How I Keep My Blog Going with a Full Time Job and Grad School

I’ve probably been the busiest I’ve ever been since I left graduated from college. Between two classes, a full time job, blogging, chores, and attempting to see family and friends on the weekends, my workload is at capacity. Lately, I’ve been getting the question: “how do you keep your blog running when working full time/going to school?”

Let me first give you a breakdown of my work week:

40 hours – full time job

8-10 hours – commute time

10 hours – class/class workshops

5-10 hours – homework/group projects

15-20 hours – blogging (writing blog posts, shooting for Emma’s Edition, engaging, etc)

With 128 hours available in the week (7 days x 24 hours), I’m using almost up to 80-90 hours to focus on the biggest pieces of my life: career, school, and blogging.

Besides the to-do list, saying no to events, and understanding my priorities (tips in this original post), I do day to day habits that help set me up for success. It isn’t always easy… but here are a few things I do to continue to create content for Emma’s Edition:

How I keep my blog going: I make the most out of my time

Making the most out of my time means I look at each hour of the day and evaluate what work I can accomplish in that time frame. Here are a few examples of when I’ve made the most out of my time:

On my flight to Hawaii, I had 6 hours to be productive. So I wrote two blog posts: “How long it actually takes to produce one blog posts” and “How you can take photos for your blog + with or without a photographer”. These are two questions I kept getting asked about so I decided to use the flight to write them out. I also knew I was going to take two classes this quarter. So getting two blog posts written before winter quarter even started gave me a head start on content.

Additionally, I’ve used my van pool commute time to read for class, respond back to blog emails, and reply back to direct messages and comments on Instagram. I also still wake up early both during the work week and on weekends to make sure I get everything I need to do done.

How I keep my blog going: I don’t Netflix anymore

I’m serious guys… I used to have time to scroll through Netflix and watch documentaries or my favorite series over and over again. But at this point in my life, I won’t make the time to sit there and consume content because I have to be focused on creating it. I know a lot of people need use their distress time/unwind from their workday by watching Netflix shows but I use my 30 min of exercise to do that.

Brandon and I also have cable, so I still get to watch Say Yes to the Dress as I do laundry on the weekends. But again, I’m not spending loads of time watching TV or streaming shows.

How I keep my blog going: I make Friday nights and Saturdays productive

Fridays and the weekends are typically the most unproductive days for most people but I rely on these days of the week. Since I work full time Monday-Friday, my Friday nights and Saturdays are essential for me to do homework and work on my blog.

Friday nights, you’ll typically find me in the coffee shop, working on a homework assignment due Saturday or Sunday for class. You might also find me writing for the blog or responding back to blog emails.

On Saturdays, you’ll find me walking Boone to start the morning. You’ll then either see me on the University of Washington campus for a class workshop OR shooting videos for my multimedia storytelling class. And later that day, you’ll most likely find me at a photo shoot – walking around with 3-4 outfits in a bag.

My weekends are probably as busy as my weekdays. But I also know that my master’s program is only two years long so this won’t be forever. I’m also planning on taking summer quarter off so I will have a break starting in June!

How I keep my blog going: I’m constantly brainstorming

One of my strengths in blogging is writing content for Emma’s Edition. One reason why I feel confident in writing is because I’m constantly brainstorming. My creative mind is always running in the background. If something inspires me or an idea pops up in my head, I write it down (typically in my iPhone notes) so I can go back to it and write a blog post. Keeping a running list of ideas for blog posts has really helped me on days when I have writers block or when the words aren’t flowing.

I recommend always keeping a list on your phone of blog post or video ideas – that way if you do feel stuck, you’ll have ideas you can turn to.

So if you’re a (new) blogger, a creative, or trying to grow your career or business, what do you do to keep your passions in life going? Are you making the most out of your time? Are you spending too much time streaming shows? And how do you capture all your ideas?

How do you keep your blog going?

If you want specific tips on how to balance blogging with life, here is How to Find Balance In Your Life and 5 Self-Care Tips to Take With You in 2018”!

If you love my blouse from NA-KD clothing, you can get 20% off when you use emmasedition20! Thank you to NA-KD Clothing for gifting this adorable blouse!

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Thank you for reading!

Love,

Emma

Photos: Karya Schanilec