I’m sure it’s clear by now, that I love blogging. I think it’s awesome, and it has been good for me and my family, in more ways that I can count. But sometimes, it can have a negative affect on real life as well, sometimes blogging can hurt your real life. There is such a careful balance to blogging, and it’s different for each family and writer.
I’m not going to tell you to quit blogging, or that you need to do everything the same way I do, because I don’t know your life, your children or your needs.
What I will share, is the lessons I’ve learned along the way, and the ones I’m still learning.
Sometimes blogging cant hurt. Sometimes it’s not worth it. When those seasons come, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should quit blogging (though sometimes it does). I’ve found that more often than not, it means that you need to adjust something. Change the way you view it, put more boundaries in place so that you can continue doing what you love, without it having a negative affect on your family.
Today I decided to share a few signs that your blog is starting to hurt your real life. These are ques I look for in myself and in my family, to help me stay on track, to keep blogging a positive part of our lives, not a negative.
Signs You Need To Adjust Your Blogging Boundaries:
- You find yourself saying “just a minute” to your kids multiple times a day, because you are working on the computer.
- You are stressed
- You are depressed/discouraged about your blog’s numbers or views.
- Your kids have to ask for you to look at their faces or look them in the eye.
- You haven’t spent any quality time with your husband in awhile because you “have to” participate in link parties at night, or write.
- You are not keeping up with household chores.
I’ve found that when I start looking at my blog as a “have to”, my priorities quickly get out of whack. Yes, my blog is a business, and there are certain things that I have to do to make it a successful one, but those things don’t take very much of my time. There are many extra things that I do that are not essential to the success or failure of my blog. These things can slip through the cracks when I need to spend more time with family.
I don’t remember ever taking a break from blogging, I just readjust my priorities and keep going. I love to write, it helps me process life and it’s how I relax. Writing is an important part of my life and I can’t just stop it cold turkey, but I will do everything I can to make sure it doesn’t take over my life, and is not having a negative impact on my family.
What signs do you look for to know when your priorities are out of whack? How do you fix it when you realize this problem?
Hi Paula, I was so excited to see the title of your blog post this morning. Sadly, there were too many on your list that are part of my reality these days. I was hoping your post was going to share your secrets to organizing your time effectively. I know I sure could use some insights from fellow bloggers on how they “do it all” and still have time for a life outside of blogging and creating the projects they blog about. *wink* hoping to plant a bug in your ear for a future post *wink*
Marie- you should read the book that we have in our sidebar (we didn’t write it, but we love it). She shares so many little tips about how she ‘does it all’ and they really are good ideas! 🙂
This is a great article! I’ve had to pull back from blogging a little bit lately, especially at night. Thanks for sharing!
This is great! I’ve had to pull back lately as well because my house had definitely taken a huge hit in the “cleaning” department.
I totally agree, Paula. You are right on. It’s important that we constantly evaluate our priorities to make sure we’re focusing on what really matters most. Blogs can go on the backburner for a while, but children can’t. Thanks for sharing your heart with us.
Great tips and advice! It’s easy to get wrapped up in blogging and lose your focus on those things that are most important.