The thought of blogging with little ones running amuck can seem daunting. Some days keeping them alive and fed (not to mention maintaining your mama sanity) is a challenge!
With a few tips from someone who has been there, a little bit of preplanning, and an ounce of determination you can work as a professional blogger all while being the best mommy to your little ones.
1) Spend Time with Them First
Pouring your time into your little ones should be your first priority. Blogging professionally is a job that allows you the time and flexibility to do just that! By spending time with them first as a consistent rule, your kids will know that they are more important than your blogging work. Should you ever have to tell them to wait while you finish working, they will still know that they will have your full attention first thing tomorrow. Children are much more ready to run off and play by themselves if their little “mommy love tanks” have been filled with undivided mama attention first! Make sure you are ready to pour into them when they get up in the morning.
2) Golden Time Opportunities
When you have little ones, there are three golden time opportunities for fitting in blogging work during the day. These include early mornings (before they are awake), nap time, and after bedtime. While it is possible to blog while your children are occupied or playing next to you, it is much simpler to focus on blogging tasks when you can give it your undivided attention. If you are a morning person naturally, plan to get your blogging done before your kiddoes are up. If you are a night owl, plan your work for after bedtime. If your little ones are taking a lengthy afternoon nap, use that time wisely to accomplish your blogging to-do list. Make sure you are making the most of these golden time opportunities.
3) Maintain a Schedule
Creating a reasonable weekly schedule can help you immensely with blogging time management. Little ones thrive on a set schedule or order of daily events. Plan your blogging tasks around your children’s natural daily schedules or pattern of events, and make keeping the schedule a priority. Each day might look a little bit different, depending on play dates, activities, or older children’s schedules. But setting a reasonable schedule can help you accomplish your blogging goals in a timely manner. Make sure you are setting a maintainable schedule.
4) Be Flexible
Although creating and maintaining a schedule is important for getting the most out of blogging with little ones underfoot, you aren’t mothering or married to your schedule. Things are going to come up with little ones and will throw the schedule out the window. Bellyaches, boo-boos, temper tantrums, and a child who wakes up 2 hours earlier than usual are all things that require mama’s immediate attention. The great thing about blogging is that the work can be done on your own time! You are the boss who makes your schedule, and you are able to schedule your blogging tasks with this in mind. Make sure you are remembering to be flexible!
5) Seize the Moments
On the other hand, there will be times during the day where you get an unexpected minute to yourself. Maybe you have read a really great princess story 10 times and your daughter is ready to play princess dress up by herself. Or maybe you have played Tonka trucks for 20 minutes and your toddler son has happily taken his toys off to entertain the baby. Switch the laundry to the dryer and seize the spare moment to answer emails, share something on social media, or jot down some new blog post ideas! When your little one needs your attention again, or it is time to move on to the next daily activity, be ready to set aside your work and be a fully engaged mama again. Make sure you are seizing the moments as they come.
6) Take Work on the GO
Taking your work with you is as simple as carrying your phone. If your children end up playing happily with some new friends at Chick-fil-a, or you end up waiting in the car for nap time to end after your errands ran longer than you expected – bust out your blogging and GO! The nice thing about blogging professionally is that it can be done on the go. You don’t have to have an office with a computer, calendar, and team of professionals working beside you. You can make a living blogging while your baby naps on top of you, while the toddler is playing with blocks at your feet, or while you are thawing dinner. Make sure your blogging can be done on the go.
