project simplify – a new blogging schedule
I read a blog post the other day written by a mother in a similar situation to me – a new baby, a pre-schooler, a blog to write for, dinner to cook, a home to keep in some semblance of order…to name just a few things on her plate.
She was feeling overwhelmed. I need more time, she wrote. Her solution was to set some goals and get more organised.
It took me about a second to spot it – the blogger didn’t need more time or to be more organised, she just needed to do less stuff. Simplify. Slow down.
It took me a lot longer (um, weeks) to see what was even more obvious – the blogger could have been describing my life; I need to slow down. Simplify.
Do less stuff.
I tried to ignore that thought. I don’t want to slow down. I’ve always taken on more things than I have time for. What on earth would I do in the evenings if I wasn’t blogging?
But like a fly hanging round the sausage plate, the thought just wouldn’t go away.
It gnawed at the edges of my mind until late one night I whispered to DH as I was going to sleep, “do you think I should quit blogging?”
I’m not going to quit blogging. But I will be writing less for a little while.
Rather than spending nearly every naptime and evening writing, or researching, or editing, or reading blog related stuff (or feeling like I should be doing blog related stuff if I’m not), I’m going to catch up with other things.
Or just do nothing.
While I love writing and love building this blog, I need a little more balance. I’m spread too thin, to the point that nothing is getting the attention it deserves (except the kids of course). What that means for the blog is that I’ll be writing one article a week on Wednesdays (more if I feel inspired, less if I don’t) and two recipes a month rather than one every week.
Just for a few months. Until I have more time or less ‘other things’ to do. Like crafting Christmas presents. Or making curtains (what was I thinking?). Or selling some of our clutter. Or tending to the garden. Or reading.
I’ve already started skipping days on my writing schedule. I think it does everyone – you, me and my family – a disservice posting just for the sake of sticking to a schedule. I want to give my best. Motivation and commitment are good habits to foster, but I think I’m doing ok at those (maybe not so much when it comes to exercise, though). I want to write quality articles that are useful, interesting and polished – for that I need less rush. Less busyness.
Less is more, I often remind myself.
Even as I wrote this article, the little lady woke up cranky after only 30 minutes (possibly due to the man clomping around on our roof. Or possibly due to a growth spurt as she was hungry. Again. Or both. Don’t ask me why I have a man clomping around on the roof. I don’t know why).
So all the things I meant to write in this post – things about time and savouring each moment – will have to wait for another day. Because why write about savouring moments when I can just go ahead and do it?
See you next week.
Have you read these posts?
- site news–revised posting schedule and a question
- revised posting schedule
- uncommitted. declutter your schedule and get a life
- site news–the absence edition
- finding time to craft part three–organising your projects–a project bag tutorial
SAVE MONEY AND TIME ON THE GROCERIES
Bless you Melissa, while I love reading your blog I have to say I don’t know how you manage all the things in your life. Your “little Charlie” is needing more of your time and energy right now. Enjoy your kids and the great life you have created for them. I for one will miss your regular blogs. I love the things that you write, some of your recipes have become some of our family fav’s. I will continue to look in on your blog and hope to see the occasional update on you and yours. Take care of you (as they say) and thanks for the many moments of pleasure you have given me and others with the insights into your life.
Well done! Glad you realized your needs before everything collapsed or worse, something or someone got left behind. This is just the beginning of your life, there will be many more things to contend with. Blogging is just a small part. Enjoy your Time.
Hi,
Well done on being brave enough to make that call. Life is the journey not the destination and part of that journey is pushing to the limit and then being brave enough to pull back a little and find a balance that works for you. Slowing down will give you time to reflect and review your motivation fo blogging in the first place. All the best
I also really enjoy your blog…I’ve never commented before but have been a ‘lurker’ for a little while! Great idea to step back and enjoy some more time with your children. You have a high quality, well researched and well written blog and I’ll certainly enjoy reading the archived posts….Thank you for the time and effort you have given this so far and I really look forward to hearing more from you in future when your kids are a little bigger. As the mother of a 2 year old and a 4 year old I can assure you it does get easier! Those baby years are full on though! All the best and really hope you get some time to yourself soon…
Wow what a big moment in your life for change! I agree with everything in your post and wish you all the best. I will continue to visit your site not just for the new posts but for old posts also which I find really interesting (esp things like cloth nappies, and imaginary play for kids, verbal story telling…we are expecting our first baby soon so this info is invaluable). If I visit your blog and there hasn’t been an update I’ll use that as an indicator of needing to make sure I’m savoring moments – so perhaps I’ll use the time I would have spent reading your latest post by going for a walk in the sunshine. If you’re feeling this way and haven’t checked out the concept of mindfulness I would encourage you to do some online research as mindfulness is kinda what you’re describing in your post.
I can really relate to this. It’s the very same reason I stopped blogging 2(!) years ago. I’m tentatively stepping back into the blog world but taking it very slowly so I don’t feel like I should be focussing on it every spare second. Good luck with your rebalancing
Good on your for making that decision. It is so easy to caught up in the “should do it better”, “should be more organised” mantras and you are right, often we do just need to do less.
Wishing the best and still looking forward to what you have to write.
Thank you Melissa for respecting us as “followers” enough to give quality over quantity. “I want to write quality articles that are useful, interesting and polished – for that I need less rush. Less busyness.”
You are a smart Woman/ Mother and a great Blogger. You have built a large reference of recipes, food for thought and so much more and I will continue to review and to recommend your Blog.
I would like to add that I have followed up on some of your sponsors because they are useful and relevant and the adverts are non obtrusive. Thank you
and all the best for your continuing success and “work” / “life” balance.
While I love your blog, I can understand that you’re super-busy and you should be spending time with your kids. Like some of the other commenters, I’m glad that you’re not quitting and will still be posting and I’ll look forward to hearing from you every week
Good call Melissa. A few years ago I quit every outside committment in my life for a year, and just concentrated on me and my family. It was great! The world didn’t fall over without me running everything! And since then I have been very mindful about what I get involved in. I think you have made a wise choice.
In my experience, toddler and baby is the most exhausting combination you can have in child rearing, it gets better from here on in!
Been there, done that. Blogging is so hard to maintain if you have to post more than 3-4 times a week. I’m glad you’re cutting down to once a week instead of disappearing completely. Good luck with the quality vs quantity.