation and a schedule, I forget things. As for making money, I think you'll make easier money from a job than from blogging. Just my opinion. :)

Suze - luckily there's only me, my wife and our dog in the house, so there is less to do. There's still stuff to do, of course, just not as much. We seem to go back and forth on whether we want to have kids. Right now we really don't mind either way.

Jasmine - sometimes I find that my passion to get things done gets in the way of other things. That's not such a good thing, but I think I've found a good balance with my blog. Good luck with yours!

10

On a previous blog I tried posting every day. My schedule is quite hectic at times and I found that I was placing unnecessary pressure on myself. I now have a new blog and on this one I made a deliberate decision to post only every second day. This was a great decision, the pressure is gone and I am enjoying myself more this time around. There is also the added advantage in that I now have more time to research my articles properly which means my output is of a better quality (I hope).

11

Sailor, you might be interested in the following discussion: Is daily posting necessary? Perhaps you'd like to add a comment there too.

12

No job. Did work for the last 22 years and I had enough of the corporate crap.

Now that I am no longer a sponge keeping the wheel oiled .. cog my &^%$ .. I can blog about the beautiful world around me and try bring some sanity to myself in meeting like minded people and posting comments on such topics I find interesting. If you can make money doing this good on you I definatly wouldn't give up a job todo this. It is more a passion/obsession/compulsion (sounds like a disorder)

So there is no balance for me. Find the stuff that your viewers want. I think my new poll and a live chat and definatly the comment reply plugins has improved my blogging no end. Make it simple for yourself and maybe you can spend less time blogging and more time finding content. Which is key.