How to Keep Your Blog off the Z-List

| September 3, 2010 | 22 Comments
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Guest post by Kiesha Easley

Blogging When “Overwhelmed” is an Understatement

Any blogger who has children, a spouse, a job, or any other combination of life responsibilities will at some point or another become completely overwhelmed.

There are just not enough hours in a day to support the countless activities that are required to run a successful blog and have a life. There will be many nights when after a long day of fulfilling all of your other duties that you will simply decide that sleep is far more important than your latest blog post – and it will be!

Creativity takes energy and time, so you’ll definitely need your fair share of rest, but too many skipped blog posts and soon your blog will begin to fail. Catch too many zzzzz’s and that’s what your A-List blogger dreams will turn into. (Z-list, anyone?)

Blogging is the ultimate catch-22, to succeed you need to spend time and energy that must be balanced against all of your other responsibilities. Some days, you are going to get so overwhelmed that you’ll want to quit – but whatever you do – DON’T QUIT!

When it feels like you’re being pulled in 50 different directions, here are some tips to follow:

Retreat -

Take a break and reflect on what you want to accomplish with your blog. Spend some time writing down your goals and planning how and when you’ll get them done.

Re-evaluate -

Ask yourself some important questions. What are you trying to do with your blog? Why are you working so hard? Are your goals realistic? Are you being impatient? Are you blogging so much that you’re not enjoying your life with family and friends?

Remind yourself of your goals -

Sometimes we get off track and without realizing, we are no longer working towards our goals, but are just working. Make sure the time you spend in front of the computer is spent wisely and is used to accomplish the tasks that will produce the results you want. Beware of spending too much time on social networking sites – it can hinder your productivity if you’re not careful. Give yourself limits and stick to them.

Re-educate what knowledge are you missing -

Sometimes things aren’t working because you don’t have adequate knowledge. Take the time to do a little research about your niche and fill in your informational gaps. Then take what you learn and put it into action right away.

Reinvigorate -

Do something to refresh your motivation. Take a few days off and stay away from the computer to give your mind some time to rest. Many times we force ourselves to do things that we really don’t want to do, and while that is a part of being disciplined, over-doing this can really drain your energy and completely kill creativity.

Stop being so hard on yourself -

Regardless of your goals, you still have to recognize that you are only human and that you don’t have super powers to make things magically happen. Don’t beat yourself up just because things aren’t going the way you want them to.

Collaborate -

During an extremely overwhelming move out of state, I had to start working with other bloggers to keep my blog going. Working with a team has actually proved to be the most rewarding thing I’ve done. Now my readers are regularly exposed to new voices and perspectives, including the wonderfully talented owner of this blog :)

Applying these tips won’t eliminate your responsibilities, but it will allow you to hang in there so you can get your blog to the next level. Before you know it you’ll start seeing results: your traffic will be up; affiliate sales will improve or you’ll have a strong community to support it. It’ll be worth it in the end.

So what do you do when you’re feeling overwhelmed? How do you keep your blog going when everything around you is going crazy?

Image: graur razvan ionut

Kiesha Easley holds a Masters of Art in English.  She is a graduate of the University of Toledo and has been published on Fuelyourblogging.com, Twittip.com, Emaminer.com, Associate Programs, and others.  She is the author of We Blog Better and Highly Favored.

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Category: Blogging, Guest Blogger

About Evelyn Parham: Hi, I'm Evelyn and I write about healthy living, vegan and blogging topics. I obtained a Master's of Science in biology from Tennessee Technological University. I enjoy reading, writing, singing and dancing. View author profile.

Comments (22)

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  1. Surya Devi says:
    September 4, 2010 at 1:21 PM

    I am benefiting from reading this post already. I too believe in the spirit of collaboration and I am working on applying that in my life and my business. I have two blogs. One I’ve had for at least 4 years and the other is fairly new. I am always open to new and exciting ways to make life simple and sweet.

    My latest: http://esensualliving.com

    Thanks Evelyn & Keisha!

    Surya
    Surya Devi recently posted..E-Sensual Living Summer Newsletter!My Profile

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  2. Wayne Howard says:
    September 4, 2010 at 12:04 PM

    I definitely went on a little retreat for the past couple days. Spent some time with my friends and frat Brothers.

    Even though I felt like I was “missing out” on things, it was much needed!
    Wayne Howard recently posted..Getting on the Right TrackMy Profile

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  3. Steve says:
    September 3, 2010 at 7:07 PM

    Keisha,

    Your fine post is already working to reinvigorate me!

    It is not difficult to feel overwhelmed at times. The amount of little things it takes to be successful is daunting. Nothing hard, but the sheer numbers are sometimes daunting.

    Thanks for a wonderful post!
    Steve recently posted..12 Videos that Make You Want to Explore the WorldMy Profile

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  4. Kim says:
    September 3, 2010 at 5:13 PM

    I am also a new blogger and I am learning so much! I really identify with Points 3, 4, and 6. I haven’t found a lot of other blogs in my niche, but I am still trying to do as much research as I can (without being too overwhelmed! :D ) to find out how I can best help and serve my readers.
    Thanks for the great post! :)

    Reply
  5. Retirementlover says:
    September 3, 2010 at 12:18 PM

    Your point about reminding yourself why you are blogging is an important one for me. As a new blogger (under 3 months) I am still in the learning phase. Blogging has become a new passion so I’m spending more hours than I should trying to read everything and learn it all.

    I’m not in blogging to make money, just to use my writing skills and connect with others. Those goals don’t require I understand every SEO trick or guest post on 20 blogs next week.

    Thanks for reminding me to enjoy what I’m doing for the reasons I am doing it.
    Retirementlover recently posted..5 Easy Ways to Boost Your Creativity &amp Find Your PassionMy Profile

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  6. Jean Sarauer says:
    September 3, 2010 at 12:14 PM

    Love this, Kiesha! We need to come back to this advice again and again. We can’t do and have it all at once – and if we think we can, we’ll end up disappointed and disillusioned. Blogging, whether it’s a creative hobby or a true business, is meant to be enjoyed!
    Jean Sarauer recently posted..Reboot Your Blog How to Turn Profits Instead of StomachsMy Profile

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  7. Kathy says:
    September 3, 2010 at 11:53 AM

    I like your idea of collaborating as a team. I think you do get better material. It is more fun to share in the rewards too. Isn’t it?

    There are a lot of struggling bloggers out there who would probably benefit immensely from teaming up with someone like you.
    Kathy recently posted..Does That Blogger Know That You Like ThemMy Profile

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