Blog posting time: When work gets in the way

We’ve all had times when the pressures of earning a living, working on a pet project and hobby, or taking some much needed family time encroach on our blog posting time.

Yes, it does happen. Real life can indeed push blogging onto the proverbial back burner. Time is often in very short supply.

Work and business is often the major reason that blog posts are not written, even by very prolific blog writers. It’s happened to all of us at one time or another. A important project faces an immediate deadline and often a race against the clock for completion. A new or existing client, or your employer may require a special rush order completed right away. Since no one wants to turn away paying work, or say no to the boss, the time sensitive project is accepted.

The cost is in the loss of your precious blogging time.

No one will criticize your blog posting priorities if the blog is placed lower in the pecking order than family, friends, or hobbies. Everyone needs and wants time away from the computer. Skipping the regular blog post is one way to achieve that much needed break from writing.

There are some techniques that can be put into place to ensure a constant flow of blog postings, even when you are otherwise engaged. Some require advance preparation, and others allow for fast and easy blog posts, when you thought none could ever happen.

One idea is to write some advance posts, ready for use at a later date. All blogging software platforms allow for creating and storing draft posts. If you don’t trust your blog host to safeguard your brilliant composition, the post can be stored in NotePad, MS Word, WorPerfect, or some other word processing program. When time is at the essence, the pre-written post can be called up, and appear on your blog in a flash. The technique does require having posts written in advance, however.

Some blogging systems enable you to have pre-written posts appear at previously set times. This feature is especially handy for bloggers who are away from their computer for days at a time. Vacations and business trips need not stand in the way of the pre-timed post.

Fast posts can be created in several ways. While not all of the suggestions are helpful for everyone facing time shortages, aone of them might fit your needs and those of your blog visitors.

One technique is to post a couple of fast links to to other blogs, complete with one line commentaries. While the resulting post might not be your best work, the links could prove very helpful to your readers. They will never know the post was created in less than five minutes.

Post a few photos in lieu of a regular prose column. All the pictures require is a brief caption describing their content. Most people have a few photographs scanned into their computer. Digital camera pics are also very helpful here. It’s very possible that many postings of pet photos are the result of time shortages.

Click to your archives and find an older post. Link to that post, and perhaps copy and paste a short snippet of its content. Write a brief followup post as to where the circumstances surrounding the post are a the moment. Providing your readers with the rest of the story develops continuity in your posts. Sequels also save you some valuable posting time.

As another alternative, you can alwayys skip a day or days from posting to your blog. Take time for yourself and those around you. As they say, take time to smell the roses, and live life. Keep in mind the things that are most important in your life. You won’t ever feel guilty about skipping your regular blog post again.

Of course, you now know how to slip in a quickie post as well, should the need arise.

Wayne Hurlbert provides insigtful information about marketing, promotions, search engine optimization and public relations for websites and business blogs on the popular Blog Business World.

Check out Blog Business World for yourself.