Words For Hire

Business, PR, Marketing, Social Media 586.461.2103

You are here: Home / Writing / Top 10 Reasons to Avoid Post Procrastination

Top 10 Reasons to Avoid Post Procrastination

by

Written by Karen D. Swim

When it comes to blogging, there is no greater advice than planning (writing and scheduling) posts in advance.  Develop your monthly calendar in advance and plan blocks of time to write.  I could seriously be the poster child for the “before” of not planning. Actually, I do plan but then I forget where I put the plan, or change my mind. I write fragments of posts with every intention to finish them in advance but well you see how well that’s worked out! So listed below are my Top 10 reasons to avoid blogging procrastination:

  1. The “my dog ate it” excuse does not work for digital media
  2. Life happens and you really cannot control it
  3. Your fickle muse will disappear, forcing you to play Diner Dash when you really should be writing
  4. The sun will shine
  5. It will rain
  6. It will snow
  7. People will think you died, moved to Outer Mongolia or took a job directing traffic. They will wipe you from their feed readers and forget you existed.
  8. You will discover that Murphy and his law have decided to attach to your life like white on rice.
  9. The longer you wait, the worse you’ll feel adding to your overwhelming stress level
  10. You will miss your readers (reason enough!)

Any others to add to the list? Do you plan or wing it by the seat of your pants?

Comments

  2. When things are difficult as you’ve said they have been this week, Karen — I’d let go of a few things like blogging. It’s just not worth upping the stress and your blog is in your control.

    Missing a couple of weeks isn’t going to hurt you — I’ve done that and longer without a problem. It not as if the blog is your client or a money maker. Focus on the higher priorities. When I am tight on time, I prioritize like so…

    * Deadline and important first.
    * Looser deadline and important second.

    Ignore the rest (which is usually deadline and not important, and no deadline and not important). The only time you should do deadline and not important is if you’re having a good week and ahead of schedule.

    Zen? I think I hear my family laughing in the background. I only say that because I’m often not relaxed. But I guess you could say I am not as stressed about blogging as other things in my life. I think I’ve always been this way about blogging because I know it’s a connection and marketing tool — but can be sacrificed for higher priority things like clients, deadlines and family.

    I’m with Brad on the yard thing. I’ve got an almost barren flower bed. It’s driving me insane, but not enough to get me out there to do something about it.

  3. Annie, writing everyday even if you don’t have a blog is a wonderful idea. I had developed that habit but lately it has fallen by the wayside. Your comments inspire me to re-balance my very uneven life!

  4. lol! Hi Ulla! The schedule really is a great way to do it. Even mapping out topics in advance makes the writing go faster. You can always write something on the fly if you’re inspired but the schedule ensures that you don’t jump around. Great point and I remember you sharing this on your blog.

  6. Friar, your attitude is so healthy but your whole approach to life is so balanced. 🙂

  7. Meryl, I can learn so much from you. Did you master the zen over time or was it always present? I love connecting and miss the interaction when I can’t visit other blogs and when I can’t write and connect here. Lately, I have been stressed and the blog would have likely helped.

  8. Ha! Darn you and your number 11! LOL! Oh yea, been there…or some code you wrote will need to be rewritten because the client changed his or her mind. 😉

  9. lol! Well, I know exactly what’s going on with you these days from our skype chats. So, we’ll share a bowl of ice cream and deny, deny, deny together. 😉

  10. Wow, Jan, yes, yes, yes! One of the things I didn’t include that I too struggle with is, it’s not always the posting but knowing that I won’t be able tor respond (um like right now for instance) so I don’t post. I haven’t figured this one out either but I don’t think people mind if you do a group response sometimes. I also love it when commenters chat with each other. Like you I’m not lazy and I am there but just not always able to think of anything or so tired and pressed unable to write it intelligently. Hmmm, subject for another post perhaps?

  11. Hi Brad! LOL! There are days I would take yard work over other work. My stress level was off the charts this week but I’m ready for next week!

  12. I travel with a notebook filled with paper and pens. When inspiration hits, I am ready to write, edit then post. However, sometimes I don’t have any thing to write about, so I just start typing and before you know it I have written a post. Although I find those last minute posts tend to take much more thought and editing. I also do not write everyday because I may have had a day when many posts have been written and I have scheduled them for days ahead. Regardless, I find all of these tips very helpful.

    Annie´s last blog post..In the Saddle of a Pony Car

  13. I find myself wandering between the two extremes – setting up a blogging schedule and trying to plan for a whole month and – this is the case at the moment – having set up a nice form with all the dates and feeling unable – or unwilling – to plan and schedule any posts. I hope there will be a new blog post on Monday, and I actually think that there will be, but I don’t want to think about it now. Maybe tomorrow?

    Ulla Hennig´s last blog post..Lilacs

  15. I write my posts if or when I feel like it. Randomly.

    Makes it easy that way.

    How can I procrastinate, if there’s no set schedule?

  16. If something comes to mind — I either write it right then or create a draft with notes. Some drafts are still sitting as drafts, I deleted some and others went live. I try not to force it or follow a schedule as long as I produce something every week.

    I think if I pressure myself too much — blogging will become a source of stress instead of a way to connect. It’s still working after nine years. Hope it continues for many more.

  19. Part of the “thing” I do is write posts in real time. Mostly because they are about being in process. And it has a lot to do with being present. The work pretty much dictates the schedule and the topic, but in a collaborative way. So I don’t procrastinate that. It is like a checking in, or a pulse taking… or putting words to what is actually going on.
    But what DOES happen that I haven’t been able to overcome, is that when I am in deep process, I tend to have less to say in comments. I’ll procrastinate responding. It’s not that I ‘m not there, I am, but no one can see me nodding, or pausing to think a bit but not adding anything, just taking it in… that also gives the impression that I am off to Tanzanyika, or Zanzibar or have fallen down the well…I wonder if I should prepare a roster of possible responses to pull out of my pocket during these times? Or just type description of head nodding in agreement… “or what? are you crazy , that is so wrong!”
    Do you know what I mean?

    Janice Cartier´s last blog post..Shades of Grey