Bloggers Block! – Another One Bites The Dust?
Bloggers Block
Oh my, what a mess!!! I discovered that the last time I actually did a post on this blog was back in APRIL LAST YEAR! That is nearly a year ago! I am absolutely shocked. I knew it had been a long time, but THAT long?
Something interrupted me AGAIN!
I think I need to explain something; I love blogging and Internet Marketing, it has become one of my favorite hobbies in the last few years. Unfortunately, it seems that it is one of those hobbies that always seem to come last, as there are so many things in life right now that have to be done first that blogging and sitting at the computer trying to make some money just doesn’t get a chance.
Do you experience the same thing? All these other tasks that have to be completed before you can sit and enjoy time with your blog(s)… Here are mine (just in case you are interested; maybe you can find some which might actually excuse the length of time I haven’t been active here for so long):
- I started working 2 days a week (school hours) at the end of May last year
- My dad passed away at the End of September
- I still have to do the paperwork for our own businesses here at home
- I have two dogs that need a walk, if possible every day
- Sports (walking, weightlifting at the gym)
- Two children who have sports and other commitments after school
- The house needs looking after 🙁
- Shopping, doctors appointments
- Social commitments (did I really mention that as an excuse??)
- Dinner, Homework, Laundry…
- etc. etc. etc.
Dash The Dog
Boomer The Bloodhound
And whenever I actually had the time to sit down and enjoy my Internet Marketing “hobby”, looking back over the past year I can honestly say all I really did was
- check my stats and earnings on any affiliate programs
- Check out any new product offers
- sign up for more crappy emails
- spend hard earned money on more products I don’t need
- kept stuffing my inbox and bookmarks with more and more offers and sites that got more and more confusing.
Yep, I can honestly say, when I look back onto my past year I have definitely fallen straight back into the Internet Marketers Trap. I did not take any action, but got lost in all the information out there.
What about blogger’s block?
Well, for the whole time since I have not been active with my blogs I had this nagging in the back of my head that “I really need to sit down and write a post again” (and remember, I have a few blogs that have grown stale over the past year, so –> more pressure).
I actually did have a few times when I made the time and sat down with the right intentions, just to discover when the allocated time had passed that again I had not achieved anything but more of the same as above. It was like I was sitting down, wanting to write but couldn’t really think of anything, so instead of trying harder or really looking for a topic to write about I found all this other “stuff” that needed doing and felt like I did something useful, but that ended up not doing anything for my blogs, affiliate earnings or rankings. Know what I mean?
I think I was suffering from Bloggers Block. Couldn’t come up with anything interesting to write, the harder I tried the harder it got. Adding to that, having a blog in a niche with a lot of competition, like mine about weight loss and this blog about Internet Marketing, I started feeling that I could not possibly write about anything interesting any more than what all these much more experienced bloggers had already put out there. “How can I possibly top that, or write about something new, if there are so many people out there who seem to have more experience and knowledge than me?” – is what I started to think.
Well, thank God I seem to have overcome that!!! Who cares what others put out there – if you write from your point of view about the things you have learned, I am sure now that that can help others out there, too. You don’t have to be an expert to contribute valuable knowledge to the community. Don’t you think?
Well, this was rather a long post. I am all geared up and ready to jump back into the game. All I want to say is – don’t be too harsh on people who don’t update their blogs all the time, it’s tough sometimes to make it happen.
And I have learned that, if you want Internet Marketing to make you a full time income, you will have to devote at least as much time to it as you would on a full time job. Full stop. There are no shortcuts. That’s why I am treating my blogs as a “hobby” – I simply don’t have enough time in my current situation to devote a chunk of it to my blogs every day. And don’t feel bad if you don’t, either. You will get to it when you can.
In my de-blocked head I have a couple of new ideas about posts already, and I am looking forward to share them with you over the next few weeks. 😉
NO, I am NOT going to bite the dust!!!
Category: Info Overload and Productivity
About the Author (Author Profile)
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
It’s ok, blog when you feel the urge to blog! I recently read an article in a newspaper about what people regretted the most on their deathbed and not having blogged enough wasn’t on that list. 😉 However, not spending enough time with their friends was. So social commitments should definitely be given priority to.
Thanks for the thumbs up on meeting with my friends 😉 !
Good thing you’re over that blogger’s block. It must’ve been so difficult for you to totally get over it.
Lily, the most difficult part for me was to know that I really should write new content and work on my sites, but not being able to do so when I sat in front of the computer. It gave me this “guilt” feeling, knowing that it would hurt my sites and my rankings, and that my readers were waiting for new content that I was not able to provide… with my niche sites (like Beach Decor) it was the knowledge that links were being outdated, the site growing “stale”. Not a good feeling when you want to do something about it but you are not able to!
Hi Petra,
So it looks like we have been experiencing the same life over the last year! With some good and bad.
Yes, got the 2 dogs, the house, the laundry, the cooking, the hubby, only one kid plus the social life, well actually kid has more activity than me! I have become mums taxi!
And on the tragedy side, I miss carried. 🙁 didn’t cope with that one very well as I am now 41 and think the boat has now sailed for anymore.
However on the positive side. Sometimes in life we need to go through the crap to come through the other side.
Re this internet marketing game. AVOID the bells and whistles! hahahahaha How much clutter do we need on our hard drives and in our in boxes???????
Make a plan, write your tasks down into tiny chunks. And the key is to stay focused on the plan! Don’t side track from the plan. Do each task step by step, one by one until you reach each task to completion.
Start with one folder, one file and organise! you will be amazed at how goos it feels. Yes you will be tempted to get side tracked and if you do it means turn the computer off and go do something around the house instead.
As soon as I find myself wondering on the computer, I shut down. Since taking that attitude I find I am so much more productive. Social networking is my treat once I have finished the tasks for the day.
Congrats on getting back into blogging.
See you back here soon.
Cheers
Jacinta 😀
Thanks, Jacinta, for your great tips on getting organized in internet marketing.
I love the idea of shutting down the computer when you start straying on your computer. I am afraid though that when I implement that, I will literally spend no time on my computer at first! 😉
I have also so much clutter in my inbox and several hundreds of folders on my desktop or in my documents or wherever else… it’s hard to follow a certain path or stay focused on a task at hand.
What I will have to learn is to write down a plan and steps to implement it. I know I have been writing about this in the past, too, so know its the right thing to do, its just so hard to learn and be disciplined about it.
I am very sorry to hear about your miscarriage. I am sure that was very hard.
Looking forward to seeing you succeed this year!
Cheers,
Petra 🙂
I enjoy Internet Marketing and at times good content or formulated thoughts can be hard to come by amongst all of distractions of everyday life and circumstances.
One thing that I have found that helps me is a simple handheld voice record (or a mobile app that records voice). This allows me to record my random thoughts on topics to eventually form a quality blog entry or University paper.
Also, incorporated with the voice and thought recording method; I try and find a quiet or relaxing place to sort through my thoughts, to relax, and to put things in perspective. Spending time away form the keyboard at times can sometimes be a good thing. Lastly, go through the voice recoding, write down main points, and then construct a blog entry from this self generated content.
Orlando Internet Marketing recently posted…Is Your Website Mobile Friendly?
This is a really great idea! Thank you so much for sharing it here on my blog!
You seem to be demotivated, but I’m sure when the spring comes you will feel energized and active!
Julie recently posted…dental implants london
Thanks for the information in getting organized. And no worries about the demotivation, it´´s going away, i know.
Stefan recently posted…Startseite Empfehlung links
“Bloggers Block” is definitely something that happens to all of us in internet marketing. If you are not feeling inspired… you should take a break because it will come out in your writing. Good luck on figuring out what works best for you!
Thanks, Lee! I am finding right now that “taking time for myself” works in getting my inspirations back.
Regards for this marvellous post, I am glad I observed this website on yahoo.
learn piano online recently posted…1
Yep, we all experience that, probably more often than we would want! It happens, but stay motivated and keep at it!
Abe recently posted…Top 5 Tips: How To Increase Targeted Traffic To Your Web Site
Petra, I feel you’re on the right track already…It takes a lot of will power to take up something you left a while ago. But it takes even more will power to keep the momentum going.
To that end, I believe the best thing to do is to start slow and steady and keep building the momentum from thereon. Rather than thinking towards the next one year, it would be better to have a short term plan that aligns with your long term vision.
If you divide your goals into simple shorter daily goals, the task becomes simpler, easier and not-so-daunting.
Cheers!
Raj
Raj recently posted…Three Tips for Using Images on Blog Posts
Raj, I just know how important it is to create a short term plan and a long term goal, and to map out what you want to achieve and when. It’s something I will have to learn though, as probably lots of our Internet Marketing colleagues do. But it is a much surer step to success, you are right.
That’s right Petra – taking a step towards our goal is the way to go…after all doing is different from knowing! 🙂
-Raj
so many activities and few time, this is our lives.
It’s a very interesting information, your blog is very good, I discovered not long ago and I love reading your post. Much encouragement and greetings!
Link exchange is nothing else except it is only placing the other person?s website link
on your page at appropriate place and other person will also do same for
you.
i m completely agree with raj, taking a step towards our goal is the way to go .. after all doing is different from knowing!
tucson wedding photographer
Hello Petra, you are not the only one facing this problem. I have a blog that has been sitting there collecting dust since year 2008 but luckily it has been generating residual income for me though not a lot.
Keith recently posted…What Happens If We Are Over 85 In Age And Living Without Life Insurance?
Cute. The picture of the Bloodhound is cute as well as dash and the moving image of the one that interrupts you again. You got a nice blog here keep it up!
Kee Garcia recently posted…Customized Blogger Template with Taylor Swift
I’ve experience bloggers block a lot of times. The trick to this is to just write without caring what you write about. That’s how I overcome it.
John recently posted…The New Net Space Profits 3.0
Bloggers Block, I like the way you put that. If I have a block, I have a cup of tea, watch the TV for a bit or get out the house and away from the dastardly computer!! After a short break all is well with the Internet.
Its ok. i also take blogging as a hobby but sometimes i just have to drop it for some reasons like school work, projects e.t.c. but one thing i like about blogging is it can be done anytime anyday and please i need some help on my blog.
anyone who is interested in helping me with my blog should please email me at samuel.afol@gmail.com.
thanks
samuel recently posted…Make money online flipping websites
Hi
Petra, “Think positively; eat differently” 🙂 have a nice day.