How to Blog Consistently with a Full-Time Job

I think all of the questions I get asked the most are to do with time management when it comes to blogging, so I thought I'd do an update on the topic. Obviously this is related to my situation but it can equally apply to juggling blogging with kids, a demanding university course or whatever else you have going on!

Bulk photography

It's pretty much impossible to take photos 'as and when' if you work full time (other than the odd Instagram snap whilst out and about at the weekend), plus it's a lot of work even just to set up everything, have all of your props and products at the ready etc. So just do yourself a favour and take as my images in advance for the ideas you have planned for the coming month in one go. I usually then sit and edit them when I have a Saturday night in (often whilst watching a bit of Take Me Out with a glass of wine!)

Plan and schedule

This kind of goes without saying but scheduling is your friend; not only does it mean your posts go up at the same time on the same days of the week, but it allows you to write content weeks in advance. I always set aside a morning every other weekend (as far as is possible) to do my photography in bulk. I build in these sessions around my personal life plans, so if I know I'll be away seeing friends or family for three weekends in a row, then I'll ensure that the weekend before, I take all of the photos to cover that period. I use the calendar on my laptop to track my blog schedule. It gives me sight of what I have coming up and what I need to do. In terms of having photography and most of the writing done, I always try to be 10 days ahead of myself, and I typically have 4 weeks ahead of posts in my calendar at any one time. 

Make use of every minute

Whether it's editing some photos on your daily commute, writing the text for posts whilst offline on a long train or replying to comments at lunchtime; there's always a way to find something productive to do. I honestly never used to wear a watch every day, however I'm currently in love with the new Daniel Wellington Classic Petite Bondi in Rose Gold* | $169 (15% off with JASMINETALKSBEAUTY15). It's so pretty and simple, so goes with all of my work outfits. I think the white strap is beautiful for summer and, despite some concerns that colour would transfer onto it, it's still looking like new! I always feel more on top of things when I'm being conscious of how much time I've got to spare. 

Find the tools that work for you

Some people find it more motivating to put pen to paper and there are so many creative ways to generate ideas, track your progress and create to-do lists. Others find apps and cloud-based calendars that can be accessed anytime, anywhere to be indispensable. Find out what system works for your personal needs and actively use it to keep track of everything, otherwise you'll just end up seriously confused and overstretched! People underestimate the amount of work that goes into blogging, not to mention all of the variables and different factors we have to consider as bloggers, but there's so much to take in! If you try to manage everything in your head (on top of all of your work-related stresses), you might end up burning out.

Always have a backup plan

Ok, so you can't plan for every possible contingency, but you can try! I always have a few spare stock images in case something goes wrong and I can't get my planned blog post together in time. These are perfect for more general and lifestyle themed posts when specific products don't need to be in-shot and you can just write whatever you want spontaneously.

How do you fit blogging in around your schedule?

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Disclosure - products marked * were sent to me for consideration however all opinions remain my own. 

Read more posts from this series here!

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