Friend Friday is the creation of Katy of Modly Chic. This week's questions focus on time management:
1. When it comes to prioritizing your life, in what place does blogging fall?
Blogging is a priority, but one of my lower ones. Relationship, work, pets, downtime and mental health, fitness/yoga and dancing, acting and other performance activities, then blogging and reading tied at the bottom. Blogging is not very high on my priority list, but it is a priority, meaning that I set aside time to focus on it and make a point of working on it even when I have a lot going on, unlike other fun things I do that aren’t priorities like watching movies or going out to bars or playing the piano.
2. We all wish we had more free time to dedicate to blogging and all it entails. What are your tricks for taking advantage of the time you do have to be as productive as possible?
No tricks. Just a semi-regular schedule. I read and comment on blogs in the morning over coffee. I work on blog posts a bit in the morning too, and I spend a longer block of time preparing posts on the weekends. I often take photos outside during the afternoon when I need a break and some fresh air.
3. Have you discovered any short-cuts that makes blogging easier or more time efficient?
Not exactly a short cut, but I prefer to spend a block of time preparing posts, usually on a weekend, then schedule them to publish, one each day for the next week or two. Also, I frequently carry my camera and gorilla-pod with me and take pictures when I’m out and about. That way, I can use more varied backgrounds without taking the time to travel to a location, since I’m already walking right by the spot. I don’t even have to spend the time walking downstairs and out of the office building, since I’m already out and about.
4. Do you have an editorial calendar or something similar that helps you plan ahead?
Nothing too strict. On the last day of every month, I post about all the books I read that month. At least one a month, I’ll do a post of outfits I was wearing that same month of the previous year. I can prepare all those posts well in advance and leave them as drafts, then schedule them to go live when I don’t have time to prepare anything else.
I participate in Friend Friday when I have enough time to prepare posts (which has gotten a lot easier now that Katy sends out the Friend Friday questions a couple weeks in advance; thanks, Katy!). I also prepare those in advance and schedule them to publish on the designated Friday.
Otherwise, I post daily outfit photos, and it often takes me a few days (or weeks) to get an outfit up on the blog. I almost always post outfits in the order that I wore them, so the oldest photo in my queue is pretty much always going to be the next one posted.
5. If time wasn’t an issue what you would be doing on your blog/for your blog that you aren’t doing now?
Locations! Right now, if I have enough time, I go outside near work or home to take photos. If I don’t have enough time even for that, I take them in the house, where I don’t have the best lighting or backgrounds. If I had unlimited time, I would scout locations and use the best ones rather than being limited to what is closest and most convenient. Even with a cheap point-and-shoot camera and mediocre photography skills, I am much happier with my blog when I have time to be creative with photo locations.
1. When it comes to prioritizing your life, in what place does blogging fall?
Blogging is a priority, but one of my lower ones. Relationship, work, pets, downtime and mental health, fitness/yoga and dancing, acting and other performance activities, then blogging and reading tied at the bottom. Blogging is not very high on my priority list, but it is a priority, meaning that I set aside time to focus on it and make a point of working on it even when I have a lot going on, unlike other fun things I do that aren’t priorities like watching movies or going out to bars or playing the piano.
2. We all wish we had more free time to dedicate to blogging and all it entails. What are your tricks for taking advantage of the time you do have to be as productive as possible?
No tricks. Just a semi-regular schedule. I read and comment on blogs in the morning over coffee. I work on blog posts a bit in the morning too, and I spend a longer block of time preparing posts on the weekends. I often take photos outside during the afternoon when I need a break and some fresh air.
3. Have you discovered any short-cuts that makes blogging easier or more time efficient?
Not exactly a short cut, but I prefer to spend a block of time preparing posts, usually on a weekend, then schedule them to publish, one each day for the next week or two. Also, I frequently carry my camera and gorilla-pod with me and take pictures when I’m out and about. That way, I can use more varied backgrounds without taking the time to travel to a location, since I’m already walking right by the spot. I don’t even have to spend the time walking downstairs and out of the office building, since I’m already out and about.
4. Do you have an editorial calendar or something similar that helps you plan ahead?
Nothing too strict. On the last day of every month, I post about all the books I read that month. At least one a month, I’ll do a post of outfits I was wearing that same month of the previous year. I can prepare all those posts well in advance and leave them as drafts, then schedule them to go live when I don’t have time to prepare anything else.
I participate in Friend Friday when I have enough time to prepare posts (which has gotten a lot easier now that Katy sends out the Friend Friday questions a couple weeks in advance; thanks, Katy!). I also prepare those in advance and schedule them to publish on the designated Friday.
Otherwise, I post daily outfit photos, and it often takes me a few days (or weeks) to get an outfit up on the blog. I almost always post outfits in the order that I wore them, so the oldest photo in my queue is pretty much always going to be the next one posted.
5. If time wasn’t an issue what you would be doing on your blog/for your blog that you aren’t doing now?
Locations! Right now, if I have enough time, I go outside near work or home to take photos. If I don’t have enough time even for that, I take them in the house, where I don’t have the best lighting or backgrounds. If I had unlimited time, I would scout locations and use the best ones rather than being limited to what is closest and most convenient. Even with a cheap point-and-shoot camera and mediocre photography skills, I am much happier with my blog when I have time to be creative with photo locations.
I am with you on using different locations if you had more time. I have some great ideas of places around the city where I live but not enough time to get around to them and get everything else done.
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