The struggle is REAL! No matter what kind of job you have, it’s very difficult to balance your work and family life. Jobs that allow you to work in your home, like blogging, are flexible and wonderful, but they present their own set of challenges. How do you get work done but not ignore your family? How can you achieve it all without going CRAZY?
1. Set limits and Schedule Blog Time– This is vital to my sanity! I only blog at certain times of day. I blog between 4p and 6p and sometimes after my son goes to bed. On weekends, I try to get more done by getting up early. If you are having trouble limiting yourself- try getting up 30 minutes before the family or, if you’re a night owl, stay up after they all go to bed.
2. Use a timer– Use a timer if you need to! I do this often, especially on weekends. Write for 30 minutes, take a break and clean or play with kids for 30 minutes, repeat as needed.
3. Get Help! If you are overwhelmed, hire a Virtual Assistant, get more reviewers, give them more responsibility. Use their strengths to your advantage. I have some great gals working for me that are very organized, great communicators and I LOVE THEM! If you do reviews on your blog, getting moms to write reviews in exchange for product is a great compromise. My reviewers loved not having to buy as many Christmas presents for the family and I get fresh content daily!
4. Involve your family– Sometimes getting them involved in your work will help them understand what you do. Once my hubby realized that my “computer time” was bringing in money, he was much more supportive. I also get him to help me with photography so he feels like he is contributing as well. My son likes to try out products and he gives me his feedback for the post.
5. Join a supportive group of bloggers – Other bloggers are going through the exact same thing. Often times, they will share their “secrets” about how they balance their blog and family.
6. Write it down– Do you ever get great ideas for blog posts and don’t have any where to write it down? Carry a notebook or journal with you and jot it down. I also use my journal to make daily lists to keep me on task.
7. There’s an app for that– There are apps for everything these days! Try a family organization app that you can share with your family. Use a calendar app to document important dates for your family and due dates for big posts on your blog.
Blogging is a creative outlet for me that I enjoy. It does supplement my income, but I never want it to feel like a job. It has taken me a few years to find that balance of doing it all myself and hiring help and recruiting reviewers. I love my blog and love sharing the benefits with my VAs and reviewers!
