Table of Contents
Sometimes we just don’t feel like blogging and that’s ok. Sometimes as bloggers, we feel the need to work on our blogs when the words just aren’t flowing. I don’t like forcing my blog posts so will look for other tasks I can do until the muse returns. This post has 10 things you can do when you don’t want to blog but still want to be productive.
10 Things To Do When You Don’t Feel Like Blogging
I don’t always sit at my desk writing blog posts. Most of the time I’m watching Netflix (other streaming services are available) with a notebook next to making notes when something comes to mind. I’ve had various days where i don’t feel like blogging at all and that’s ok but the guilt I felt looking at my computer was too much. Some of these tasks are short 5-10 minute ones and some of the other on the “10 things” list will take you a bit longer. it depends on what mood you’re in and how long you want a distraction for.
1. Update Plugins
Now, this is a relatively short task but its an important one. Plugins not running the latest version can affect how your blog is seen by other people. I also use this as a chance to review which plugins I’m using and if I can get away with deleting any. My post on the plugins I recommend for WordPress is a good starting point if you’re not sure if you need a plugin or not.
2. Update Analytics Spreadsheet
I’ll admit this is a task that usually slips my mind but having a spreadsheet to plug all the numbers into makes it easier. The spreadsheet I use (which you can download at the bottom of this post) also has a section that will calculate increases in your data. This can be helpful for updating your media kit or if you’re sending info to brands at the end of a campaign. I’ve labelled it with months as that works for me but you can do what you want with the formulae once you’ve got them.
3. Plan Other Blog Posts
Sometimes when I can’t write a particular post I plan out other posts that I want to write. I find this sometimes gets me in the mood to put words on paper. A lot of the time it’s sitting in front of a screen that’s not productive for me whereas with a pad and a pen the words just flow.
4. Create New Images and Branding
Canva ends up being my second home if I don’t want to blog sometimes. There are so many different things you can design on Canva and it’s an amazing resource for bloggers. I’m not saying you should create a new brand but if you’re not writing then its a good opportunity to create more pin graphics, twitter pictures and even Instagram quotes with your branding. Making sure your branding is consistent across your platforms is key.
5. Take Photos or Plan Photos To Be Taken
Sometimes when the words aren’t flowing I take a step back and decide on the imagery for a post instead. Where this one has a stock image and it doesn’t really have an impact on my words, a beauty review, on the other hand, the images are really important. Sometimes words don’t accurately convey certain aspects of what a product is like and a photo really does make the difference. I’ve added a couple of beauty pics below that really improve the posts they were used in.
6. Read & Comment On Other Posts
I’ll admit I don’t read as many blog posts as I used to. I’m trying to do more and bookmark posts that I want to read when I see them. I’m also wanting to try and comment on more posts too. This is also a good way to find out what other people are writing about and maybe find some ideas and your own twist on a standard topic. I wrote a post about my skincare routine which I felt might have been a saturated topic but by specifying that it was for dry and sensitive skin means that it’s within my knowledge zone and includes my personal experience that someone else may not have had.
7. Reply To All Comments
I don’t get that many blog comments these days but when I do its nice to leave a reply. Particularly if someone has asked me question about the post. I leave my posts in a way that if someone has a question they can leave me a comment and I’ll make sure they get a response.
8. Broken Link Check
This is something that I admit I must do more often. Its been a while since I’ve done a broken link check and I’m ashamed of myself. I hate to think how many broken links I’ll have to fix when I finally get round to it. If you don’t how to do this I have a post that walks you through the whole process of fixing broken links.
9. Work On SEO Of Old Posts
One thing I’m guilty of is not always doing SEO of my posts as I go. I have a bad habit of uploading pictures and not adding alt text or descriptions straight away and then doing them in batches. If you’re stuck with how to SEO your blog posts then this post I wrote recently is for you. I’ve broken it down into manageable tasks and not only explained how to do each one but the reason why too.
10. Schedule Social Media Updates
I don’t always find the time to schedule social updates but its something I’m getting better at. When I’m at work and don’t have anything to do I’ll write out a rough draft of what needs to be scheduled when and then do it when I’m back at my computer at home. I find this a good way of managing my time and getting my priorities in order.
PIN THIS FOR LATER
I hope this post on 10 things you can do when you feel like blogging helps you to be more productive. Below you have the spreadsheet that I promised you too. Just click the link and the file will download.
Free Analytics Spreadsheet Download
[wpdm_package id=’8188′]
Click the button above to download your spreadsheet. It’s an xlsx file so can be opened in Excel or Google sheets. The cells with formulae will look a bit odd but they’ll start to auto-populate when you add numbers to other fields.
Tip – when adding Pinterest stats always use full numbers e.g. 2.1k on Pinterest would be 2100 in the spreadsheet.
