Do you find blogging to be overwhelming? Are you swamped with a never-ending to-do list of blogging tasks? Would you say that you are struggling to be an organized blogger?
From experience, I know how challenging it can be to be an organized blogger. It’s especially more challenging to stay organized and productive while working from home as a blogger. But other the years I have found some techniques that I incorporate into the day that helps me remain organized.
Just like your personal life, your blogging life requires organization in order to keep you afloat and successful. As a blogger, I feel that being organized as a blogger is often the last thing on your mind. And because it’s so easily overlooked I have created 6 tips that will help you learn how to be an organized blogger.
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6 tips that will help you learn how to be an organized blogger
1. Create a workspace
Every successful blogger has a designated workspace. For example, it doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but you do need to create a workspace that is clean and free of distractions.
If you have a home office space you may need to spruce it up a bit. Check out my friend Lynn’s latest blog post: 15 Awesome Amazon Home Office Decor.
Lynn began working from home last March and she knew she had to create a workspace. She turned a spare room in her house into her office. And she has really created it into a nice cozy office space thanks to some amazing finds on Amazon. If you need some home office décor inspiration, head over to her blog now.
When creating your workspace make it your own and a place that you enjoy working in. This is going to be your space where you create your best blog posts and content.
Your workspace is where you will come to write on a regular basis. Make sure you have everything you need in your workspace that will help you be productive.
There is nothing worst than sitting down to work and having to interrupt your creative juices because something you need to work on is out of reach.
Working at home without your own workspace can be challenging because we tend to get too comfortable at home. I can’t express enough how important it is to create a workspace- with all your needs in arm’s reach, free of clutter and distractions.
2. Set Designated Work Hours
Indeed, blogging is more than just a hobby. Whether you are blogging for business or fun- it is a commitment. Oftentimes blogging is either done on a part-time or full-time basis.
To be an organized and successful blogger you must set boundaries. Boundaries include designating set work hours to commit to your blog and blogging business.
I find that when I set office hours I get more accomplished. During my office hours, I work diligently giving each task focus and priority. Within my office hours when I am catering to my blog I do not allow for any interruptions. I even place my phone on do-not-disturb to minimize distractions.
Working from home still requires discipline and calls for the need to set work hours for yourself. It really helps to create a good work and life balance which will ultimately lead you to productivity.
RELATED: How to Create and Manage Your Blog and Social Media Weekly
3. Track your expenses and income
If your blog is your business. The next important step after creating a workspace to blog is tracking your expenses and income. To be an organized and successful blogger requires you to track your expenses and income.
Welcome to the world of entrepreneurship. Tracking your expenses and income is your responsibility as a blogger.
By doing so when tax season circles around as an organized blogger you will have all of your documents and finances ready.
I like to keep track of all of my expenses and income in Google Sheets. This allows me to track my expenses and income and I always have a copy saved on google drive ready to view and access on all of my devices.
It’s important as an entrepreneur to keep track of how much you have spent and compare it to your earned income. Be sure to account for all income sources from blogging. This data is important to consider before making business decisions when it comes to managing your blog.
4. Create a Google Account
Creating a google account to manage my blog has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I highly recommend google because it is easily accessible and your data backs up.
- Gmail: Create a separate email account for your blog. This will ensure that your business emails do not mix with your personal emails. You don’t want to miss a business opportunity.
- Google Calendar: I use google calendar to manage my blogging schedule, important dates, and deadlines.
- Google Docs: Google Docs is one of my most used google applications. This is where all the work goes down. I use google docs to maintain my blog calendar and to draft my blog posts. The feature that I enjoy the most is that after every few words it autosaves all changes. I never have to worry about losing any content thanks to google docs.
5. Create a weekly blog schedule
Creating a weekly blog schedule that works around your life is important. What days are you going to dedicate to blogging?
My weekly blogging schedule is on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Those are the days I have committed to showing up for my readers.
I like to use my google calendar, google docs, and my blue sky planner to keep me organized and on top of my weekly blog schedule.
It’s important for you to create and commit to a schedule that is going to work for you.
Somethings to consider and focus on when you create your weekly blog schedule is:
- Set and schedule days for publishing blog posts
- Designating a day to schedule emails or blog broadcasts: I use ConvertKit to manage my emails and broadcasts.
- Scheduling your social media throughout the week: Tailwind is one of the scheduling platforms I use to schedule my pins and IG posts.
Creating and sticking to a weekly blog schedule will help you stay on top of all of the tasks you need to accomplish and can really assist you in managing your time better.
ConvertKit:
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Tailwind:
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Organizing your blog calendar
In google docs, I use a spreadsheet to organize my blog content by category, blog post title, scheduled date, and status.
I find that I am most productive when I plan out my blog content for the month. Considering that I post 2-3 times per week, organizing my blog schedule by category has helped me create content that is not repetitive.
This method also gives me an easy view of many blog posts I have created and how many pre-drafted posts I have ready to be published.
I like to keep a printed copy of my blog calendar spreadsheet in my blue sky planner so I can easily add a topic idea and set a date to possibly publish.
Keeping my blog calendar in view really helps me to focus on my blog daily. Maintaining a blog is hard work and it demands consistency. That’s why organizing your blog calendar makes things a little bit easier, especially for a newbie blogger.
6. Keep a notetaking system
I often have the best blog ideas at the most randomized times. I like to keep a small notebook in my bag when I am on the go. Just in case if a thought hits me I won’t forget and can easily refer back to my notebook notes for more inspiration.
Along with ideas for inspiration, I will even jot down potential keywords that can help improve my SEO. It’s so much that goes into content creation that you can’t even imagine.
I seriously believe that my brain never rests. Thus, thoughts come and go. And in order to hold on to those creative thoughts, I have to be an organized blogger and keep a note-taking system.
Goodbye, to feeling overwhelmed with blogging. There’s no need to struggle to try to manage the organizing and upholding of your blogging business.
The 6 tips that I have created to teach you how to be an organized blogger, will be sure to get you more organized.
I challenge you to put these tips into practice and share with me in the comments your plans and tell me what is working and not working for you. I am looking forward to hearing about how organized you have become.
Until next time…
Jaya Avendel
I love scheduling ahead, though I am only ever a couple posts ahead. Having designated blogging time helps me stay focused, and an engaging place to sit and write from also keeps my motivation levels up!
I am a Microsoft Word kind of gal, but I like to save my longer novels in progress to Google Drive for extra security.
Thanks so much for sharing some of your top ways to stay organized and on track!
Ruth| Ruthiee loves Glamour
Oh these are lovely tips to be more organized! I feel like a workspace is definitely a must have as it makes you think in the work direction and it makes you more productive in general. Creating blog schedules is also a great way to get organized.
juliaspeaks
These tips are awesome! You are so organised haha. I need to be on top of this with blogging and create a schedule I will stick to. Just discovered your blog and it’s lovely, I look forward to seeing more posts from you! Have a great weekend 🙂 x
Julia x
Last Post: Prepare Your Best Week Yet With This Sunday Planning Checklist! 💪
bloglifewitherica
Hi Julie,
Welcome! I am so happy you found my blog. Thank you for sharing yours. Once you figure out a blogging schedule, things will get so much easier. I know you will be successful!
xo Erica
Paige Eades
These are some great tips for organisation! At the moment I am juggling blogging around being a full time university student so am just writing posts when I can, but your tips are great for if I were to ever try and make it a business. Thanks for sharing a great article!
Paige // Paige Eades
lynnmumbingmejia
Love these tips so much! I hope to make my blog a business soon. I’m pinning these for later. Thank you again so much for the shoutout Erica! Means the world to me xx
http://www.lynnmumbingmejia.com
bloglifewitherica
Hi Lynn,
Thanks so much. I really appreciate it when you pin my posts. And no problem for the shoutout! I immediately thought of your lovely post on how to create a nice home office when I began planning my post. It is so inspirational. And people need it since most are working from home.
xo Erica
Lisamarie
Absolutely love these tips, mainly because I love to be organized but being an organized blogger is no easy task! Thankful for this post!
bloglifewitherica
Lisa Marie,
Everything has to be organized for me. If not, I get so overwhelmed. I am even an over-planner. I know exactly what you mean!
xo Erica
Sophia Patel
Such great tips! I get what you mean about the brain never sleeping! I will always get keyword ideas at the worst of times!
kayleighzarablogs
These are some fab tips! To keep me well organised and well in advance I have a six month blog schedule for posts, and I’m regularly around 3 months ahead! Thanks for sharing x
bloglifewitherica
Hi Kayleigh!
3 months ahead? That’s amazing! I really think scheduling your blogs in advice is a great strategy.
xo Erica