Balancing It All

Let's get back to the question we asked at the beginning of the week. How do we balance blogging and writing?

We've realized we can't throw out the blogging (as we're sometimes tempted to do). We can make blogging work more effectively for us (as we talked about yesterday). But how do we keep blogging from taking over our writing time?

What about all of the other technology that interferes with writing time? Checking emails, Facebook, Twittering? They are just one click away from our fingers, screaming at us, pulling our attention away from our stories. How do we ignore all of this clamoring?

I'm still struggling with this very issue. So today I thought we could share practical ideas on how to set limits on blogging and other internet activities so that we still have time for the most important writing.

Here are just a few ways I've tried to balance it all:

• First thing in the morning when I check blogs, I give myself a time limit. After my time is up, then I start my morning writing.


• Throughout the day, I try to respond to comments on my blog and check other blogs, only when I have spare time (family and home responsibilities come first).


• During my other writing time (usually during nap time and after kids are in bed), I try not to check email or blogs. I try to stay focused on my writing.


• I write most of my weekly posts on the weekends and then I only need tweak and change as needed during the week.


• I prioritize whose blogs I visit: I visit my regular follower's blogs first, then sporadic followers, and visit new blogs occasionally.

I think it all comes back to self-discipline; sometimes we have to tell ourselves NO, STOP. In a society where boundaries are flux and self-control is old-fashioned, saying NO to ourselves can be one of the hardest things we learn to do.

If we call ourselves writers, then we must write. We may have to say NO to a lot of things in order to write, including blogging.

What are practical ways you've learned to balance writing and blogging and other social networking? Since I'm still learning, I would love to hear your advice!