Creating work-life balance or work-life integration as a blogger and shift worker can certainly be a challenge and the truth be told, I certainly can’t claim to live a life of work-life balance. In fact, it is difficult to be in balance every day of the week. I believe there will always be days of giving and taking from one area of life to another.
I heard on a podcast earlier this week, how people work sometimes 16-18 hours each days to make money in their sleep. This sounds crazy to me. The make money while you sleep is good, a passive income but working so long hours jeopardizing other areas of your life every day surely will not be healthy.
Over the past few years, I’ve followed quite a few different bloggers and they all worked long hours on their businesses. However, most were mom bloggers and had time off with their children during the day. Other worked 9 to 5 and blogged in their spare time creating their businesses between earning an income from a job. Everyone was working in one way or another.
I see myself as fortunate as I work irregular hours as a shift worker and can balance work, family and blogging.
The benefits of using a shift work mindset as a blogger.
As much as there are times when shift work is tiring and I feel like I’m missing out on weekend activities or celebrations, there are so many benefits to working shift hours, especially as a blogger and an entrepreneur. Shift work allows you to have time to work on your business uninterrupted because family members are at work.
The benefits of flexible time.
Admittedly I spend quite a bit of time in the car but having flexible time means you get to avoid peak hour traffic.
To make the most of my time in the car I listen to podcasts. Podcasts that inspire and podcasts that teach. Also, at times I listen to Facebook lives from mentors and other inspiring bloggers or even audible books.
Tip 1 – Make the most of your time
Investing in yourself is one of the 5 things one of my mentors once told me to do. Listening to books or podcasts is just one way of investing in yourself. Driving is a perfect use of time to listen to podcasts. Naturally, there are times I do relisten to parts of the podcast again later to take notes.
Tip 2 – Invest in yourself
Balancing life around family.
Full-time bloggers, midlife entrepreneurs, stay at home moms, shift workers and full and part-time workers all require to balance their blogging requirements around family, friends or fur family. Everyone is busy with different priorities in their lives.
A stay at home mom may have 1 or more children to look after. Even a midlife entrepreneur may have grandkids to look after from time to time. Some people have pets, or you may be like me have the important home duties to fit in around your day job, business and blog. Life is busy for everyone. Yet we all can make time to create some sort of daily balance in our lives. It is also possible to make time for your own goals.
Tip 3: Prioritize your goals
With a family, you can often work around school hours or around when family members are available to help you. Not that I need to do that anymore, as my children are young adults. However, there was a time I would start early morning shift and my husband would ensure the children got to school. At the time I loved finishing early as to spend time with the children after school.
I still love the morning shift. What I love about an early start is an early finish, which enables me to schedule some time for a walk or swim before blogging. Being finished early in the day enables a little work-life balance in my life.
Tip 4 – Unplug and have ‘Me time’
Tip. I’ve found to switch between working and family or blogging, spending some ‘me time’ by going for a mindful walk or a swim helps with letting go of the thoughts you may have on your mind from work.
How do people do it all?
With social media, it is so easy to think people do it all. They don’t. The bigger influencers have help, staff or contractors, people to help them with their businesses. The bigger bloggers have help, people they delegate tasks out to, staff or freelancers.
Tip 5 – Delegate
When starting out it may only be you in business, however, is it only your at home? I know I’m grateful for my family as I delegate some home duties out including cooking a few times a week. If I didn’t I wouldn’t be able to fit in all the things I do each day. Naturally, even with the help I get, I still need to plan my day so I am productive.
The most important factor with working and blogging is to create a schedule that works for you and your family even if the schedule is a flexible schedule like a shift work schedule generally is. The way I schedule time is via time blocking and each day is different.
Tip 6 – Create YOUR schedule. One that suits you.
Schedule your blogging time.
Working with a blogging schedule is the best way. I’ve heard even full-time bloggers work with a schedule. Having a schedule helps you prepare and plan content for the week or even month.
Choose a day to write out what your goals are for the week. Write out your blogging and business goals. Write out your personal goals. Plan time in your calendar to take action on the goals you have set yourself for the week. Here are 3 simple strategies to find time for your goals.
Tip 7 – Have a planning day.
A bonus is being part of an accountability group or having an accountability partner to share your goals with.
Each morning I journal, and I write in my journal 2 actions that I will take that day towards my goals. I ask myself the same question every day which you can read here. Even though I ask myself the question I also have a schedule as to when I write blogs, when blog posts go live, the day I create pins for Pinterest. Incidentally, if you need help creating pins, I can assist with this see ‘work with me’.
There are many different blogging tasks that need actioning and a schedule can help with keeping on top of the tasks.
One of my weekly tasks is promoting this blog and the Pinterest services I provide to bloggers and small business owners. I like to share pins on Pinterest with a scheduler. My preferred Pinterest scheduler is Tailwind as it saves time. I block time in my calendar once a week to schedule pins from Tailwind to Pinterest.
Have you tried tailwind? Take the 30 day free trial by clicking on the image below.
Tip 8 – Work smarter not harder.
Tip: To stay focused on the task at hand switch off notification on your phone and computer.
Create Time not hustle.
I believe in living to your core values. For me, that is spending time with family and enjoying many different spheres of life which means I don’t buy into the hustle. Many people think it is important to hustle constantly, it isn’t. I know that when you have something in your life you really want to do like blogging, you are most likely thinking about it a lot and wanting to grab every spare moment you have to do it. Don’t. You don’t want to get burnout. Burnout sucks. Burnout too can take you away from what you most want in life too.
As you create time to write your blog, think about why you are blogging, what is your goal with our blog and what keeps you motivated?
Tip 9 – Know your ‘why’.
Not knowing why you want to achieve what you would like is a reason people fail at goals.
Rather than hustle, focus on moments of time. To balance work life and blogging create a schedule that works for you regardless of if you work shift, work 9 to 5 or work from home. Taking time away from the busyness of life is important for your wellbeing. Have quiet time, spend time with family and friends and enjoy life today. Living a more balanced life is about taking time to be grateful for what you currently have and enjoy the pleasures you have around you. For life is happening now, not in the future, not in the past, but now.
Tip 10 – Enjoy each day, each moment.
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Angie blogs about setting goals and mastering habits as well as productivity and living abroad. She started blogging while learning the skills to start an online business. Her goal to work online came about due to wanting to see overseas family and travel around Australia. Her mission is to help others succeed with their goals. Angie often shares tips and tricks while walking the beaches or near the lake on the Central Coast NSW Australia.
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