Us bloggers understand the importance of having some sort of schedule at play, even if you plan on publishing one blog post weekly, it's a good idea to have a plan laid out to help you set goals and meet targets.
It shouldn't be as strict as a work deadline or anything like that, because the whole point is that you're able to be flexible and there shouldn't be any pressure to write about something just because you want to keep to the schedule - mainly because you wouldn't find it fun anymore, it would become almost like a chain around your neck and, eventually, you won't find it as fun as you once did and you'll end up stopping, which no one wants.
But creating a schedule can help to make things more enjoyable, it might mean that there's one blog post in particular that you can't wait to write and then you'll be excited for it to go live, for example. Scheduling doesn't just involve deciding when you're going to publish content, it'll also help to decide what you're going to publish, almost like an editorial calendar full of blog post ideas, which is almost the same sort of thing - if you'd like me to talk you through an editorial calendar and how to make and use one, though, please do let me know!
So, just in case you had trouble sticking to a schedule you've already made, then here are my top tips for sticking to it, especially if you feel like your motivation is running low.
1 | Make it fun
As I said in the intro, blogging should be fun. You should come to sit down at your desk, open up the computer and know that you'll really love writing a few blog posts for the week. It shouldn't be a chore for you and if it's become like that, then maybe a short break is all you need to get back into the swing of things.
2 | Get into the habit
Once you've found a day or tie in the week that you've found perfectly suits your blogging commitments, then get into the habit of blogging in those times. Not only will this help in terms of your overall, everyday routine, but it'll also then become second nature to you. You'll find that your general life schedule won't differ too much, if at all, just so you can find some time to write a blog post. Getting into the habit will definitely be beneficial for you, especially if you're particularly busy studying or writing up some university work.
3 | Write a batch of posts and schedule them evenly
Once you get a break and have a considerably amount of time free, set some of that time aside to write a batch of different blog posts. It's always better to plan what you're going to write about before you sit and do a load of writing, just to save you some hassle - it'll also make it less likely that you'll get writer's block, which isn't something you want when you come to write a number of different blog posts.
Once the batch has been written, you'll then be able to schedule them to go live at a time that suits you and your plans. It often pays to spread them out over a number of weeks, just so your readers are getting new content whenever they check back - I tend to revisit blogs every two or three weeks.
You could even set up a Twitter account to notify readers of when posts will go live. It's also a good way of reminding your readers that they can expect new content sooner rather than later - making it even more likely that people will keep coming back to see what you've posted.
4 | Work ahead of time
It's always a good idea to know what you're going to write about before you actually sit down and write it and something that'll help when it comes to planning the actual content will be scheduling when you want those articles to be published. For example, you wouldn't post a festive post in March, but then you wouldn't publish a post about how to decorate eggs for Easter in October.
Instead, come up with a list of ideas for different seasons, and then write the articles so that there's less to do by the time the post is ready to go live. You don't have to sit and write an entire month's worth of blog posts in one night, but at the same time, you don't want to fall behind if your aim is to keep a regular flow of content.
For example, save autumnal-related posts for September/October, then Christmas or festive posts for November/December, then perhaps picnic food ideas for the spring/summer months. Perhaps write a few that vary in topics and then you'll have an even smattering of articles that can be drip fed throughout the year - it always pays to be organised, even months in advance.
5 | Don't be afraid to change things up
You can't be expected to stick to the same blogging schedule throughout your entire time at university. Things change - your timetable will change and even your commitments and priorities will change and often, those changes sneak up on you almost overnight. So as your day-to-day schedule changes, so should your blogging schedule, mainly to accommodate that. Once you've got to grips with everything and feel comfortable, put your new schedule into place and get blogging again :)
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Let me know how you stuck, or are sticking to, your blogging schedule at university. If you have anymore tips, leave them in the comments below! I'll see you all again really soon with a brand new blog post for you :)
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