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Wednesday, April 30, 2014

one little word wednesday

When I decided to take up blogging again, I knew I wanted to make a real effort to keep up. Daily posts seemed way too lofty a goal, so I decided to post on the days I have the most freedom: Monday, Wednesday and Friday. That seemed like a decent place to start, but I still needed to get a plan in place for how to make it happen. After reading this post I thought about my own three tips for  helping me stay on top of blogging.

1. Evernote
I have used Evernote for work and enjoy the ability to access the information anywhere. When i first started prepping my return to blogging I knew I needed to work ahead a little. I started by making a notebook called "blog posts" where I would keep anything related to the blog. Then i created a note called "blog posts idea." I mean, not rocket science. I took 5 minutes to list any possible idea for a post then narrowed in on possible recurring post topics: fiber, one little word and lists. I created a note for each and started writing. It felt so good to be able to write and save the text without having to hit publish right away. I entered right into the note any photo ideas or links. Photos and links tend to be the pieces that slow me down and deter me from blogging so i started by focusing on the writing and found time later in the week to make photo and link updates.

2. iCal
To help me stay on top of updates and to ensure I make time for blogging, I decided to use my digital calendar program.  It is a simple tool that I already know how to use (key!). I created a special calendar for blog posts only and I mapped out 3 weeks work of posts based on my Evernote list of ideas. Through this program I set reminders to alert me on my phone and computer to update posts, photos or links. I set recurring events for posts like Fiber Friday and One Little Word. It felt a little over the top when I first sat down and started entering information, but it is really saving me a lot of time. Once a week I sit down to make a general plan for future posts then during the week I have little assignments where I fill in the blanks and connect the dots. Such a great choice that is working well for me.



3. Blogger Feature: Schedule
This is the last feature that is really helping me stick to my goal. Since I try to work ahead, I am able to complete posts when I have time which is not always when I want them published.  This is how I stick to my M, W, F schedule.  I've recently added Sundays as a blog day, but I think of Sunday as a bonus weekend post. Once the post is completely ready (photos, links, labels, etc.) I select the date and time I want it to publish. It is so fun to wake up in the morning and have a new blog post from myself!



When I choose to blog I am also choosing to create and do the things I love. I'm looking forward to seeing how this model of organization works for me. Will it be my forever method? Probably not, but it's the right choice for now and that works for me!

1 comment:

Juliann in WA said...

Good tips - I still have learning to really use Evernote on my to-do list