{"id":11718,"date":"2012-12-12T08:38:42","date_gmt":"2012-12-12T13:38:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.shareaholic.com\/?p=11718"},"modified":"2014-05-13T11:03:49","modified_gmt":"2014-05-13T15:03:49","slug":"blogging-during-the-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shareaholic.com\/blog\/blogging-during-the-holidays\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips to Help You Blog During the Holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"

The holidays are a crazy time\u2014you\u2019re busy cooking, cleaning, traveling, buying gifts and then eventually celebrating your chosen holiday. So where does blogging fit in? For many people, blogs fall on the back burner when the holidays roll around each year simply because it seems like there\u2019s not enough time in the day to do it all.<\/p>\n

And for most of us, taking a true<\/strong> break from blogging<\/a> can be a good idea. You can rejuvenate your stale blog post ideas, snuggle up with that book you\u2019ve been dying<\/i> to read, and even catch up with some relatives you only see this time of year.<\/p>\n

But for those of us who are trying to take our blogs to the next level\u2014to ultimately create a business, start to consult, launch an e-book, get speaking gigs, etc.\u2014taking a solid break from blogging isn\u2019t really an option. Here are some tips to help you keep up your blog during the holidays without being connected 24\/7:<\/p>\n

1. Plan ahead.<\/h3>\n
\"Photo<\/a>

Photo by ASurroca<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

If you know you\u2019re going to be swamped during the holidays, planning ahead will help you immensely. Fill out an editorial calendar<\/a> (even if you don\u2019t normally) with a realistic plan for how often you are going to post and what you are going to post about.<\/p>\n

Once you have a plan, start chipping away now! Whether you write the posts completely or outline them so they basically write themselves during the holidays, you should start the prep work now so that you won\u2019t be swamped later.<\/p>\n

2. Pick \u201ceasy\u201d content.<\/h3>\n
\"Photo<\/a>

Photo by Julia Manzerova<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Know your limits\u2014don\u2019t plan on doing an in-depth blog post complete with edited video and screenshots if you have a busy holiday schedule. Pick post topics and layouts that are easy for you to put together while still engaging your readers.<\/p>\n

That being said, don\u2019t put up a blog post just<\/i> as easy filler for that day\u2014make sure that it still meets your blog\u2019s objectives and excites your readers. If you\u2019re going to spend any time at all blogging at the holidays, make it worth your while.<\/p>\n

3. Make the most of your reading time.<\/h3>\n

\"study\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all been there\u2014you have five minutes before you have to leave and just one more blog post to read<\/i>\u2026all of a sudden 30 minutes have gone by and you\u2019ve found yourself on some corner of the internet that you didn\u2019t even know existed. While that may be fine on a lazy Sunday afternoon, don\u2019t let yourself drift away in the blogosphere during the holidays.<\/p>\n

I know that staying up on what other bloggers in your community are doing is crucial to rocking your own blog, so be sure to reign in your reading activity when you know you don\u2019t have much time.<\/p>\n

Try bookmarking your five favorite blogs in your Google Reader and checking on them every day. Also be sure to check out Shareaholic Channels<\/a> to quickly see what\u2019s happening in your niche with bloggers you may not have discovered yet. Because Channels are grouped according to certain topics, you won\u2019t spend extra time trying to find posts in your community that you should know about.<\/p>\n

4. Timebox everything.<\/h3>\n

\"stopwatch\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Beyond limiting your reading material, you should also timebox the rest of your blogging activity (writing, editing, commenting, tweeting, etc). Use your phone\u2019s alarm clock or E.ggtimer.com<\/a> to set aside a block of time for your blog\u2014and stick to it.<\/p>\n

No matter if you have 10 minutes or 10 hours to spend on your blog that day, keeping your activities timeboxed makes it easier to step away from it all when time has run out. It will also help you be more productive while working because you know you only have to be working for a set period of time\u2014you\u2019ll be much less likely to get lost on the corners of the internet if you know you only have 10 free minutes that day to get up a post and share it on social media<\/a>.<\/p>\n

5. Schedule away.<\/h3>\n

\"brainstorm\"<\/p>\n

Since you\u2019ve done such a great job planning out your content and timeboxing your activities online, make sure you\u2019re taking advantage of all the content scheduling tools out there to help distribute your content while you\u2019re away from your computer. Here are some of my favorites:<\/p>\n