Tuesday, 9 September 2014

Blogging with a 9-5


As some of you may know I recently started a new job in the big smoke as Social Media Coordinator for Feel Unique and I'm having the best time with so many ridiculously exciting opportunities coming up! But with a bigger job comes bigger responsibilities and also a bigger commute. Aka less time for blogging and vlogging. When I started out in the blogosphere things were so different, quick snaps on the digital camera were the norm and no one cared if your content was few and far between. Now though the internet is full of blogs and youtube channels resembling online magazines and TV channels and there is a pressure to keep up with the lucky folk that can call their pieces of the internet a full time job. However I'm a firm believer in having it all and being able to excel in your career then bring the blog once you get home, so whilst it's never going to be easy I have a few tips that might help you (and me) keep up with it all...

1. No Pressure // One of the best things about your blog or YouTube channel not being your full time job is there is no actual pressure except for the pressure you put on yourself. Of course you want your platforms to be amazing and to produce lots of high quality posts, but you should do it all because you want to and love it, not because you feel you have to. At the end of the day everyone started blogging as a fun hobby and when you're giving up most of your precious spare time to creating content, you've got to enjoy doing it! So balance blogging out with social hobbies away from the online world as well as actual life and as soon as anything starts to feel like a chore, take a break.
2. Calendarise // As a self confessed list writer and stationary stasher it's no wonder I find preplaned calendars the best way to keep on top of things. In fact I have my own little blogging book and constantly jot down ideas, trends and to do lists in there as well as my posting schedule. Try and keep to the same days for blog and video uploads each week if you can as it'll get you into a routine and your followers will know what to expect. If you can work a week ahead then brilliant- you can take all your photos at the weekend and bulk write if you have the time. Obviously plans are changeable but it's great to have a guide :)
3. Juggle Through // In the 'modern 20's girl' juggling act of social media, career, boyfriend, friends, family, home life & travel there isn't very often the luxury of sit down designated blogging time. Get around this by identifying the time you waste in your day and filling that with blogging instead. Commutes, trashy TV you don't care about & waiting for the boyfriend to surface at the weekend are just a few examples. At the moment I draft almost all my blog posts on the tube through the blogger app, reply to emails wherever I get them, brainstorm ideas in lunch breaks and take photos/film/edit whilst the boy is still sleeping on Saturdays. Don't forget that Instagram and Twitter are now  brilliant extensions of your main platforms that work even better when you are on the go and try to update these at least once a day.
4. Get Creative // Long gone are the days of just product photo taking and writing reviews, which is great news! Nowadays everything and anything could make cracking, much less time consuming content, be it cooking dinner or a walk in the park. Now that smartphones have such great quality cameras you don't need to lug a DSLR with you either, in fact I now often choose to go for the 'selfie' and 'mirror OOTD' photo style in my posts because it looks cute and authentic, not to mention the fact I can take these photos on my own in about 10 seconds. Lifestyle and advice are getting so big on the blogosphere now too so your job itself can become content and suddenly your 9-5 and social stuff are working together rather than against each other. I know that my blog and career wouldn't have gotten where they are today without each other. Aww. 
5. Don't compare.com // If you spend all your time looking at everyone else's follower counts and opportunities, as well as how much they post and the array of fabulous photos and videos taken in natural light (my only weekday daylight will be spent in an office this winter), you only end up demotivated and down. You are your own person and there is a reason people, no matter how many, keep coming back to you. If we all did everything in the same style and produced the same content it would be one boring old internet! The amount of content produced is going to be different for everyone as well, because everyone leads different lives so if you can only get one post up one week, then everyone will just really enjoy that post!

I hope this helped & let me know if you want any more career/blog based posts!

16 comments:

  1. Such good points ;) I have only just started my blogging adventure but have had a 9-5 for a decade now so it has been a real learning curve juggling the two and not letting the blogging completely take over! Xx

    Brenda | www.brendabusybee.blogspot.com

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  2. Well I just bloody love this post miss Meg!! I can relate to every single thing you said in this post as having just started a new job myself, my commute is longer and therefore blogging fine is shorter!! It makes blogging all the more difficult so I'm definitely going to take some of these tips on board!! I need to remember that blogging is a hobby and stop feeling bad for not having perfect daily posts!! Xx.

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  3. Really brilliant thoughts. I can relate so so much!

    Georgina from foxonthehunt.com

    PS. Congrats on your new job!

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  4. It's definitely a balancing act - I think blogging in those downtime moments make such a difference! I've started using my lunch break for planning posts, which helps out an awful lot xx

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  5. Great tips! Wow your new job sounds super exciting, good luck with it all :)

    Sophie x

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  6. This was really interesting to read, i'm heading back to uni and I'm in every weekday so this is so so helpful! :) I need to get a schedule together! thanks so much for sharing! well done on your new job! xx

    http://k-males.blogspot.co.uk/

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  7. Really good tips! Well Done on the new job! Congrats :)
    x
    emmamaylouise@blogspot.com

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  8. Great tips, this was a really interesting read, thanks for sharing I'm going to take them all on board and well done on the new job xx

    http://ourstorycanresume.blogspot.co.uk/

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  9. Great tips and such an interesting read! Your new job sounds fantastic!

    http://shewhoisshort.blogspot.co.uk/

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  10. This is such an interesting read, I am literally just getting back into blogging after a few years off writing and things, coming back with a very depleted audience and a 9-5-although its London so 9-6.30 at least, but your tips are so brilliant especially the one about not comparing!

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  11. I think is is by far the best blogging advise post I have read. I stopped blogging for a while because I found the balance of part time work, social life and uni all too much. But now I've got back in to it by finding the time to plan ahead for all my blog posts. xx
    www.nicolecoltman.blogspot.co.uk

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  12. Brilliant advice! I've been really stressed out recently because I couldn't find much time for blogging and filming videos, but I just need to remind myself to take things slower and put more fun into it, just like I did when I first started.

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  13. I loved this! I have started trying to get a blog schedule and plan my blogging a lot more effectively so will definitely be taking this advice on board! More blogging tips are always appreciated!
    Hope you are having a lovely weekend :) xxx
    petitelin.blogspot.co.uk

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  14. Amazing post Megan! You made some great points here and you are such an inspiration to me :D
    I've loved watching your blog grow and youtube and landing great jobs (congrats btw) and it is so sweet of you to take time out of your busy schedule to help others (like myself) with advice and tips so thank you very much for that :D

    Keep up the great work!

    www.violetdaffodils.com
    xx

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  15. Oh gosh you are so right !
    I wish I could be a full time blogger, but I m at uni and I still have about 3 years to go !
    I love having my blog as an hobby next to uni, and I will see how it will grow in the future. Who knows ! I am very motivated and full of ambition for it :)

    Gosh, you are right. It's so hard not to compare ourselves to others... So hard. Really! I need to work on that :)x

    Lovely post ! Keep going :)

    Love from France, Victoria
    http://godsaveourdressing.blogspot.fr

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Thank you for making me a happy bunny!

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