When you are trying to be a blogger and you have to write in a lot of confusion, you know how hard it can be to keep track of what you are trying to write. There are all kinds of situations that are less than ideal to blog in. Maybe you work in an office environment and your coworkers are always interrupting you and trying to talk when you are writing. Maybe they are just a noisy bunch who are always talking on the phone or crank up their radios loud. Or perhaps you blog from home, like many bloggers do. That carries its own group of disturbances.
From kids to pets to neighbors and friends, it seems like no one really takes writing as serious work. Well, hopefully I can offer you a few tips to keep productive despite these disturbances.
- Have a Goal- Many times I have fallen behind in my blogging due to the confusion around me. I have even gotten to the point where I felt it was hopeless and I would never be able to catch up and get back on the right track again. However if you make small goals for yourself you can overcome a lot of the frustration and hopelessness. Things like writing just a paragraph at a time can add up throughout the day to get you into the writing mode again. Sometimes I even set up a timer so that I race the clock, writing as fast as I can in the limited time I have. This sense of competition can help to motivate you to write more and write faster.
- Take Notes – I find that I get my best writing ideas as I am out and about. To that end I have taken to carrying a small notebook and pencil with me wherever I go. That way when I have a great writing idea I do not have to try and remember it. I save myself a lot of stress and frustration in the long run and get to keep all my ideas. Make sure you write down every point you come up with not just jot down a word or two. I was always guilty of doing that and then I would end up forgetting my main points and be left in the same bad spot. Instead make a list or an outline of your idea and be specific enough to keep the whole thing together later on when you have a chance to write it down.
- Just Start Writing – Sometimes you just have to get started. When I have a lot going on in my life I sometimes get consumed with everything and forget to write. Instead I have started to force myself to just start writing, even if it is only nonsense. Getting my fingers moving on the keyboard makes my mind get into the writing mode and I can usually be productive despite the chaos going on around me.You can also write my post about “Increase Page View of Your Blog Technically“.
- Set Aside Writing Time – Like I said, sometimes I would just forget to write. I was so busy and had so many demands on me that I just did not think of it until I laid down to sleep. However now I set aside a special writing time every day. I treat it like a job or like eating or bathing. It is a must do, not optional. That way I get to it no matter what. I also do not feel bad about telling others that I am busy or I have something scheduled to do during that time. If you do this day in and day out the people that interrupt you will eventually get the idea and wait until later to bug you.
- Make Your Own Space – Another great way to get writing done in a chaotic space is to create your own separate work area. Try to find a space that is out of the way and quiet. Do not set up next to the coffee pot or the water cooler if you are in an office. If you are at home do not set up your space in the living room or kitchen. Anywhere that people have to go through all the time is a bad idea. Instead, set up your writing space in a far corner or a back room. Somewhere that you can shut the door and get some privacy is best. That way you can keep your sanity and your work area clear.
- Be Organized – Speaking of keeping your work area clear, keeping your space organized is every important. You do not want to waste a lot of your writing time trying to find your stuff and looking all over for your materials or notes. Instead take a few minutes every day to clean up and do not let anyone else use your space. This will save you a lot of frustration and increase the time you have to write.
- Shut Off the Phone – The phone does not have to be on twenty four hours a day. You can shut it off. Just make sure you let the important people know you will be out of reach from this time to that time every day and then feel no guilt turning it off. Sure you might miss a text or two, but you can always get back to that later. Right now it is about being a productive and uninterrupted blogger.
- Skip Social Media – Facebook and Twitter can be huge time wasters and the temptation to check them is very strong. Do not give in. Treat writing time as sacred. I like to think of it this way: if I can do it in front of the television then I do not need to be doing it during writing time. Save the social media for play time and write when you have the chance.
- Use Lists – When I have a lot going on around me and I am having a hard time keeping track of what I am writing I find a list a great go to device. Not only is it easy to keep track of all the points you want to make but you can treat each point as a separate part of your writing allowing you to be interrupted between without negative effects. Lists are also great for readers because they love to know what size the post will be before they click on it. A post with four points is going to be short while a post of one hundred and four will be long, and so on. They also like lists because they are easy to scan and read only the points that interest them. List posts are among the most popular of any type of blog post so it is a two fold advantage for you to use them.
- Keep it short – Another thing to keep in mind when you have a lot going on in your life is that blog posts do not have to be long. In fact, many readers prefer short blog posts. We just simply do not have time to read through pages and pages of text. You should limit how long you make your blog posts and split long posts into post series. Not only does that make it faster to write but you also get to update more frequently and it appears that you have more content on your blog. Another good idea is to make your paragraphs short so they do not overwhelm readers. Breaking posts up with headers so that readers know what each section holds is also a good idea.
These are just a few of the ways that I have learned to be productive despite the confusion around me. No matter what you have to deal with, you can still be a productive blogger.
