How to blog when the chips are down.
One thing that really halts blog productivity is .. um … well … life. Most bloggers are trying to get something started while also holding down a day job and taking care of a family. There are so many things that crop up in the day it is hard to set aside time to focus on writing good content - which in my opinion - is the most important asset a blog can have.
What does a blogger do if life keeps throwing curveballs?
In this article we will examine four emergency scenarios from technical to family, and how to overcome them to remain a productive blogger.
It turned out it was a video card issue, and I managed to get myself limping along in VGA mode 1024×768 (8-bit color).
While I could not access my blog admin tools, or even do my regular day job, I still kept busy on a few forums that are related to some of my blogs. As new article ideas came up I went ahead and started several notepad files with article titles, and outlines of content for the articles. I also cut and pasted some related URLs I found while researching article topics.
Sometimes you may even have a TOTALLY dead computer. I was lucky that I was at least able to boot up and have access to some kind of data entry tool. In cases of complete laptop death, you may need to work on your mate’s computer, or the library computer, or (gasp!) a spiral notebook. Making sure your ideas are captured is the most important thing to maximize your productivity as soon as you are back online.
It was frustrating not having my blogging tools readily available. It occupied a lot of my headspace as I tried to work through the laptop issues and stay productive.
But this did not mean I could not keep the ideas flowing. Today I am in the process of moving my notepad content over to some new article drafts. I am still several days behind, but I did manage to capture some ideas for great content. (Like this article you are reading, for instance.)
Many of the solutions to #1 will apply here, but you also have an additional option: wireless hotspots.
The town I live in has their entire downtown area wireless. More and more small to mid-sized towns are making this a reality. It’s not just relegated to big cities anymore. On top of that, many coffee shops and cafes have wireless access.
Search online. Do some searches online for wireless hot spots or WIFI in your area as backups for connectivity.
Neighbors. Actually, my neighbor has an unencrypted network I also use for backup Internet access. (He has DSL and I have cable.) If this bothers you from an ethical standpoint then ignore this solution. But it works great in a pinch. Perhaps let him know that you might jump on from time to time if your provider service is interrupted.
I enjoy making the trek into town for some wireless at a coffee shop because it is a nice change of scenery from the home office and those sort of things inspire me. Could they do the same for you?
Darren at ProBlogger has posted some great information in his post “7 Things to Do with your Blog when you take a Vacation“. Ultimately he did not settle on one particular thing, but instead a combination. My strategy has been a combination of (a) guest bloggers, (b) advance posts, and (c) sparse blogging from the road. Read Darren’s article for more details.
However, there is nothing wrong with facing your blogs the same way we would face our day jobs, is there? In a case of family emergency, we notify our employer that we have an emergency. If we work for a company that gives us bereavement days or vacation days expressly for this purpose, we may run into the office and drop a form off with Human Resources. At the very least we email our bosses and tell them what the deal is.
Why not do the same with your blog? When you are able to steal away 20 minutes from a family emergency, leave a post on your blog stating the situation and that you will return when you feel you are ready.
This will do a couple of things:
Keep your readers. Even in the most dire family situations, life will continue on long after the crisis is over. If you don’t even take the time for a 1 paragraph post for why you aren’t blogging, you could lose readers who simply assume you lost interest in the blog - like so many other bloggers. Most readers will stick with you via web or RSS if they can empathize with your situation.
One less stress on your mind. You may be facing some severe family emergency and the last thing you want to worry about is your blog. Yet often in times of stress, people begin obsessing about what other responsibilities they have as well.
Gives you a little breather while you tend to your blog. This could be considered the opposite strategy from the last point - it all depends on your personality. In times of stress or emergency you may need a little time away to post a message on a blog or two updating your readers. Sometimes it is good to take your mind off the crisis at hand, get some posts out, and come back to the family crisis fresh.
Granted, most of the solutions for each of these Emergency Scenarios are painfully obvious. But you will be surprised how many bloggers are adversely affected productivity-wise.
Other than family emergencies (which always take precedence), be determined that nothing will sway you from keeping updated. Look at each hurdle as an excuse to step up and keep consistent. Don’t look at these challenges as a sparse occurence. Acknowledge that roadblocks will happen, and determine in advance what you will do should these roadblocks try and rear their ugly heads.
Happy blogging!
Thanks to http://www.thisblogthing.com/index.php/blog-emergency-how-to-blog-when-the-chips-are-down_22/ for this how-to.