Questions All Blogger Need To Ask Part 4 The Bottom Line
The Bottom Line and Emotional Toll of a Bloggers’s Life
A few weeks ago I presented a checklist of 10 questions titled Questions All Bloggers Need To Ask. The next week we learned how to Define our Niche. Last week we tested the waters and Set Sail using our answers to define the direction and cost our blog should take as we start out. If you would like a quick review of what we worked on to date please follow the links above and read parts 1, 2, and 3 again. The rest of us will wait with our checklists, pencils and note paper while you catch up.
For this last part of the series I want to talk about a subject not really talked about at all. This topic is bloggers experiences. I am referring to the toll blogging takes on you, your family, your job, and your life. Just like any endeavor you take on, blogging affects your direction of life as well as the lives of everyone around you. Read that again. Blogging affects your direction of life as well as the lives of everyone around you. There are consequences you must deal with that affects your relationships. How you allow these to play out and how in tune you are to them will decide how you grow as a blogger and person. These last questions will show you how many circumstances that will pop up you never actually considered when you decided to start blogging. Things you weren’t prepared for before you started your journey. Things that are changing your daily life.
How you deal with these issues will strengthen and grow your personality as well as your blog. Being aware of the changes will help to keep you from experiencing second guessing yourself, burnout and failure. You aren’t going to find a definitive answer written anywhere to guide you in your direction. However you will understand what changes are taking place and you will be able to react in whatever way is best for YOU.
The remaining questions are:
3. How much do you know about the Internet? Your subject(s)? How much are you willing to learn? Are there any areas you DON’T want to be a part of?
Blogging affects your direction of life as well as the lives of everyone around you. This is a key question. In addition to finding content and publishing it there are things you have to become familiar with. Research, finding articles by others and finding out the unique way you wish to present your own response to these ideas isn’t something you just sit down and discuss. Deciding how your valuable idea and response is different than others and how it provides and answers a need of your readers can take time to develop. It is key to developing a trust and bond with your readers.
4. Are you willing to spend the time it takes to achieve your daily/weekly/monthly/ goals? Can you put your Blog away to take time for yourself, your family, and the unexpected?
The time you set aside for your blog has to come from areas of your day that are now spent on other activities. By choosing this time you must be conscious of where it will come from and what if anything will suffer or thrive by this change.
7. Impact on you and your family. What choices will you make in completing your goals. What are the positive effects and adverse effects? Are you prepared to compromise?
Your work days and time spent on your blog will be different at times and that is ok. The key is BALANCE. Make sure you set your priorities every day for that day. Your career, family, faith, and health are very important and each needs to be considered. Be aware that making changes are good responses. Your readers are people just like you. They will understand if you don’t post everyday. They may not be reading blogs every day. They will be following you because they identify with you! Writing more may actually hurt you if you flood your readers with info. And your posts can get buried as your readers try to navigate your blog.
8. What part of your goals need to be met for you to feel successful?
This final question is meant to let you know and understand when you need to step back and take stock. Allow yourself to feel positive when you have accomplished a goal no matter how small. Your biggest critic will be yourself. Allow your successes to make you feel good about the time and energy you spend. It is the little things, that when added together, create the bigger successes you achieve. Allow yourself to see the steps you have taken are moving you forward. If they aren’t, you need to reevaluate your goals.
My goal in this series is to get bloggers to realize that the trials and tribulations you face are not a burden, nor are they unique to just you. Know yourself, define your needs and never be afraid to stumble, to change, and to grow!
Happy Blogging! Thank you for being a part of this series! As always I recognize how hard you work on your content! Let me help you share it. Please sign up for my weekly newsletter to be notified about future Blogger Opportunities.
You can find Part 1-4 at the links below.
Part 1 of the 4 Part Series. Questions All Bloggers Need To Ask
Part 2 of the 4 Part Series. Your Niche
Amethyst | OneSageMama
September 28, 2017 at 8:51 PMI love that you touched on the commitment bloggers make and. How that affects their loved ones. I always try to balance my online life and my real life. Sometimes I’m more successful than others. Aren’t we all? Xx #fridayfrivolity
Marilyn
September 28, 2017 at 9:16 PMYes Amethyst. I am in a burnout right now and reviving this series has really made me update my goals. My domain comes due in December and hosting January, so finding balance is crucial right now. It will be interesting how it turns out. Thanks for sharing your comments. Have a great week.
Erlene
September 24, 2017 at 6:15 PMBlogging definitely takes a toll on the family. I actually cut back quite a bit on blogging to find more balance since my kids are still in school and at home.
Marilyn
September 24, 2017 at 6:19 PMI am happy for you Erlene!! You can’t bring back any missed chances to make those bonds with the kids. I bet your blog hasn’t suffered at all either! I am always amazed when posts from 2-3 years ago become popular again without me posting them. Enjoy your week!
Sandra L Garth
September 23, 2017 at 4:04 PMI, like others, are striving for balance. There are times when I spend way too much time online, from Pinterest, FB and just researching ideas. Thankfully, I’m retired and have lots of free time. I’ve read that you should treat your blog like a job in regards to setting hours and that’s a good idea. Thank you for sharing these suggestions.
Marilyn
September 23, 2017 at 5:15 PMI am retired too, Sandra. When I am relaxing with the TV on or listening as my husband watches the game I also multi-task. I have had to totally only visit social media once a day. I can open FB or Pinterest and don’t realize 4 hours has slipped away! I now set a timer, and when it goes off I am done blogging for the day. Thx for your comments. Have a great weekend!
At Rivercrest Cottage
September 23, 2017 at 1:09 PMMarilyn, I loved a lot of the ideas you covered on blogging. Your blog is a great example of finding your niche. I’m wondering if you might someday cover not letting ads take over one’s blog? I think if people used someone else to see how their blog’s ads operate, they might reconsider allowing so many ads to interfere with their content. I’ve actually had to discontinue going to some very good blogs because the ads overwhelm the content. Thanks for all you do to enrich people’s enjoyment of blogs.
Marilyn
September 23, 2017 at 5:11 PMI would so love to write about the do’s and don’ts of ads. I mainly use an iPad and my screen is like 10″. Social shares on the side, ads, videos, popups, having BOTH ads and shares on the bottom cover about 90% of my screen. I can’t close them because as I scroll they come back. And many don’t realize they cover the entire left half of the comment form. Also, if a popup hits while you are trying to pin it won’t let you pin! You just hit my biggest pet peeve!! LOL. I would love to do a video of those blogs and post it to the owners. I agree, I don’t come back unless I need to. Then I pin and run. Sad. Have a great week!
Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond
September 22, 2017 at 10:33 PMSome great advice here Marilyn and the hardest part for me is trying to find a balance with blogging and a life. Thanks for sharing your series with us at #BloggersPitStop and have a great weekend.
Marilyn
September 23, 2017 at 10:31 AMBalance is the key. You are so right Sue. Balance is important in every part of your life. Defining my expectations help me keep my balance. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Enjoy your weekend!
Nancy Andres
September 22, 2017 at 3:02 PMWhat a great post that I pinned. Visiting you at Bloggers Spotlight Link Party #82, where I posted “Favorite Fall Fruit and Vegetables.” My blogs give me much pleasure and I limit posting to twice a month when I’m able. That keeps writing (blogging) and daily living somewhat in balance. The self-care activities and physical and spiritual practices I do help me the rest of the way. Be well and thanks again.
Marilyn
September 22, 2017 at 4:56 PMEliminating stress and keeping balance in your life are so important. We seem to forget that in this busy world. Blessings Nancy and thanks for the pin!
Mary
September 7, 2017 at 9:56 AMMarilyn this one has to be the hardest. Especially now with all those facebook groups sucking you in there is no time for a life. I have started putting the breaks on a lot of that facebook activity because it is really wearing me out.
Marilyn
September 7, 2017 at 2:56 PMI have mostly stopped all groups on Facebook. First, the view rate isn’t worth the time. I spend only so much time a day on self promotion. I post to all my social medias once and then again when I answer comments. That spreads it out and remains consisitent. Then I add the weeks links to parties. I attend a lot of parties. I actually get more coverage by promoting others. And parties is how I do it. I find my followers are much more loyal and consistent. Also, FB suckers me in with the dang leading titles on articles. Glad someone else thinks so too! Have a good day.
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
September 21, 2017 at 12:19 PMHi Marilyn, this is a great series of posts. Facebook groups? I’m not even ON Facebook. Or Instagram or … Whew! I’ve seen food bloggers who post several times a week, are on every social media in existence, have kids and full-time jobs! How do they do it, I want to know! I post just once a week, do a little Twitter, a little Pinterest – that’s about all I can handle. I do participate in a few link parties every week and always visit and comment on some of the links. As you said, the key is balance – and that’s going to be something different for each of us.
Marilyn
September 21, 2017 at 8:46 PMIt sure is Jean. You have a handle on your blogging and that is what is important. Many people that “juggle it all” don’t seem to realize what they are giving up. I know many that put everything on autopilot. To me, that is defeating the entire purpose of blogging. Many also have virtual assistants to do the mundane tasks. I can’t justify that for my purposes of blogging. I cut way back on social media and just share using my soical buttons. My main schedule now is republishing old recipes and doing parties. Sharing and visiting bloggers is what motivates me. As you noted, though, everyone is different. Thx for sharing your thoughts.
sue
October 30, 2015 at 12:47 AMI love your knowledge and how you are so generous with helping others with blogging. Love the whole series.
Marilyn
October 30, 2015 at 12:38 PMThanks Sue. I really enjoyed doing this series. Have a great weekend.
Betty
October 28, 2015 at 1:13 AMThank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop
Marilyn
October 28, 2015 at 10:22 AMYou are welcome Betty! I am always happy to join.
Debbie W.
October 27, 2015 at 9:12 PMLove your ideas and I really love that little table. Looking for one that size. Is yours and old one?
Marilyn
October 27, 2015 at 10:05 PMThanks Debbie. I wish that was mine. Unfortunately it is a srock photo. If you fibd it let meknow! Have a great week.
Jennifer | The Deliberate Mom
October 27, 2015 at 5:53 PMWow Marilyn, these are such critical and reflective questions every blogger should be asking themselves.
Impact on family… YES!! I had no idea how blog life would impact family life and it’s a constant challenge for me to reign things in and remember that for me, blogging isn’t a job and I’m here for them. For me, they must ALWAYS come first.
Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop).
Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo
Marilyn
October 27, 2015 at 8:37 PMThanks for the input Jennifer. It was rhat exact WOW moment for me that got me to write that post. Many times my grown son who lives with me would make comments about how I am living life on my iPad. I ignored it since he is full grown and has a life of his own. It wasn’t until my 6 year old granddaughter crawled on my lap and took my iPad and asked, “grandma, don’t you want to play with me while I m still young?” That I realized just how much I was letting go. Out of the mouths of babes!
Quinn Caudill
October 27, 2015 at 1:53 PMGreat series Marilyn. It does tend to be a 14 hour a day job especially when you are trying to make a business out of it. I need to work on my schedule so I am not trying to work on a 100 things at once. Trying to continually learn, get better at photography and writing, create recipes and share with social media always seems like there is something that needs to be done. Thanks for sharing with us again at #Throwback Thursday.
Marilyn
October 27, 2015 at 3:00 PMThank you Quinn. I know you will hit your groove soon. Just don’t take two years like I did!
Jane @SustainMyCraftHabit
October 26, 2015 at 10:56 PMThank you for giving me something to think about. I don’t think we realized when we started how consuming blogging would be and it’s true, it’s had an effect on our family. So far though I think it’s been net-positive.
Stopping by from the Throwback Thursday Link Party.
Marilyn
October 26, 2015 at 11:22 PMThank you Jane. I am happy to see you recgnized the things that change and are making them into positives. That is so impirtant to do to give you that selfsatisfaction and continue in a positive direction! Thanks for commenting nd have a great day.
Mary Gilbert
October 26, 2015 at 5:37 PMShare….Thank you for sharing with us at #JoyHopeLive!
Marilyn
October 26, 2015 at 8:37 PMThank you so much Mary. It is appreciated! Enjoy your day.
Jessica Powell
October 26, 2015 at 7:56 AMI’ve really enjoyed this series – blogging is so addictive so it’s always great to read about what worked (and what didn’t!) for people who have been there and done it. 🙂 #anythinggoes
Marilyn
October 26, 2015 at 8:36 PMThank you Jessica for the kind words and continuing through to the end of the series! I appreciate your comment. Have a great week.
Sarah
October 25, 2015 at 7:38 PMI definitely didn’t realize the impact blogging would have on my life. Half of our family functions come about because I’m researching something or another for my blog. Fortunately, we’ve made some good memories doing it. I really enjoyed this post. Glad I found it through #theleisurelink
Marilyn
October 25, 2015 at 8:32 PMThank you Sarah. I am glad you enjoyed it and you seem to have a good handle on what works for you! Be true to yourself. Have a great week.
Brenda
October 25, 2015 at 7:20 PMI’m just getting started with blogging and there is so much I need to learn. I appreciate your perspective as I have to figure all this out!
Marilyn
October 25, 2015 at 8:30 PMThank you Brenda for commenting
, i hope you spend less time spinning your wheels because of my post. Just one thing to remember: As a blogger, there is always something new to learn. The trick is, deciding if what that is matters to why YOU blg. Happy blogging and have a great week.
Shellie Bowdoin
October 24, 2015 at 9:04 AMGood stuff, Marilyn and it’s all oh so true. These questions are things I have been working through in the last few months. Blogging can take over your whole life if you’re not careful. Thanks for linking to #OMHGWW !!
Shellie
http://www.thefabjourney.com
Marilyn
October 24, 2015 at 5:12 PMYou are ahead of the game Shellie! As long as you take stock once in a while nd are true to yourself you will do great with any decision you make. Thanks for also filling out a form for the directory. I really am excited about other bloggers voices in one spot to guide new and ols bloggers alike!
Terri Webster Schrandt
October 23, 2015 at 11:09 PMMarilyn, you are wise beyond words! You saw by my post when you linked my dilemma in keeping the leisure link open. Thank you for linking and your faithful participation! Also, I would like to add my two cents to your request. When do you need (other than ASAP)? 🙂
Marilyn
October 23, 2015 at 11:40 PMTerri, thank you. I only have three replies and wuld like at least ten. I have a few more days to share this so anytime over the next few weeks is good. I am looking forward to it!
Random Musings
October 23, 2015 at 8:24 PMFantastic post, and some great advice about areas bloggers need to think about. I went into blogging totally blind, with no idea it would be so time consuming or addictive. Luckily, I have managed to fit it (mostly in place of Netflix and often sleep lol), but I imagine it would be a lot harder for parents in particular.
Thanks for linking up to #AnythingGoes
Debbie
Marilyn
October 23, 2015 at 8:47 PMThanks Debbie for your comments. They are all valid answers and there is n wrong answer when you are true to yourself. Have a great week!
Debbie
October 22, 2015 at 2:20 AMGreat tips, Marilyn!
I’ve been doing a stretch because of some studies, but you are so right: there must be balance. Otherwise, one waste time and energy, and generally, get no results.
Thank you so much for your contributions to #tiptuesday.
Marilyn
October 22, 2015 at 1:18 PMThanks Debbie. I am in the process of making better balance in my own life.
Emily Rose
October 21, 2015 at 1:53 PMGreat bottom line! I loved your questions and this post in general. Makes me think harder about what I am trying to accomplish with my blog. I am still defining my niche and working on building an audience. Thanks a bunch for sharing this helpful post!
Marilyn
October 21, 2015 at 7:53 PMThank you so much Emily Rose. I appreciate you leaving such a nice comment. I hope you come back and visit again soon! Have a great week.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
October 21, 2015 at 9:17 AMI often ponder what I get out of blogging and I think it’s the joy of writing and the friendships I’ve made. Good series.
Marilyn
October 21, 2015 at 10:20 AMMaureen those are great things to have as rewards of bloggng. You do a great job and if you ever are overwhelmed you don’t let that show. Keep up the great work. I love to visit your blog.
Horace Williams Jr
October 20, 2015 at 11:44 PMHello Marilyn,
Thank you for this wonderful checklist! I love all 10 questions. I am going to get a copy of this to my mother who is considering starting a blog herself. I want to encourage her while making her aware of all that goes into producing a blog. Thabks again for sharing this great information!
Marilyn
October 21, 2015 at 10:17 AMGood to meet you Horace and welcome to Marilyn’s Treats. I am honored you found my checklist worthy to share with your mom. I hope she does start a blog. Blogging makes my retirement fruitful and I love the people I meet. I signed up for your email. I love how easy your blog flows, the colors, and the topics you write about. I would like to invite you to join #AnythingGoes to share some of those great ideas. You fit right in with my readers and offer a unique perspective. It runs Sunday evening thru Thursday evening every week.
Renard Moreau
October 20, 2015 at 9:29 PM[ Smiles ] Yes, it is all about balance.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom!
Marilyn
October 20, 2015 at 9:42 PMThank you Renard. It is a word we need to use in our lives more often!
sue
October 20, 2015 at 9:26 PMA great series Marilyn with invaluable information. I think this is the hardest of all – not letting blogging take over your life! Some really great tips here and I look forward to your printable. Thanks for sharing at #WednesdaysWisdom.
Marilyn
October 20, 2015 at 9:41 PMThank you Sue. It is important to take stock and keep on top of your priorites, isn’t it?
Emily
October 20, 2015 at 8:17 PMThanks for sharing your insight and experience. I had no idea how much time blogging would take when I first started. Since my son is young, I usually only work on my blog while he is sleeping which isn’t a whole lot. You are right, it certainly affects those around us as well.
Marilyn
October 20, 2015 at 9:40 PMThanks Emily for sharing your situation. It sounds like you have a handle on it and that is wonderful! You are doing great.
Valerie
October 20, 2015 at 6:42 PMHello! I have been blogging for 4 months and I’m at it like a full-time job. I need to work on letting some blog stuff go in order to balance my family life with 4 kiddos! Thank you for the needed reminder today (as I read blogs lol).
Marilyn
October 20, 2015 at 6:59 PMYou are welcome Valerie. It is o easy to fall into the trap of wanting a COMPLETE blog right away. In my first 18 months of blogging I put up 700 recipes. I realized that most people only read blogs other than favorites a few hours a week. I had put out most of my recipes and now those are so hidden inside my blg most can’t be found. Once you realize that, slowing down is easier! Good luck. And of course, read my blog everyday! jK!
Jess
October 20, 2015 at 3:33 PMYou always write the best posts for new bloggers! 🙂
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Marilyn
October 20, 2015 at 6:56 PMThanks Jess. I read all your tutorials when I was starting out!
Julie
October 20, 2015 at 8:52 AMThanks so much Marilyn for sharing this blog info with us at Cooking and Crafting with J & J.
We can’t wait to see what you will share with us next week!
Marilyn
October 20, 2015 at 8:55 AMThanks Julie. I love your party!
Jo-Anne
October 19, 2015 at 11:35 PMHi just dropped by to check things out and say Hi can’t stop have to go and wake up as sick little boy asleep on the bathroom floor and go and get another little boy from school, but I was here and I will drop by again
Marilyn
October 20, 2015 at 8:47 AMThanks Jo-Anne for taking a minute out if your busy day to visit. Hope the kids are better today. I look forward to seeing you soon.