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Blogging Balance, Where Art Thou?

August 9, 2012

By:

Erin Schrader

Blogging Balance.

The most sought after yet seemingly unattainable word{s} in the English language.
Does it actually exist?
This is the question we are going to ponder today.
  
I’m just going to be real for a minute. 
This week I have loathed computers.
I see one and I want to run, jump, skip, and hightail it the heck outta it’s sight quicker than Usain Bolt can finish the 100 meter dash. Yet despite my “I want to punch you in the screen” attitude, I find myself in front of a computer pretty much constantly. The desktop computer, the laptop, my iPhone, the iPad…if it’s connected to the Internet, I am connected to it. Pretty much 18/7. The other six hours I am eating. And sleeping. But mostly eating.

 
I hate that I have started to dread doing something that I genuinely love doing.
It’s true–I love blogging. It is a passion. A creative outlet. A business. A place to connect. 
It’s my happy place. 
But…
It is time consuming. Never ending. Always there. No matter what. 
 
 
Ever since I began blogging, there has not been a day that goes by where I have a mental list a mile long of what needs to be accomplished: emails to answer, posts to write, pictures to take, guest posts to schedule, sponsor buttons to be uploaded, product reviews to be written, giveaway winners to be announced, thank you cards to mail, tweets to tweet, pins to pin, and the list goes on. and on. and on.

 

And while I love this whole blogging gig, I don’t love what I have given up for it.
Quiet time with the Lord. Quiet time with my husband. Quiet time with me.
 
I can’t remember the last time I have sat down for 30 minutes and just prayed.
Alone time with my husband? You better believe there is an iPhone or iPad within reach at all times.
Heck–even what used to be my “me” time in the bath has turned into a time to catch up on Twitter and Instagram. Something is not right with this picture.
 
Blogging is a part of my life. It is not my entire life. 
And it’s time I start treating it that way….
 
Emails don’t have to be answered immediately.
A day can go by without a new blog post.
Social media doesn’t have to be checked every three seconds.
 
I honestly believe that the biggest hurt you can cause your blog is to invest too much time into it.
Your life is what makes your blog come alive.
Go live it.
 
As for me and my blogs plans?
 
I want this blog to grow. I dream big dreams for her. I want to take blogging outside of blogging walls. I want to make thousands more people laugh. I want to help out as many new bloggers as possible.
Ultimately I would love to see this blog become my primary source of income. 
But more than this…
 
I want a rich relationship with my Savior.
I want a husband who knows that I am connected to him, not the newest notification on my phone. 
I want to know that it’s okay to sit outside alone on a sunny afternoon and not drown myself in guilt for not scratching off one of the items on that mile long list.
 
I know I will never find “the perfect balance” however I do believe there are things that I can start implementing to get at least half way there:
–Wake up an hour earlier than normal. Use this time to answer emails, schedule guest posts, etc.
–Limit my evening “office time” to somewhere between an hour to an hour and a half. Tops.
–Limit weekend posts
–Become mindful of cellphone usage..especially in the evening.
–Spend 30 minutes alone per day. Exercising, relaxing, reading, anything. 
 
This blog will only ever be as good as I am mentally, physically, and spiritually.
I’m ready for the next level.
One early morning and two mile run at a time. 

 
What about you?
How do you find balance in this blogging world?
I’d love to hear it.
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