I’ve been thinking of putting this post together for months but ironically I haven’t found the time to sit down and just type. I’ve always been too busy trying to get my posts up together from the last trip I took before I forgot all the details. Today I’ve been lucky enough to have one of those days where I can just type and as I come to the end of my first year of working full time in a career I trained hard for, I wanted to share some thoughts on juggling a full time job and blogging.
This post is by no means my top tips for working full time and running a blog, I’m no where near that stage yet. I still feel like work me is a different person to blog me, so I have a long way to go yet. However, I’ve found somethings that I really suck at and a few things that really work for me at the moment.
If you’re looking for tips on how to manage the two then check out these amazing ladies: Sophie Cliff, Beverley of Pack your Passport, Chloe of The Little Plum and Rhianna Olivia.
Things I’ve Learnt From Juggling a Full Time Job and Blogging
The hours before 7am are precious and the most productive
From September (when I started my job) until February I was so unproductive at blogging because my weekends were filled with plans, my mornings were spent sleeping and in the evening I was too tired to do anything. Since I’ve started getting up an hour earlier than I need to I’ve been so much more productive and have been routinely posting 2 blog posts a week. This might not work for everyone but as a morning person I work so much better before the day has really begun.
It’s pointless setting tasks to do on a specific day
I say this because if I sit down to write a blog and just don’t fancy writing that morning it won’t get done. I’ll just sit there for 40 minutes procrastinating and staring at the screen which isn’t a good start to anybody’s morning. Instead have a list of things that need to be completed that week and work through them as you feel you can. If you feel like writing write, if your short on time get your social media scheduled. You have to make your time work for you.
I don’t have time to read as many blogs as I used to
I have to admit I’m a slow reader but still I’m finding I barely have time to read other blogs let alone find any new blogs. This means that I’ve shared and commented on blogs less too. I feel this makes me a little separated from the rest of the blogging world. Like something big could be going on and I’d have no idea because I haven’t been reading as many blogs as I used to. I don’t know what the answer is to this one, but I’d love to hear suggestions.
I don’t have as much time for social media
I have a day job where I put my phone in my backpack at 7.20am and I normally don’t pick it up again until 4.30pm. This means there is always hours worth of social media that has happened since I last checked my phone and I can never keep up. Social media is so important as a blogger but I find it so hard to engage with others because I’m always missing their Tweets or it takes me hours to reply. I have tried to sort my Twitter into lists that I can view to help me not miss out on the social content of my favourites but this is still a work in progress.
I miss emails or reply too late
I’m probably the worst with emails, mostly because I don’t do this as a full time job and therefor don’t have to rely on brands and collaborations for my income. That being said I’m still lucky enough to get emails from brands who do want to work together but I often miss these or reply weeks after it’s been sent because I open and read it while at work. I’ve been trying to leave any blog related emails unopened so that I can tackle them when I have time but even this causes me to miss something! If anyone has any tips on this I’d hugely appreciate it.
I mustn’t compare myself to people who blog full time
I’m lucky enough to have worked part time or have been a student for all of the previous years of blogging so in some ways it felt like I did blog full time. Now with a full on, full time job it is impossible to spend as much time and energy on my blog as I used to. The problem is I haven’t got my head around this change and look at others smashing it and wonder why I’m not seeing the same success. I’ve started following more bloggers who do have a full time blog so that I’m surrounded by people in similar positions as me.
Do you have any tips for juggling a full time job and blogging?
PIN FOR LATER
I can relate a bit. I work during the week and try to blog in the weekend, but sometimes all I want to do is sit outside and chill. Blogging doesnt feel like work to me, because i like it and enjoy it. I also dont mind doing it in the weekends, it just means I dont have a lot of time for friends or something. Its like having two jobs LOL.
Author
I know what you mean! I love blogging so much I just never feel like I have enough down time or relax enough ready for the next week of work.
I love blogging. But I couldn’t agree more with this. It is so hard to find time to juggle everything! I like your idea to get up early in the mornings as opposed to trying to do things in the evenings – I am the same, tired and just want to get dinner and curl up with a book. Keeping on top of social media is ultra difficult, I miss so many opportunities and some days I completely forget to Tweet. I have downloaded the free version of Buffer to schedule tweets but sometimes I don’t even have time to do that. I am thinking of starting a bullet journal to organise my time but feel that will just do the opposite and take up my time – ahh predicament. I don’t think there is an easy way to manage it to be honest. Just stick with what you’re doing because it works – I love your content 🙂
abbiejadewanders.co.uk
Author
Glad you can relate Abbie! I also bullet journal but I’ve been using mine less and less this year because I don’t have the time (or don’t have it on hand when I need it).
I completely understand you, Jodie. I’ve been struggling to find balance between studies and blogging. But I’ve noticed that the earlier I get up, the more productive I am and the more time I have for blogging. Also, I do spend less time on social media now but it is not necessarily a bad thing 🙂
-Leta | The Nerdy Me
Author
It is so hard to get the balance right! It is all about working out when you can be most productive and making the most of that.
Oh yes, I relate to all of these! On emails, the best thing I did was actually take them off my phone. Now when I get to my emails on my laptop (which is fortunately most evenings, although if work is busy I can easily go a couple of days without checking) I just look at that specific inbox and immediately flag as to-action or delete. Then I can deal with them when I have time – which as you say is often early when I’m not so tired. If that sounds too extreme, you could just turn off pushing them through, so you don’t read them until you’re ready?
Author
That’s a great idea about emails, I need to organise my inbox a little better though as I have other “important” things also linked to my blog email!
I love blogging so much and it gives me such a realise, but I just can’t juggle it with teaching at the same time. I’m sort of okay with that, but I do miss it a lot! Now it’s the holidays I’ll be full of creative juices and hopefully get a bit done! I’d love to say I’ll get up before my alarm to get stuff done, but at the moment I’ve been snoozing my alarm by over half an hour – oops!
Author
I think getting into a routine when I wasn’t tried at the start of term helped me to keep it up when I was nearing the end of term. I’m also lucky because I’m a morning person!
I’ve had a full time job for 19 years now so that feels 100% normal to me! Blogging is still part time fun on the side. As soon as it stops being being I’m going to stop doing it. I use the tip from Hugh Grant in the film About A Boy. Break your day into 30 minute chunks of activity. I find it helps me get over that procrastination hurdle 🙂
Been trying to wake up earlier but man oh man, waking up even 20 minutes before takes a lot of willpower.