To my future and fellow bloggers, is the thought of running a website or blog on your own feels overwhelming? As we all know, blogging doesn’t stop by just adding the contents to a website. You cannot possibly leave pieces of your amazing works there while ignoring different aspects of running a blog, like minding your website’s design or focusing on your blog’s search engine optimization or promoting your content. It simply doesn’t work that way in blogging.
And, it is entirely valid to feel overwhelmed as running a blog can be time-consuming. For some, these reasons alone are enough to pack their bags and leave. But what if blogging caught your heart as it did to mine?
And even if you love blogging so much still, you cannot simply risk what you’re doing at the moment- like a job or another business to have a full-time blogging career yet?
But let’s be clear here, I didn’t write this to scare or discourage you. Instead, I wrote this to give you some tips about running my blog with a demanding full-time job.
Head on over to this post for a quick overview about blogging. Read this post and decide if blogging will be right for you.
Why I’m talking about this?
I know I haven’t mentioned anywhere in my previous blog posts, but for those who didn’t know me personally, I’m working as a Bank’s Chief Compliance Officer. This job position is not easy, and based on all my experiences, it can be overwhelming and busy.
Maybe I’m lucky to have a full-time job that’s fit for my interests and personality. However, I have been dreaming-yes dreaming to be a successful blogger since 2016. And the funny thing is, I’m also a Chief Compliance Officer in another Bank at that time.
I feel regretful that I didn’t start blogging immediately during that time, even if I want it so much.
I’m talking about this because I must correct my mistakes, and the way to do it is never to be defeated by any circumstances. I might be working on a full-time job, and it can be tiring, but I want to have a successful blog, so I have to make sure that my busy schedule won’t stop me.
Although I’ll admit that I’m a little bit of a procrastinator, it’s not easy for me to correct my old habits and take full responsibility for my blogging. But still, choosing and making the right decision repeatedly helps me immensely in this journey.
If you have a full-time job or other responsibilities but your heart is caught by blogging- this post is made especially for you.
Set specific and achievable goals for your blog
Everyone sticks to a decision and action when there is a solid reason behind it. When you blog with a full-time job or have other heavy responsibilities, you’ll need a strong motivation or inspiration to trade your rest to work for your blog.
But since we are playing different roles in life, our blogging goals should fit our time and circumstances. Setting big and daunting blogging goals can overwhelm us further and may result in no actions at all. Because of this, we need to set achievable blogging goals- enough to motivate and push us.
While we learned from others that publishing blog posts several times a week is the best, it is not wrong to do things differently. If publishing several blog posts a week doesn’t seem possible, don’t be discouraged from having your own approach.
This is a helpful blog post about why you should start a blog. Hopefully, this post will give you an idea and clarity about different reasons to blog. Click here to read the post.
Have a dedicated time for blogging
Why having a dedicated time to blog really matters?
My answer is that- we need to make conscious decisions to really do the work. This tip’s main idea is to acknowledge that the time to blog is now an important part of your life. If you admit that you want to blog, yet you unconsciously let your other schedule rule over you, blogging with a full-time job will not work.
Schedule your day, and don’t forget to set aside the best time for you to work on your blog. Do not be disheartened if the time is too little. Instead, try your best to choose and make the right decisions that will move you closer to the achievement of your blogging goals.
Analyze how you spend your time and make the most out of it
With a full-time job and other responsibilities, it feels valid to say that we don’t have enough time to do other things. But if we really love to build a successful blogging business, we need to be extra careful about how we’re spending our time.
How much time do you spend hanging around on different social media platforms, or how much time do you spend waiting in line, for example?
Before, I’ve read in another blog post that he used to write for his blog while on a subway using his phone. My first reaction is that- wow! He values blogging so much, and my second reaction is- I don’t think I’ll ever do that. This guy realizes the importance of making the most of his time, and I’m sure that his blog will be successful with his dedication.
I forgot about that blog post and just remembered it later when I find myself doing the same. I realized how much time I’m wasting doing other idle and insignificant things rather than working for my blog. If I have some idle time, I make sure that I took out my phone and do some blogging-related tasks like writing my posts using the Evernote app, researching or checking my progress.
This blog post is written using my phone.
Dedication and conscious spending of time can make a difference, not just in blogging but also with other things.
Establish your blogging system
What I mean by a blogging system is your habit of doing your blogging tasks. Having a system is intended to promote an easy flow of each process you wish to have for your blog.
Your blogging system will depend on your goals for your blog and your available time. But here are some examples of the systems I’m implementing for running my blog:
- I use batching- I dedicate a specific amount of time to do related tasks simultaneously. For example, I will only write blog posts on Mondays, or I will only do template designs on Tuesdays. I use batching because I aim to establish the flow of things.
- I carry an Idea Notebook- To avoid writer’s block, I make sure that I take and log any inspirations in my Idea Notebook. This system will help me avoid running out of creative ideas for my blog.
- I stick to my blogging schedule- Like what I’ve discussed earlier in this post, I have a dedicated time for blogging. I have a specific time when I’ll publish my new posts, and I have a time target for everything I want my blog to accomplish.
These are just examples. You are always free to define your own blogging systems.
Final thoughts about blogging with a full-time job
For some people and me, pursuing a blogging career right away is not always the most intelligent step. If your full-time job stops you from pursuing a blogging business or any other creative side, giving up is not the right decision.
If you are determined to be a successful blogger and you can’t wait to live the lifestyle that blogging can offer, go back to this blog post and remember these tips.
Your blogging friend,
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