Dear Frannie Friday--How to Run Your Blog without it Running You Ragged

One thing that I hear endlessly is "I can't believe you have a blog with all the other stuff you do!" or "How can you post five times a week with four kids?" 

It drives me insane.  Because to me (a naturally defensive person as it is), that means that they don't believe that I can do it or it implies that I am putting other things (my kids, my job, my relationship, my house, etc.) aside to blog.  And I don't.  But how am I able to post five posts a week without getting burned out?  Here's my tips:

1.  Create a Plan

 When I started, I was willy-nilly about posting.  I didn't post about specific things other than what I did that day or what I was wearing.  That's all fine and good.  But here's what would happen--I would not have time to post a post until after my kids went to bed.  And by that time I was in a hurry to get something actually posted for the day, so I was rushed.  And at that time of day, I was wiped from work and the kids and whatever else was happening that day.  So my initial posts were kind of . . . shit.  Like no genuine thought went into my posts.  Now, as you know, my blog has a schedule that it abides by--every other week I do Mission Week and the weeks in between include Make it Work Mondays (where I recreate a look from another blogger), Share the Covers (where I post about music, which I love), Wordy Wednesdays (motivational quotes for the week or my current mood), Thursday Mixers (different ways I've worn one piece of clothes) and Dear Frannie Fridays (where I post about advice I have, reviews or answers to questions that I get).  Find something that works for you and stick to it.  This isn't to add pressure to yourself, but it will help with those writer's block moments and also may elicit inspiration!

 2.  Set a Schedule

Not only do I believe that it helps with actual numbers and views and all of that nonsense (of which I am NOT an expert), but it helps with my sanity at least to draft posts ahead of time and schedule them to be posted.  For me, I draft all of my posts for the week on Sunday (or sometime over the weekend).  This helps me to not freak out during the week about "needing" to get a blog post out and it also helps your blog in general with consistency when people can count on your blog having a new post on certain days and at certain times.

3.  Backlog, backlog, backlog

 This is where being your own photographer comes in handy because I have that flexibility to shoot my outfits as much as needed.  If I have extra time on the weekends, I will shoot an outfit or two.  If I like my outfit for work, I will shoot it when I have time before or after work.  Regardless, any blogger will tell you that having a few outfits stored up for times where the weather didn't cooperate or you didn't end up liking your outfit or you get a stain on your shirt or you run out of time will seriously be a blog-saver (not lifesaver, that's a bit dramatic).  Truth be told, I have outfits all the way into January currently because I have such a heft backlog.  Some bloggers hate that because they feel that it is not consistent with what you are wearing NOW, but I disagree.  I really do wear the things that I post--even if it was a couple of weeks prior.  And for me having a backlog just takes the pressure off.  If I know that I am going to have a busy day, I am not rushed to get photos done on top of everything else.  And I can have the freedom to wear what I want to wear without everything having to be "blogworthy" everyday.  Trust me, a backlog of photos is invaluable.

4.  Give yourself some flexibility

 Constantly feeling like YOU HAVE TO POST RIGHT NOW OR YOUR BLOG WILL FAIL AND YOUR VIEWS WILL DROP AND EVERYONE WILL FORGET YOU EXIST!!!!! is not necessary and quite sadistic in all honesty.  If you only post once a week--that is fine!  If you don't post for a couple of weeks, that is fine too.  I promise, your blog will survive.  Find out what works for you and your schedule and go with it efficiently and effectively.  I am not saying in this post that you need to post five days a week--that is just what I do and this is how I make it work.  

5.  Prioritize

 Sometimes posts need to be posted sooner than others.  Specifically I am talking about reviews.  When a company contacts me for a review, I give them a specific and realistic timeline for posting their products.  I have not run into trouble yet with taking too long to post a review.  But I do make sure that for those posts I take extra time for photos and I take extra time to write the review because you are doing a service for this company and they were nice enough to provide you with products and to reach out to you in the first place.  

6.  TAKE A BREAK!!!

 I have found that there is little more valuable than taking a break from the blog.  For real.  Sometimes it's a week, sometimes it's a month and sometimes I have seen blogs revived after a year or more!  And it is fine.  I don't blog when I am on vacation with my kids (although I do sometimes schedule posts just because I have so much backlog) and I don't generally post during the holidays.  Trust me, if you are not blogging because you genuinely want to, it will show.  When you return you will feel more inspired and thus have better content.  And no one will fault you for that.  

Skinny Distressed Jeans-Kohl's

Off the Shoulder Bell Sleeved Blouse-Forever 21

Leopard Print Slides-Target

Earrings-gifted