Blogging and holding down a conventional job at the same time can be a challenge. Especially if you want to monetise your hobby and turn it into your job in the future.
We pack our lives so full, by the time we have been to work, sorted out the kids and done the chores, there’s often very little time left for our blogs. However, there’s no getting away from the fact that if you want to grow your blog, for it to be your business in the future and be your ticket out of your current job, then you need to make it a priority. Devote time to it and treat it like it’s your business now.
Lots of us start our blogs before we even realise the power they can have to change our lives. We just wanted somewhere to express ourselves, a place to store our memories or somewhere to share our voice. Little did we know the opportunities our blog could give us and that if we worked hard it could become our job.
So, now you might find yourself in the position of having your ‘proper’ job and your blog, which always feels like it needs more time invested in it. So, how do you make it all work, without driving yourself mad?
Some people say they would give their blog more time if it made them more money. This is craziness! How can you start making money from your blog if you only commit to it occasionally? Here’s how you can make it work.
Find your focus
We could all do with more time. If we had more time we could do that project we are always thinking about. If we had more time we could really make our blog a success. If only we had more time….. Do you want to live your life wishing that something would happen to enable you to achieve your dreams, or do you just want to take control and make it happen? I know which one I would pick.
Be prepared to sacrifice
The journey to making your blog a full time career will not be easy and along the way there will be times when you would rather do something else, rather than write that blog post. Nothing worth having was ever easy and you will have to make sacrifices along the way. Believe me it will be worth it, but it will be difficult at times.
Assess your schedule
Write down everything you have to get done each week, all of your obligations from paid work to house work and everything in between. Having everything in front of you will help you see clearly and enable you to start moving things around to create the most effective schedule for you. In this schedule of ‘must do’ things, schedule blocks of time in for your blog. Make it a must-do and commit to it. Be specific and block out time, don’t leave it to chance. If you do there’s a chance it won’t get done.
These blogging times should be non-negotiable and treated as sacred (well as much as anything can with kids around!). Try not to move this time, again that means that there’s a risk it might not get done.
Be honest with yourself
Don’t set yourself goals that you know you won’t achieve. Saying you will work every evening won’t work if you are always knackered by 8pm. Try to plan with honesty and realism so you have more chance of sticking to it and it becoming habit. Keeping the same time slots each week means that you have more chance of it becoming habit.
Don’t quit either!
If you give up your job before you’re in a position for your blog to become your total financial support, you will be putting a huge amount of pressure on yourself. You don’t have to focus solely on your blog to make it your business, but you do need to commit to the changes you want to make in your life and make it happen.
Comments 21
Some fantastic and inspirational comments here! Thanks so much for keeping me inspired and spurring me on to make my blog a full-time career.
Great tips hun! The balance is hard to keep but your definitely always right about getting organised and staying focused. We can’t have it all so managing everything properly makes such a difference xx
Great tips. My time is now in the diary and scheduling ahead seems to be working for me x
Fab advice as always huni. Just when I feel like I am in a good place, along comes half term!!! x
As always great advice, and well timed as this is the plan for the new year! By putting in place your tips from this and your productivity course I know will get me to where I want to be. Thank you. #TheListLinky
Interesting advice. Personally I don’t really want to blog full time, but I do need to find a way of dedicating more time to it, I’ve just written my first post in over a month! Oops! xxx
Fab advice and its so true and setting goals that ar achievable and realistic, thanks Aby once again. Its organising housework V blogging this week 🙂 #TheList
Some really top tips….scheduling is a big one for me. I also make sure I schedule at least 1 night a week completely away from blogging/social media. #thelistlinky
Great advice think you I definately need to schedule in time to blog, making a schedule of everything I need to do in a week seems like a great idea. #thelist
I’m so glad I don’t work out of the home and blog nowadays. I nearly run myself ragged for five years doing that! Mich x #Thelist
It is a challenge, but challenges make those little successes even sweeter, right 🙂 #thelist
Such wonderful advice – I feel very inspired and motivated now 🙂 I’ve been spending less time on my blog which I know will have set me back but I don’t mind as much as I think I’ve found a little routine I can actually stick to for now. #TheListLinky
Just stumbled across your blog and I’m loving the tips so far 🙂 plus your website is *beautiful* !
I really need to pencil in my blog time, during the school hols I don’t even attempt to do anything pre-planned as the kids are obviously a priority (plus I can’t get 5 mins peace to actually achieve anything at all!) but during term-time I really need to get organised. Thanks for the tips. #TheListLinky
This is brilliant. If you could just sort out my schedule for me then I think I could manage ! #TheListLinky
You are so right in having a plan and dedicating a set amount of time to blogging – if you want to make it a job you have to treat it like one! Yes, other things will crop up and family always comes first as it would over any job but I find scheduling in a block of time every day has really helped me get things done. Super duper tips as always – you are the Blog Goddess! x x #TheList
More great tips and inspiration – thanks Aby! I’m getting better at planning my time, but still try to be too ambitious with what I can get done each week. It’s such a good idea to plan out every single part of your week to ensure you get things done. x
Very good advice as ever! Will be assessing my schedule when I can. #thelist
Great tips, I like the idea of going through the day and blocking out time to blog. Thanks!
I’m lucky enough to be a SAHM right now so don’t have a job to juggle but these tips are still applicable. I really need to work out a good schedule and stick to it!
#TheList
I had no idea the power my blog could have when I started it. Sometimes it does feel like the monster I created though! #thelist