Need to Find that Balance Between Family and Blogging?
As some other bloggers know, over the past few months I decided to take a step back from some of the blogging duties I had committed myself to. It’s very easy to get sucked into the blogging world, as it’s a vast universe of blogging to discover. I’ve only been blogging for a little over a year, and so much of blogging is about networking and making connections with other bloggers and with companies. It’s easy to get too involved too fast when you constantly learn more about the blogging world each day. I still find each day that you can find a new opportunity, meet a new blogger, and find new ways to network. It can be too much if you commit to things before deciding what is most important to your blog and your life. Oh, and believe me, I know in the beginning you want to do EVERYTHING because you never know what will lead to a more successful path. It takes a little while to decide what is best for your situation.
Yes, still get involved…..
I am not saying not to network and get involved because you definitely need to. I happened to take on way too much at once where I was on the computer 24-7. That was not healthy for me or my family. I am supposed to be a mom and a wife first. I can’t just ignore my kids and set them in front of the TV so I can blog. I need to find a balance. Choose what you can get involved with without it negatively affecting your life and family. And if you get “the talk” from your significant other, then you probably are going too far and not finding that balance. Take this quiz to see if you are addicted to blogging and if you need better balance.
Don’t be afraid to say no or back away……
After I got in too deep, I thought that I would not be able to back away from the commitments I made. I tried hard to keep up by working until 2am every night, but that was not good. I was a zombie. It took hubby telling me “enough is enough” to make me contact other bloggers and tell them I would have to step back a bit. It was hard to tell people I could not post their blog hops weekly or be involved in their company start-ups, but I found people are really nice and understand. I was getting suffocated by blogging and just sending those emails and ridding myself of some commitments made room for me to breathe. It was a good thing.
And you can also say no to opportunities that come your way. Don’t feel like you have to take every single one. Some may not be a good fit for your site or worth the man hours for what you get in return. You will not ruin your blogging career by turning down a few opportunities. In fact some will respect that because you are doing what is best for your site and yourself. If you don’t want to write about tampons on your site then don’t! Even if it is a $50 opportunity. It’s not worth it! If it’s something you do want to write about though then take it ~ You need to decide what’s best and what you want on your site!
Decide what is best for you and your site…….
As bloggers that get deeper into the blogging world know, there are many companies out there to work with and many blogging groups to be involved with. You can try and be involved in as many as you would like, but remember don’t get in over your head. It can happen quickly! I’ve participated in many opportunities from companies and I’ve now decided that being involved more fully in the ones I feel passionate about is best for me. I don’t need to be so involved in every single one. I now choose where I want to spend my time most and what’s best for me. Companies run in different ways so figure out which ones best mesh with your site, your personality, and your goals for your life and your site.
Also, you can get involved in too many Facebook groups and literally spend the entire day in your groups commenting on other bloggers’ posts, retweeting their tweets, and doing other various things to stay connected to bloggers. You definitely need some interaction and involvement in blogging groups/communities, but you don’t need to be in 50 groups. Find a select few you really want to be involved in and focus on spending your time there. And if you are involved in a group, then really be involved. Get to know those other bloggers and don’t just ask for people to follow you. Real relationships is what makes the world of blogging more rewarding both personally and professionally.
Take time away from the computer……
It’s okay to put the computer down and take time out for the people in your life. I now make sure every afternoon or evening I spend some time with my kids. I also put away the computer to hang out with my hubby at night instead of multitasking with us watching a show together and my computer in my lap. It doesn’t take that long, but fully engage with your family members. Even if it’s for 30 minutes, spend quality time with your kids. Sit on the floor and play with them, read to them, take them somewhere, and help them with their homework. The blog will be there when you get back online! 30 minutes of quality time means more to them than 3 hours of your partial engagement with them. Your kids will never be the age they are at this very moment ever again. Enjoy them now and don’t have regrets!
Organize your time……
You can do it all! You can run a successful blogging business and have a family to! Just make sure to not take on too much at once. Decide what you need to turn down and what to take. Get a calendar and organize your opportunities. If your path leads you in a new direction, then just reorganize your time and remember you can back away from things that are not being productive for your site. Involve your family in your blogging in a positive way. My kids love going on shopping missions with me, so we do that together! Each blogger needs to take their own path to get to where they want to be with their blogging. Each blogger has different goals and that’s great. That’s what makes the blogging world open to so many opportunities for all.
I feel lucky that I have found a balance to my blogging. If I don’t have time to apply for an opportunity, then I won’t. If I don’t have time to engage with other bloggers on a certain day, then I don’t post in the Facebook groups. If I decide to take on a new role with my blogging and have new commitments, then I take a step back with others and do what is best for my site and my family. Everything is a balancing act and you can find that balance that’s right for you too!
What are your blogging challenges? Have you been in over your head? Are you in too deep now and need to back away? What is your plan for a successful blog?
great article, I am finding it a challenge even with my kids gone all day I want to do more when they get home. I need to say no to the computer until after bedtime:)
Oh I am right there with you! It was way too easy to get sucked into the blogging world. I’ve had to make a lot of adjustments this summer, taking a stand back and saying, “what do I really want from this blog?” and adjusting it accordingly. I’ve had to turn sponsors away, said no to fun campaigns because i knew i couldn’t dedicate the time I like to spend on projects on that campaign. It’s hard finding balance and it’s hard saying no. I still have a ways to go yet before I will have found the perfect balance for me and my family, but we’re making progress.
I for one always take weekends off. It’s rarely that I get online on Saturday and never on Sundays. Those are my designated family/off days. I hardly even answer emails; which makes for a big mess come Monday morning. But for me it is needed. I need the time unplugged, and I need the time with my family. They need my undivided attention no those days as well.
It doesn’t mean I won’t do a fun activity for the blog on my off days. On the contrary, some opportunities I get through the blog offer some really fun family entertainment options; and these are perfect for my “off” days, because I’m spending time with my family. I just take a few pictures as we do the event (which I would be doing anyway even if it wasn’t for a job) and then it all just sits until the next week when I get online to write about the experience.
But Balancing life with a blog is crucial, especially if you don’t want your Husband and kids to grow to hate your blog and become mean about any time you spend on it.
Totally right there with you. I have taken a step back and really focused on why I started blogging. My blog was my journal and i want to continue doing that because I love being able to look back. Thanks for sharing.
Finding balance in our busy lives can be hard. Add in blogging and it can seem impossible. I find if I leave my laptop open it’s too easy to “just look” at something. Most days, I’m glad I don’t have a smart phone. It would be to tempting to constantly be checking the blog and Facebook. Thanks for the tips!
Great tips! I agree that finding balance can be difficult, especially with two kids at home who want to play with mummy all day 🙂 I am always struggling with it but hope to use your great tips to help find my balance 🙂 Thanks.
I completely agree. Blogging can take over your life if you let it, and then it’s just no fun anymore. I’ve found that keeping a blogging calendar and scheduling what posts I can in advance is helpful. I also give myself a time limit, and no blogging after the kids get home from school. I’ve narrowed down my social media to the ones that are relevant to me, and have just let go of the ones that just weren’t working, even if there is pressure from the bigger blogs or companies to have high stats with them.
Thanks for sharing your ideas, they are definitely very helpful!
-Molly JustALittleCreativity.com
This is a great post. It’s something I thin most bloggers have to figure out. I have definitely been putting less time into my blog but am being more choosey about where to put my efforts. It has really made a difference for me and my family.
These are great points! I try really hard to get everything done while the people in my family are at work or school so I have time to spend with them… But sometimes it’s difficult!
I agree totally. The blogging world is not more important than your family. I have set limits and the result has been more positive for my family. Thank you for posting this. I think more bloggers need to realize this too.
I completely agree with you. While I have not been blogging long, I am starting to sit back and decide where to make changes. It is funny you post this just as I am re-doing my site so I can focus on certain things and try to better balance my family and my blog.
Great information!!! And so glad you’ve found that balance. So true – saying no is okay and respectable. I found myself getting “sucked in”, too but taking the time to step back and evaluate why I started blogging and focusing on the PURPOSE behind my blog helps me to decide what is and is not a good fit for us. I definitely support connecting with other bloggers and building that relationship – but it’s not a popularity contest. I’d rather have meaningful blogging relationships with a tightnit group than 100+ that don’t really know me or respect my blogging philosopies.
FInding a balance is really the key to this isn’t it? Not to mention we all need to rest our eyes! Great post Kristen!
Saying no is something that is hard for a lot of people to do. In the end, you have to do what is best for you and your family.
Dawn
http://www.cheapisthenewclassy.com
Great post! I say no to so much now. This post was a real eye opener. Very well written!
Thank you for some much needed tips and advice! i never realized how much time blogging could really take! It is nuts!
Great reminder! I just took off for almost 48 hours with no blogging responsiblities!! So healthy!!! I love to blog but I love my ‘life’ more! Thanks for being on the quest to make sure we stay balanced!
This is a great reminder. Blogging CAN suck you in. It isn’t hard to be stuck at the computer or on your cell all the time managing emails, posts, and everything entailed! I too have recently taken a step back. I am not sure if my readers have noticed because I try to post 4-7 days a week, but I am not posting 3 giveaways a day as I was. I love my blog, and I love hosting, and all that goes with it. However, now I do one every day or two and I feel more balanced
Every time I’m on the computer my son asks if I’m working on my blog.
Balance is certainly key. I don’t need a quiz to know I’m addicted to blogging. 😉 I hope that when I get to a certain point I’ll be able to set hours where I blog each day.
I cherish naptime!
And have often had days that I don’t post links in facebook blogging groups because I know I wont have time to return the favor. With me working now, too, it’s been a bit of a challenge, but it’s just a little tweak of time management, and I refuse to make myself burnt out. I love blogging, and would hate to feel “addicted”… I do it for fun! Not for any other reason. 🙂
I agree! I totally unplug for the weekend and I reduced from daily blogging to 3-4 times per week with stricter selective guidelines to stay balanced. It’s so easy to get sucked in!
This is such a hard hard balance to find – Its so easy to get sucked right back into the blogging world. I just always try to remind myself that I will never regret saying no to my blog to spend time with my kids, I can’t imagine some day looking back and thinking “I really wish I was on my laptop instead of going to the park with the boys”
I need to do that in general with hubby and online. I have bad habit, not just blogging
At first it’s really hard to say no because you feel like if you do, then you’ll never get asked again. But it is so freeing when you finally allow yourself the luxury to be discriminating on what you write about. I like taking weekends off to recharge too!
Finding balance is very hard, especially when I love what I do. But, my hubby time does suffer and I need to find time for us.
Great article. I’m constantly trying to find the balance, it’s very hard!! I scored 52 on the quiz and I’m surprised it wasn’t higher, haha.
I struggle with this as well. My trouble is blogging is never done, there are always posts to write, pictures to take, networking to do. Thanks for the article on finding balance!
I recently became a sahm. I’m trying to find the balance but it is difficult. I loved your article. Thanks for sharing.
So agree!!! I have been doing better but I remember at the beginning signing up for every giveaway and every free one I could!!! I even went a couple weeks with out even posting. Kuddos on the balance!! It seems to change almost daily in our house!