For those who don’t know, I actually have a full time, 9-5 job outside of blogging! My blog actually started as a bit of a passion project while I was in university- I actually share more about this blog’s origin here.
My website was originally going to be a portfolio for a potential acting career. But once I started blogging and it gained more traction, I never looked back! Right now, I also do TV segments in addition to my job but my blog is a place where I get to connect with you guys and share my life + adventures.
Anyone who takes blogging as a business endeavour or have a side hustle, would know that starting any business, it requires a lot of time, work, dedication and it isn’t easy. That said, with hard work, positive support and really a love for what you do- it’s definitely worth it.
In the past 6 years of blogging, I’ve blogged full time, and 2.5 years ago, I decided to go back to a 9-5 job (mainly because of financial stability). Over the years, ups and down, I find that balance and effort is KEY to creating a successful blog. I’m going to share with you how I do it all (or try to)!
Here are some ways I balance blogging with my 9 to 5 day job:
Prioritize Your Daily/Weekly Tasks Strategically
When I made the choice to transition from blogging full time to going back to a 9 to 5, I had to come up with a plan of attack! I knew that this would have to be something I work on outside of work hours and there would be days where I’d feel discouraged or just plain tired.
I’m not going to sugar coat things. It is HARD to balance out two jobs, while feeling healthy mentally and emotionally. I wrote a post all about mental health at work and if anything, I’ve learned how to decide what was most important.
I prioritize tasks essential to my blog first and I usually like to get the hardest task out of the way. Funny enough, the hardest task is always the one I procrastinate on. You almost have to! There’s limited time in a day and a limited bar of energy and so, when I work on my blog and campaigns, I plan it based on importance and deadlines.
I like to use a good ol’ traditional notebook to make a checklist of tasks for the week. In addition, I also use Asana to stay on track. Recently, I made a HUGE switch of my blog domain registrar and hosting – but more on that in a later post!
Create a Content Calendar + Plan Ahead
I love planning ahead- I’m very Type A haha.
I was a huge content planner before going back to a 9 to 5, but even more so after going back to a full time job.
Planning ahead gives me the peace of mind and helps to keep ALL my crazy ideas flowing throughout the month.
You know how some days you feel so damn inspired and the ideas keep flowing?
And then there are days where just nothing works out in my brain. There were months where I tried to go with the flow but I noticed that when I’m not planning, time just flies by. Before I knew it, I only released 2 blog posts that month that weren’t even something I could be proud of. Whoops! I also noticed that I would forget ideas for important events like Valentine’s Day.
A content calendar keeps me in line and it’s a nice layout to make sure the content I’m putting out is relevant. I use an Excel sheet but some people use planners- so whatever floats your boat.
It also helps me keep track of weeks when I know I’ll be busier with work. I can plan around weeks where I can dedicate more time to the blog to create content ahead to have in my content bank for busier weeks.
I share a bunch of items that help me stay organized and happy in my previous post!
The Big One : Quality over Quantity
You DON’T have to constantly be working and creating content to be productive.
That’s just not true and I’ve been there- trust me! I was one of those who felt inadequate if I didn’t appear to be doing enough, or to be running as many contests, or going on as many trips. Comparison is a nightmare. I find that as many times as I remind myself never to compare, there will always be times where I do. And, that’s human guys! Though it’s more important to change your mindset and to be proud of your own achievements and only compare yourself to your past self and be better!
It’s so much better to produce quality content than just posting for the sake of posting. I used to think I would need to be posting once every week and that really burned me out. I didn’t even enjoy what I was writing.
Ironically, when I don’t put as much pressure on myself, I end up feeling way more inspire.
Which leads to my next tip…
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Ask for Support When You Need It + Take Breaks
I can’t and don’t do it alone.
I have so much support from my blogging community and different people in my life- my family, friends, blogger gals, Elbert! When I went back to a 9 to 5, I just KNEW I couldn’t do it on my own. At least, not sustainably. So I hired an amazing assistant who works 20 hours a week. I strongly suggest you pay your assistant because what you value is heart, time and dedication!
Delegating tasks to someone else can take tasks off your plate and give you time to rest and focus on the important things. My dad’s favourite advice to me is to aim to run a business, and not work in it. By having a great assistant, I’m able to think bigger picture, while still keeping everything in motion.
If you don’t have a lot of budget to hire someone, you can always reach out to other local creators! I’ve made friends with other bloggers and we do days of shooting together by offering to take each other’s photos. It’s an option if you don’t have a hiring budget, and can give you a community to reach out to. Reach out to other bloggers and content creators. Create content together and offer each other support.
“There’s a beautiful saying that; if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together!
Balancing a blog and full time job isn’t easy but if you are passionate, it’s worth all the stress. This is the same thing I hear from almost all my blogger friends. You need to LOVE what you do. Let me know if you have any specific questions about starting your own blog. I’ll be sharing more about my best blog practices and how to start a blog in the near future!
Also, don’t forget about your physical health! Physical health helps maintain a healthy mind, and vice versa!
I always need to remind myself about this! It got to a point where my sitting posture was so bad, I had to go to the chiropractor. She said that my core strength was so bad- hence why I’ve dedicated time for my physical health! I This includes 30 minutes to workout at least 2 times a week. I share more about how to workout on a busy schedule here!
Evenings and Weekends are Precious Time
I have never appreciated weekends and evenings as much as I have after I started my 9 to 5 again. I live, LIVE for the weekends.
My evenings are usually spent to connect with friends and family, and to attend blogging events- which are super fun! Not to say that I haven’t skipped events because I’m tired, but for the most part, they’re fun!
I work out and recharge at night but I usually spend the evenings working on items that require less brain energy. Tasks like editing photos, or cross checking blog posts, or simpler items. I only have about 1.5 hours that I can slot in before feeling very agitated and sleepy.
On the flipside, I dedicate weekends to shoots and filming! You can definitely find me out and about the city taking photos because HONESTLY, I ain’t got no other time to do it. Though, Summer is my favourite because the sun only goes down at 8 pm and I usually can slip in a short shoot then! Find my photos on IG if you don’t follow me already!
I hope these tips help you out with managing your life, job and hustle. Tweet me @otisamantha if you have tips of your own!
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Until next time,
xoxo Sam
