The 1st March, 2015 marked a full year of consecutive daily blogging on this blog.
That’s not even including the 3-4 posts I publish on my fitness blog.
It’s not always easy finding time to publish daily. But after a year, I feel like I’ve made it into a habit.
A habit that I can’t break.
I’m pretty sure the world would end if I missed a day.
And no, I’m not a full time blogger. I’m a normal human with a full time job. I work 9 hour shifts, five days a week and I spend 2 hours a day in my car thanks to the commute. Sad face.
I also workout daily, leave comments daily and manage all my own social media accounts. Some better than others. CoughpinterestCough.
You’ve probably figured out by now that this means I don’t have time for much else. I don’t have kids and I don’t watch TV often.
If I’m not at work, I’m either working out, on the computer, or asleep.
Not that I’m complaining. I mean, nobody put a gun to my head and forced me to daily blog. It’s just something that happened naturally.
I was posting every other day, but one day, after reviewing my editorial calendar and seeing every spot for the next 8 weeks full, I decided it was time to blog daily.
And I’ve never looked back.
Truth is, I’m really anal about it. I’m stubborn, I’m proud. And the only thing that’s going to stop me, well, probably death. I’ve already asked one of my friends to pay my hosting fees if I die, so my blog will live forever.
LONG LIVE THE BLOG.
Here are some things that help me keep on top of everything…
The blogging.
Plan plan plan your content.
Use an editorial calendar to plan your week.
When I used Blogger, I used the calendar app on my computer. All I did was write the title or blog post description in each day. This lets you plan whats due to be published. It’s also really easy to drag posts in to different days if you need to get a post up earlier or later than expected.
Now I’m on WordPress, I use the Calendar plugin which is very similar, but you physically put the blog posts in. You can quickly add a new post, edit it, schedule it and move it around your calendar. I love it.
Bulk your photos.
To save time, I’ll take all my photos in bulk. I probably do one photo session every 2 weeks.
I sometimes photograph the odd thing on it’s own if it’s something I want to get up straight away. But mostly, I’ll get it all done at once.
After I’ve taken the photos, I’ll upload them to my MacBook. I don’t usually edit them right away, but at some point I’ll get all the photos edited and put them into the draft post in my calendar so I’ll I need to do is write the post itself.
Most photos are done about two weeks before they’ll go live.
Have a deadline for your week ahead.
I’m really strict about scheduling my posts in advance. By Sunday of every week, I’ll have every post for the next 7 days complete.
This doesn’t mean I write every single post on a Sunday, I try and write a few here and there during the week when I have time. But most Sundays, I have to write about four.
It’s not actually that time consuming as I already know what I’m writing about and the photos are already in place.
If I have a post that I need to publish within the next seven days, but can’t write it for some reason (e.g, if a brand wants me to post something by Saturday but it’s not come in the post yet, or my GlossyBox comes and I want to get it out ASAP) then I’ll write a different post and schedule it.
This means I still have enough content so if I don’t have time, or it falls through. My blog still runs as normal and I don’t have to plan another post.
If I don’t need the post, I’ll move the post into the following week.
Then I only have 6 blog posts to worry about!
The Networking.
Social Media.
I use Buffer to schedule my social media. It’s a handy tool that lets you post to multiple websites.
Every morning, I’ll pop on Buffer and schedule my Tweets for the next 24 hours or so. I send out a scheduled Tweet about every 2-4 hours.
The analytics in Buffer let me see how many times people click, comment, favourite and reTweet. So this really gives me a feel about what type of posts to promote.
I will promote some posts for more days than others if they get a good response.
I generally share different posts throughout the day, with my most recent post being shared 2-3 times.
I also have Bloglovin set up to add my post to Twitter when it goes live and I have my WordPress settings configured to share the post on Facebook and Google+.
Easy.
The commenting.
While I’d love to spend more time commenting on other peoples blogs, I don’t think I do too bad.
I have a process I follow every day. There have been times when I haven’t been able to do this daily, but only about once every two months. And I always catch up the next day. Like I said, I’m strict and anal.
Here’s my process for commenting on blogs:
- Read the comments from yesterdays blog post.
- Visit the blog of each person who commented.
- Read their latest post and leave a comment.
I find this keeps my engagement up and also I’ve build relationships with some of these bloggers that comment on my post on a regular basis.
If I have more time, I’ll comment on some new blogs but this isn’t always easy – I’d much rather continue to build relationships with my regular readers and friends than find new sporadic readers.
The other stuff.
Working out.
As I work shifts, I’ll plan my workouts around my schedule each week. I either work out before or after work. Some workouts are longer than others and I will have at least one day a week when I do a short 30 minute yoga session, so don’t worry, I don’t hardcore workout every day!
Being social.
If I have plans over the weekend, I ensure I leave enough time to schedule the content beforehand.
When I went to Florida last May, I had a post scheduled for every day of my two week holiday. I also took my laptop with me so I could still manage e-mails, social media and I commented on blogs with a beer in my hand in the evening.
I even went to some of the Sunday Twitter chats while I was around the pool one day!
Work breaks.
I take my laptop to work and I’m sometimes able to do some comments during my breaks, though this doesn’t happen often as I usually prefer to spend any time I have on my break talking to colleagues in the canteen.
I will reply to blog e-mails on my break fairly often though.
The Negatives.
As with all hobbies, you usually have to cut some things out to fit new activities in. You make time for those things that are important to you.
It might seem like I put a lot of time and effort into blogging, especially as it’s not my main income, but blogging and fitness are what’s important to me, so I’ll put it about most other things.
Here are somethings that I’ve had to cut out, or do less of!
Reading.
I used to read books quite a lot. I’d read before going to bed and when I lived in France, I read around 30 books! Now I still read, but I read blogs and news about SEO, blogging and related subjects.
Watching TV.
I remember I used to spend full days laying in bed binge watching TV. It was fun, but was kind of lazy. I don’t watch many TV shows now and if I do, I usually have my laptop on my knee at the same time.
The thing with blogging is that you can always do more! I do find it hard to switch off and just relax, which is probably something I should address but… I don’t want to talk about it.
Video Games.
I think I wasted a whole summer building an amazing castle on Minecraft one year. I also used to drink beer and play Call Of Duty every night.
I completed most of the Assassins Creed series and sunk about 100 hours of my life into Syrim.
Now my xBox is dusty and only gets played on occasion. Which is probably for the best as I was spending a lot of money on video games!
In short, blogging can be a massive, time consuming, life consuming hobby if you want to commit to something like daily posts.
But no matter what your blogging schedule may look like – whether you post once a week, every day, or just whenever you feel like it, I hope you find this post helpful.
How do you blawg?
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Congrats!! I know how hard it is and I don’t blog daily. x
I used to blog everyday, but I found I was burned out so easily! I found myself posting a lot of “filler” type posts that didn’t contribute to my blog ethos as a whole! Fair play for keeping it up for so long! You’re doing great!
I downloaded the Calendar on WordPress the other day and it really is so handy! I used to use a paper editorial calendar, but this is so much easier!!
Chrissy x
You are to funny but is so true I have to said you do a great job. We do have plenty in common I write for 2 weeks and schedule five days ahead. I get to the office like now is 6:10 am set myself up visit everyone who just visit me and visit bloglovin a few blogger like you until my lunch break. I run in the morning and in the evening I head to the gym so I answer to everyone by mobile. Is exhausting but rewarding a least to me. Have a great weekend.
Congrats!! I don’t think I could blog every day, I’d get bored. But, it’s a great thing!! xx
You’re so freaking organised! How do you do it!? I try to work out five times a week but I often skip one of my morning jogs and rush and pause during workouts, making them ineffective. Honestly, I doubt I could ever daily blog. I’m more spur of the moment, although I do love reading other posts and commenting. You literally give the best blog tips 😉 Oh, and just seeing your mac book pro makes me crave it even more. Seriously I want one so badddd!!
-M
The Life of Little Me
Really interesting read and congratulations on the 1 year of everyday blogging. I really must start using buffer more to schedule my Tweets, I’ve got Twitter automatically posting when a new blog post goes live but still manually doing all my tweets at the moment.
Kristy | http://www.thevioletblonde.com
Wow good for you for investing so much time and energy into your blog! I’m trying to blog 3-4 times a week, but struggle to stay on top of it all sometimes!
OMG STAAHP THIS IS PERFECT YOU ARE PERFECT. I can’t imagine doing posts everyday, because of my crazily busy schedule. But I am definitely working on it x
I’ve been really wanting to get into blogging daily, and having scheduled 2/3 posts so far this week for next week I can see how it could potentially be done… it’s just difficult to balance with sixth form and studying for me!
Olivia xxx
It’s amazing how you kept up with posting every day. Kudos. I think a good system of planning ahead is key no matter how often one posts.
I do admire anyone who is able to blog daily and you’re one of them. It’s tough to have a full time job and blog daily so much respect to you.
I wish I am half as discipline as you alas, I am farrrrr from it. LOL!
Shireen | Reflection of Sanity
u are so well organized!
Nameless Fashion Blog
well done with the daily blogging! i’m planning on trying to make my blogging a bit more regular than it is at the moment after i finish my dissertation. but i don’t think i could ever daily blog. it’s not even my laziness, because i know i could do it if i really wanted to. but i just find that if i feel like i need to do something every day and make a really strict schedule, i start enjoying it less and i obviously don’t want that to happen to blogging, haha! xx
Congratulations! That is awesome! Thank you for all the great tips, even if we are someone who posts multiple times a week as compared to everyday all these tips are so relevant to just stay on top of everything the best you can! I use hootsuite to schedule my tweets and facebook posts but theres no analytics that I’m aware of. That is awesome about the one that you use that it shows that!
Wow!! Your very productive I love it 🙂
Goodness you have a lot on your plate. Though I love how you keep everything planned out! I really need to start doing that, I find sometimes I have nothing to blog about and just write about anything sometimes haha 🙂
Congrats on all you do to keep everything going smoothly, it is pretty amazing 🙂
Florals&Smiles
Twitter
That is such an accomplishment publishing everyday! I love your tips!
Melanie @ meandmr.com
I love how dedicated you are to the things that are important to you. I find it so easy to fall off the wagon or get distracted by other things. I go through phases where I’m 110% focused on my blog, but then something will come up, or I’ll miss a post and it all just snowballs out of control from there.
It’s not so much the content I struggle with, and I’m using the likes of HootSuite a lot more to schedule tweets etc too. But Photos?! Damn the photos! I really need to start taking them in bulk, even if they don’t get edited or used straight away. The photography work always seems to be my downfall, and the fact that I’m really trying to take better pictures seems to make the whole process take twice as long!
If only I didn’t need to sleep. Or work!
Sarah 🙂
I wish I could blog everyday but alas it’s time. In summer, and in Easter, I tend to be one day behind which is so nice.
Lizzie Dripping
Congrats on the daily blogging! I love getting emails when you’ve posted! I’ve been dying to try the daily blog! But I’m scared I’ll run out of ideas!! I love the calander idea and bulk photos! I’m seriously considering it! Excellent job!
congratulation, I couldn’t post everyday it would be to much of work for me!! But it’s great you can and I’m gonna check on Buffer it sound a nice thing!
Have great week end
Wow! Yoy are incredible. So glad I read this post as I was starting to lose the drive of planning my blog posts. Thanks xx
You really have your sh*t together and it’s really admirable! I’m still working on balancing everything. It’s all about prioritizing, right?
I’m very impressed at how organised you are Corinne. I recently tried the WordPress calendar but was obviously doing something wrong as it kept publishing posts that I thought would be private until I had completed them – so blank posts were going out and I had to ask Bloglovin’ to delete them!
I think it’s a real skill to blog everyday and still blog with interesting topics. I’ve really tried to blog every other day this year but I did lapse and you can tell on my analytics which bugs me most! I love the sound of the WordPress calendar plugin. I’m definitely going to download that. Thank you!
Victoria
I love that you blog daily, its awesome
check out my newest post
xx
Tyana
theluxedition.blogspot.com
you are amazing! seriously, I don’t even know how to plan the next 7 posts, let alone an entire month, or an entire year! I feel like my attention span as I grow older gets shorter and shorter and I get bored very easily. If I don’t make myself start something, I will not get it done until I’m at the very edge of my boredom and I do what I wanted to do to begin with. It’s a complicated world over here.
Kudos for you though. Your blog is amazing – I love the design and the font. I love everything.
this was an INSANELY helpful post! My challenge is with my little blog is I am very inconsistent with posting. With school work and everything in between. But looking at everything you get done in a day is huge motivation! Thank you so much!
The title to this post should have been Wonder Woman, how on earth do you fit this all in. Yes I read the post but how, seriously you should be really proud blogging every day and working out. I am taking my metaphorical hat off to you Lucy x
I am trying write a daily post now, but saturday and sunday I prefer take a breath and will be family time, thanks for this tips, you are very sorted!
I wish I was a bit more anal and then I could do more blog, I just NEED Netflix and phone time to do nothing Corinne. NEED. 🙁
India | Touchscreens & Beautyqueens
This was so intersting to read! 🙂 I used to blog every day, I’d take a pic of waht I was wearing in the afternoon when I got home from work, put the photo on the computer and write and publish the post before dinner. Then I moved to blogging every 2 days to try give myself a break, switched taking photos to the morning and so I could have a break from the computer every second day. I found it too stressful being tied to the computer every night. Now of course, with baby and going back to work, it’s all up in the air! I am about a week behind with blogging what I’ve worn, which gives me the chance to fit writing posts into nap times and scheduling them in advance. that works better. Blog reading/commenting often gets forgotten if baby doesn’t nap too much though. I can live with that 🙂
you’ve inspired me to try and post more. I find that I am too busy living but I guess it comes down to organisation and discipline.
http://www.blogsbygabrielle.blogspot.com
Such an interesting read. I blogged every other day for a month but felt like I was doing it because I had to not because I enjoyed so I took it down to 2 days a week. I couldn’t imagine blogging every day on top of working full time. You are super!! haha. xx
I really enjoyed this post, first time I’ve seen one of your blogs as I just caught it by chance under the hashtag of ‘lblogger’. I’m amazed you’ve managed to blog everyday for a year, I’ve only recently started blogging and at the minute I focus on reviews and local events, but I’d like to go more into lifestyle and general. Your time keeping and organisation is incredible, I also think the wordpress calendar thing sounds awesome (I’m on blogger and now I’m tempted to change!)
I look forward to reading more of your stuff! 🙂
HOLY COW! Well done, you. I keep telling myself I need to do that (post every day, for a year without scheduling!) but I haven’t yet been successful. :’D
Kudos to you.
And more power, Skinnedcartree!
This is really interesting and helpful – and it’s great that you’re so organised and set yourself a struggle. But I can’t help but think it doesn’t sound like you get to switch off very often? I appreciate that your workouts are good downtime, and the yoga is relaxing but it sounds like you’re really on it the rest of the time. Out of interest how do you feel your life/work balance is (I suppose I’m including blogging as ‘work’ although when you enjoy it perhaps it’s not seen as work!). I love blogging but I sometimes feel like it’s a bit of a chore. Interested to hear your thoughts 🙂
You’re right, I don’t switch off very often. I do have a few hours some evenings where I do what I want but I tend to spend that time reading blogs or watching YouTube. Truth is, I feel restless a lot and I don’t like to just sit down and chill. My full time job is not office based though and I’m on my feet all day, so coming home to the computer doesn’t feel that much of a chore as it’s so different. I think I’d be more fed up if I was on a computer all day at work, too. I just love blogging though and I hardly ever see it as a chore.
Great post! I don’t plan to blog daily but at the moment it’s only around once a week so need to boost that. Thanks for sharing your tips x
You are so organised, I’m amazed! I think if I were to give up my Netflix binges I would be able to be more productive! Sometimes I’m so tired after work that I can’t find the energy to do anything though. 🙂
I LOVE this post and I also LOVE how organised and savvy you are 🙂 I’m going to bookmark this for future reference. I need to get Buffer! Thanks for sharing!
♥.•*¨ AmandaSays ¨*•.♥
This was such an interesting read! I’m really new to blogging, and at the moment I’m just posting whenever I can/whenever the inspiration strikes! But now I think if I’m going to be serious and truly dedicated with blogging, I will need some sort of structure. I think three posts a week will be a good aim for me!
Great tip about the editorial calendar. I didn’t even realise the calendar in my Windows 8 would be so convenient and helpful with timing and scheduling!
kim.colette
xx
I done Blogmas this year and I have LOVED it! I bulk my photos, posts and tweets so I am scheduled for a few days usually! It’s fab! Xx
OliviaCheryl.com
I love how ambitious you are! Exercise is something I need to do more of (working on my 2016 resolutions already).
I loved reading this! I always wondered how people daily blog with a full time job!
Jodie @ Jodetopia x
And your still daily blogging! Amazing content too. Really need to get up to speed!
Carrieanne X
Congratulations, Corinne! I certainly wouldn’t be able to blog daily for a year, well, at least this year as I have a lot of on my plane with studies and exams waiting this summer. But I do admire people who manage to do this, so thumbs up for you for being this awesome! x
-Leta
Honestly I am SO ready to be more anal like you haha, it actually seems easy than I thought!
I really admire the fact that you blog daily as well as have time to fit everything else in! I’m just far too lazy myself to make that a reality so a huge well done to you! I hope you have a fabulous New Year!
Thanks! To be honest it’s just REALLY addicting!
I have a LOT of admiration for how organised you are. I find my day job takes a lot of me…so in the evenings I just don’t feel like I’ve got the brain power to cope with blogging…then weekends we’re often away or doing lots of stuff. However, I’m also queen of the excuse and although I do pack out my time doing stuff which I love, I also need to be stricter with myself. Particularly with the working out! I’ve loved reading your posts for inspiration, so thank you XXX
http://www.digital-diva.co.uk
You are so well organized! I don’t know if I would be able to be that committed to my blog, but right now I’m trying to blog everyday for a month. It’s going really well so far and I’m really enjoying myself. I can understand where you’re coming from, because it’s truly so fulfilling to put a post up everyday, but I wouldn’t know if I’d be able to do that for a full year. Well done to you!
Love, Eline
I love this post! I currently only post once a week due to lack of ideas and my supposedly busy schedule, but after reading your post, I don’t seem busy at all!
This is really motivating! I never really feel up for blogging every day but this post makes me want to do that so I just might try it out 🙂
This is so inspiring… I think I just need to get myself into a routine and be more strict on myself… Thank you for sharing!