Sunday, March 17, 2019

Keeping a Blog Going With a Full-Time Job and Family

Updated September 2026: in 2019 I explained to readers why posts had slowed: a demanding job, personal commitments and a young family living in my hometown, whom I visited every week or two. I have rewritten it into practical advice on keeping a blog going alongside a full-time job and family life.

I had not written for a long time and knew a few readers had noticed. Fitting writing around work, personal responsibilities and a young family was hard, especially with my family living in my hometown and me travelling to see them every week or two. Family came first, and writing was what slipped.

Why does blogging slip first when life gets busy?

Because it has no deadline and nobody else depends on it. Work and family make demands; a blog waits quietly. Without a routine, weeks become months, as they did for me.

How often should you publish?

Less often than you think, but consistently. One solid post a fortnight is better than a burst of daily posts followed by silence. Readers and search engines both reward regular, useful updates more than volume.

How do you find time?

Fix a slot: an hour on the same day each week, such as Sunday morning.
Capture ideas as they come: a notes app list of topics saves thinking time later.
Write in two sittings: a rough draft first, editing on another day.
Use travel time: drafting on a phone during a commute or train journey adds up.

What should you write about?

Topics where you have real experience and readers have real questions. A post that solves one problem for a reader is worth more than a general update about your life, which is a lesson my own early posts taught me.

What if you take a long break?

Come back without apologising at length. Publish something useful, and resume your schedule. Readers care about the next good post more than the gap.

How do you protect family time?

Keep writing out of family days entirely. A fixed slot means the blog does not creep into weekends with the people who matter most.