Jul

Why Do You Blog?

Yesterday I came across a blog post that talks about how blogging takes time – but it is a cherished activity, especially among moms.

Many blogs are driven by either Content or Connection. If you blog about something you have knowledge and skill in, for example tips on how to bake, or scrapbook, or make a card, you have a content-driven blog.

Or, you can blog about your family, your daily experiences, or your feelings about things. These are connection-driven blogs. Moms make up a wonderful blogging community and love to connect with one another. It’s truly beautiful when moms share their struggles in parenting, and other moms coming alongside to encourage them.

As a work at home mom myself, I love to connect with other moms, blog and share. However if I’m not careful, I can get caught up in the fun and lose track of time. It’s important to keep in touch with people, and blogging is a great way to build meaningful relationships.

To get the best of both worlds, today I want to share a concept I learned from my business coach, Tom Challan. He taught me the concept of “hourly focus”. Another tip I picked up is called “chunking” or “batching”. I’m going to do something new and apply these concepts to blogging. The way things are going, I can probably get more done in 1/2 the time.

Have an hourly focus. During the day when my kids are home, every hour I spend 30-45 minutes with them, set aside 15 minutes for blogging.

During those 15 minutes, I can either:

1. Start writing a blog post that’s been brewing in my mind.

2. Read others’ blogs and comment.

Focus my time and energy to do one, not both. I find I don’t do well multi-tasking. I get too distracted. And once the timer goes off, whether I finish what I’m doing or not, stop.

I’ll share my progress with you. It’ll be interesting to note how this helps my productivity and I’ll share that too.

Today over at Society of Socialpreneurs, there’s a Show Us Your Business Wednesday going on! So I’m to share a little bit about why I blog and started in business. Originally, it was to contribute to the family’s finances while being a stay at home mom. As I grew, my why grew to include things like personal growth in people skills, communication & listening skills, and how to work more productively. My biggest desire is to help others transform their lives to have freedom in heart, soul and mind. Be free to be who we’re designed to be!

What about you? Why do you blog?

Share and Enjoy:

Tags: Work At Home Wednesday

Posted by jinnialow Appreciation, Art of Listening, Building Community, Work At Home Wednesday, Work Family Balance Subscribe to RSS feed

http://www.alittlecupofcomfort.blogspot.com Kasey

It’s hard to balance blogging and life sometimes so I’m looking forward to hear how your system works for you!
tvs take

Great post Jinnia. I gave you some blove on my site. Have a great day
casey

I think I post to convey memories through photographs and stories for my family and friends who live far away and cannot be here. Also, the Lord has shown me that whatever I do I am to honor him so I hope my blog brings Him glory and ministers to others from time to time as well:). Thanks for sharing your heart yet again and I agree completely, we need to “be free to be who we're designed to be!” Awesome!
http://jinnialow.com Jinnia

Thank you Tesha, I appreciate it! Have a great Wednesday.
http://jinnialow.com Jinnia

Yes, it is! I look forward to sharing my progress with you next week!
http://jinnialow.com Jinnia

That's so beautiful, Casey! I love your heart for sharing with your family and friends and your desire for honoring our Lord! Your blog inspires me to bring Him glory too! For a while I struggled with how to incorporate writing about Him into my posts. Friends like you remind me what a privilege it is to be free to share about the most important one in our life!! Thanks for sharing your beautiful heart through your blog!!
http://www.PattyGale.com/ Patty Gale

Hi Jinnia!

I blog for both, content and connecting. My personal blog is for connecting, and so that people can see my lifestyle, read and see (video) my stories and hopefully inspire them.

My business blogging is definitely for content creation and providing value to the audience in a way that they can relate. So, in a way, business blogging is a little of both, connecting and content.

I work better in larger chunks of time, but then again, my daughter is older than your adorable little ones, so she can entertain herself longer.

So, I'll set aside a couple of quiet hours to concentrate on one blog at a time.
Mamaslittlechick

Jinnia I just started blogging about two and a half months ago and love it! I like getting to see the creativety, emotion, passion, compassion and so much more that other bloggers put into their blogs! I like connecting with others. However, it really does take a lot of time! I work on it at night when Little Chick is asleep. The idea of chunking time to work on it is important ezpecially now that it is summer vacation and children are home. This was a great post Jinnia!! Have a great night!

Mama Hen
HRH Mommy

Hi, Love your post. You are so right and great advice!! I am your newest follower, found you through the award you gave TV's Take. Look forward to reading more. If you have a chance, check out my blog at http://mformommy.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/samsstuff Shelley McElhiney

Good advice! Stopping by from Show Us Your Business Wednesday to say hi & read your story. It's always interesting to see the different reasons each of us blog, create & open businesses.
http://jinnialow.com Jinnia

Hi Patty! You made a great point about business blogging being both, connecting and content – and you have such amazing insight in business and internet! I consider myself new in business and working to keep my priorities straight. I'd love larger chunks of time, but I'll take whatever I get Thanks for stopping by!!
http://jinnialow.com Jinnia

Mama Hen, I can't believe you just started blogging 2.5 months ago!! You have such a thriving blog! Then again, you're a person full of creativity, passion and compassion that it's no wonder you attract others who love those same qualities. Yes, the children at home during summer vacation does mean rearranging things around!
http://jinnialow.com Jinnia

Thanks! Great to have you! It's so cool that you got an HGTV patio makeover! I'm looking forward to getting to know you
http://jinnialow.com Jinnia

Shelley, thanks for stopping by and for your comment! Yes, it is interesting how each person's reasons are different.
Dorothy

Great Post – thanks for visiting my blog I'll follow under my personal name!
http://jinnialow.com Jinnia

Thanks, Dorothy! Great to have you!
http://trydefyinggravity.wordpress.com/ Alysia

I started blogging to get the thoughts out of my head so I could process my life better. Now that I have started writing, I've found that I've learned a lot from other bloggers' experiences and wanted add my voice to theirs. It's been an amazing way to join up with people all over the world.
Thank you for visiting my blog and I'm looking forward to following yours, both through my google reader and networked blogs

Alysia
http://trydefyinggravity.wordpress.com/
http://jinnialow.com Jinnia

It's wonderful you found a way to get your thoughts out, especially with what you experience. I think what you write is helping many people through the same type of struggles with their children. Thank you for visiting and for following me back, Alysia. I hope you have a great day
Kimberly

I like your idea of having hourly focus. As much as I love blogging for my own personal gratification…I worry about the phenomenon of mommy blogging getting to the point where it creates a form of addiction. I blog because I enjoy it much like my sister loves scrap-booking. I love telling stories, documenting events in writing and the community it creates. ~Kimberly
http://jinnialow.com Jinnia

Thanks, Kimberly. I'm with you on that one…blogging is wonderful for all those things you said but it can get addicting. I'm beginning to see that for myself that's why I need that hourly focus!
http://highparkhomedaycare.blogspot.com Charlena27

Great post! I blog about home and family, but also about my business of running a home daycare. I think you are onto something by asking people about themselves at the end of your posts. People love to talk about themselves! I am now following you too! (from MBC) Have a great weekend!
Charla
Sherlynvicente

Great post! Following you
http://jinnialow.com Jinnia

Thanks, Charla! Great to have you here
http://jinnialow.com Jinnia

Thank you!