SOC Sunday: Blogging Dilemmas
I finished NaBloPoMo and decided to take a short break. Then I had a few other issues at home, and decided to take another break. Well, my break lasted almost two weeks. And I feel….ok about that. Blogging is getting stressful…
I’ve been blogging for about 4 years now on and off at different blogs and about 3 years at this one. I love blogging. But lately, blogging has seemed like a chore. A BIG chore. I’m always worried about when can I blog, when can I find time to blog, what should I blog abou, how I can get more followers,commenting on blogs, ect etc etc etc. So much so that I think it was beginning to interfere with my home life. It was taking away time from my family. From C-Dub and Pookah. I need a schedule I think, or a need a way to find time to blog without interfering with the rest of my life. Blogging is beginning to feel like a chore, like a job. But the question is: do I want it to be a job? Do I want to put the time into it that is required to make it a job? Do I want to work with brands? Do I want to write elsewhere other than my blog? And if so, where do I find the time to do all of this? Dilemmas. I loved blogging when it was more for fun, not when I started trying to build my “brand.” Then, it began to feel more job like. And unfortunately, I already have a job. A full time one. That requires me to work nights. Sooo, I’m rambling. But really, I guess the choice is what do I want to blog for? Who do I want to blog for? Do I want to “build my brand?” Or do I want to just focus on building relationships through my blog and leave it at that? What about you guys? How do you balance everything? Are you trying to build your brand? Or are you like me and struggling to decide?
This was my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…
- Set a timer and write for 5 minutes only.
- Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. No proofreading or spellchecking. This is writing in the raw.
- Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.
- Add the Stream of Consciousness Sunday badge to your post.
- Link up your post below.
- Visit your fellow bloggers and show some love.
When I feel like blogging is a chore or becoming an irritant, I fall back a bit. I’ve blogged on and off since 2007 and as you can see from my archives there is a huge gap around 2009. (Life got in the way)
I now have a specific point for blogging and it’s to build a business and cultivate business relationships. I enjoy reading other blogs, so I do my best to comment. I usually do it after work to release stress and transition from work to home.
I begin blogging sometime in the Spring of 2010. I used it as a healing process from a bad relationship. I love to write poetry so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to let it all out. I blog about my life. I blog for fun. I blog when the moment hits me. I don’t worry about followers or the gaps in my posts. You have so many other priorities that you cannot let blogging stress you. You will build your brand when the time is right. Your priorities are your family. As you stated, you have a job. Breathe a little and don’t worry so much about blogging. If you need to take a break, do so. People who are loyal will always be there when you come back.
I know you’re right, it’s just hard to realize I cant do everything!
I am not trying to build my blog into a brand or business, but I do take my blog seriously because it’s a reflection of me, and I do try to post as regularly as possible (3x per week) and do all the other things that come with blogging. The keyword here is: try. Given that this not my job, I don’t allow myself (or try not to allow myself) to get stressed about it. I don’t really have a blogging schedule, but I do write on weekends in preparation for the weekdays, where it’s generally harder for me to find time to write. I comment on blogs on weekdays and when I feel inspired to do so and try to devote at least an hour to Twitter. This works for me. I think because this isn’t my job, I can more easily get over those feelings that I have to do things for blogging. I do what I can, when I can, and I like that.
I think you should do what you can, when you can, too. Focus on quality, building relationships, learning new skills, and don’t stress about what you can’t do. I think you’re doing a fabulous job at this, by the way. So, I think you’ll do just fine!
I’ve decided in the new year to definitely focus on quality over quantity!
I thought about branding but after last night I think I am just going to blog for fun if it turns into something more then it will. I would not worry about blogging so much you have other priorities that are much more important. I usually write my blog posts for the entire week on Sundays or Mondays that way I am not writing everyday I am just publishing it. I read blogs in the morning when I am eating my breakfast like a morning newspaper if I see something interesting I comment if not I continue to read. Do what you can but don’t let blogging take over your life.
I think I’m going to start writing most of my posts on my day off.
I think we all have these thoughts from time to time. The main thing is, if it’s not your full time job and you don’t want it to be, then don’t treat it like one. It’s supposed to be a fun way to meet new people. A hobby. Not something to cause you more stress. I totally get it though. It’s impossible to keep up with everything going on and sometimes it gives us a guilty complex.
I have such a guilty complex about blogging! Like I’m letting someone down if I don’t blog!
I just blog for fun. I don’t ever want it to feel like work or I’m going to stop doing it. I know a lot of people blog and they want it to be a business but that’s just not me. I don’t care who comments or who reads. No pressure around my blog.
I struggle with this all of the time. I can never find enough time to check out all of the blogs I subscribe to, post meaningful comments and respond to the comments I receive. It does stress me out. I did NaBloPoMo in Nov and decided to do it again in Dec. On the days I feel it was a big mistake, I simply don’t post until later in the day. I have even given myself ‘permission’ to quit this month, if I can’t come up with anything decent to say because I don’t want to HATE my blog. I write for me and refuse to give that luxury up. BTW, I am now following you and signed up for updates, so you have expanded your brand by ONE! Happy Sunday!
Finding time to comment on other blogs. Really stresses me out to! Even to find time to comment on comments in my own blog!!
When I started I wanted to start branding right away, get into the bloggers groups here in NYC (then found out about the cliques), but life happens with all it’s loops and I decided to just have fun with it and now some of the relationships I’ve built just through Twitter and the blog as more valuable to me than branding right now. If it gets too heavy on CDub/Pookah time then I would fall back a bit, we’ll still be here.
I’ve only been blogging for about a year, and I certainly agree that it is a LOT of work! I always wish I had more time in the day to blog, comment, and network. Unfortunately, I only have time to blog and comment at night when I get home from work….and by this time, I’m exhausted! What I have tried to do if prepare my posts on the weekends so that they are ready to post during the week. Most of the time I end up writing at night after work. All I say is that I do the best I can with the time I have, and that’s all I can ask of myself. Hang in there!
I have been blogging for a couple of years now and it has never felt like a chore to me. I thought about building a brand but realized that is not me. I can only do what I do and I dont want to change that to fit into a certain lane. When the inspiration is gone, its ok to disappear for a while. That’s the nature of a “personal” blog. No one is paying you to do this regularly. Do it when you you feel moved to.
I’m trying to remember this!
I struggle with blogging as well. I sometimes feel as if no one is listening, I sometimes feel as if I am just babbling away and yes, it is a chore. I have stepped back and felt guilty about not posting, worried I’ll lose readers but it has to be fun or it won’t be worth anything.
I’m on the fence with the brand/tribe/niche thing. I think I should be able to just be me and people will come. That works most days. I say have fun, relax and enjoy.
-r
This is such a great topic! One I have been struggling with lately, myself. I have decided to just post whatever and whenever I want – the only requirement is to be myself, because that is the easiest thing to do. Also, those are the blogs I like best. I think your writing style attracts “loyal” followers so if you take a break, most of us will be here whenever you return…
When I first started blogging, I wanted to start it off as a brand, but now, I just want to have fun with it. That’s where I’m at right now. Blogging can be a lot of work, and I do try to keep myself up to a regular posting schedule, but you can’t account for the strange turns and twists that happens in life.
I know it’s time to unplug when it feels like job and no longer fun. Have to find a way to fall back in love with it anyway that I can.
My blog is called Nightlight Journeys because the time I carve out for myself to write usually falls after my hubby & my Munchkin have fallen asleep – late at night. It’s not a job for me but it is a release & an outlet to express myself – and to work on improving my writing. We all have slumps now & then but do what make you happy – if it’s creating more stress in your life than it’s relieving then a break might be a good thing. I wish you luck figuring it all out. Stopping over from #SOCSunday.
It is!