Wow, I can really relate to what you're saying here. I became a mother just over a year ago and started my "green" blog about 7 months ago. For about 6 months, I posted Monday - Friday without fail. I Tweeted everyday and met great people with common interests. I've even made good friends through my blog which I'm so glad I've found.
However, it is VERY time consuming. I write and do research while my daughter naps and I'm up most nights until 11:30pm or midnight. With the New Year, I had to scale back to only posting on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I can't imagine giving up my blog - it's become too much of me to do that. I'm a blogger - something I never thought I would be saying since writing was always my least favorite thing to do.
If I have to scale back again at some point, I will, but I won't give it up. It's something I'm very proud of that I would miss too much.
I wish I would have started a blog back in 2006 when I first heard about them. I've had so many great ideas for writtings and things I've learned about in between that would have made great blog posts. Now I can't seem to recall half the stuff or if I can, there's another mom with a blog like that. Do I jump in and compete? For now, I'm just blogging and social mediaing (sorry, not a word) for fun for now but learning as I go. Hopefully I'll get the whole time management thing, etc down soon, but for now not worried about it. I just like seeing when I have actual readers. What really got me going starting a blog was HubPages. I started publishing there a year ago and got excited when I started making a few bucks and had actual readers and comments. But I wanted something a little more personal, so I decided to start a blog. Haven't really set up a niche topic, but like I said, not worried about it for now. My blog is being found, I have Twitter followers because of it, and I'm having fun. A shame to see your friend quitting - I won't ever quit. Even if I don't post for a whole year and then come back, if you know how to set up your blog titles, etc properly, whether you post new info or not, your stuff will still be found. You can still make a few bucks - I just don't know if I can or could count on it as a contributing income.
Candace
· 10 months ago
I've compared blogging before to the little baby alligator that looks so cute when you bring it home but then it grows and what are you going to do with it now?
I think that the online connection (not just blogging, but forums, twitter, etc.) can be very addictive...especially for SAHMs who were formerly very active in their professions or in their communities.
It is tough to draw that line.
And there is a lot more to blogging than writing the blog, of course--there is the commenting on other blogs, answering comments on your blog, responding to PR people if you accept pitches, and all the social media.
I have thought about this before too. I can't imagine quitting now, but what if I had to? Would it mean all of my hard work over the past years was for nothing?
Nicole @frugalisfab
· 10 months ago
Thanks for the great article. As a stay-at-home mom of 4 kids who really wanted to be a stay-at-home mom it is hard for me to find the balance. I know I spend too much time at the computer and I am way too obsessed, but I feel like what I am doing is making a difference in people's lives.
For me, it is all about making a schedule for myself and turning the computer off sometimes. Emails and comments on my blog will wait, my 3 and 1 year olds won't.
This post totally hits home. I am blog-addicted and have recently decided that I want to truly turn this into a business. It is absolutely still difficult to set up the boundaries...but sometimes they blur in a fabulous way. I can get more done in an hour than most human beings...and I LOVE the creative outlet I have for my writing. I can choose what I write about...it happens to be my passion. Once my kiddo is older, I can expand.
My current goal is to learn all I can about creating advertising on my site and making some green from my green blog.
A blogger friend of my threw in the towel this week as well. I was a little shocked but understood some of her reasoning. I don't think I could quit now, for several reasons and I agree that my time spent here would just go elsewhere because that's just the kind of person I am. I may slow down with my blogging at some point (3rd child on the way!) but I hope to never feel the need to quit.
Brenna
· 10 months ago
Well, I am coming at this from a slightly different perspective as my blog is a branch of my boutique. I do spend a lot of time on it, but I also have taken breaks from it as needed. With 3 kids, I have to have balance, plus the baby only allows so much time! I am on my own, no babysitters, no daycare, so the time I spend on my blog and business is time taken away from something else. I just try to make sure that that something is not my kids.
It is sad that there are some wonderful mommy bloggers giving it up, but I fully understand what a time committment it is to make their blogs the wonderful resources they are! I hope that many more will find a way to continue. What a loss it would be if not...
Wow. I'm not sure where to start, but since I'm the "quitter" in question, I felt like I needed to say something.
First of all, I'm completely floored and flattered that you referred to me as one of your favorite bloggers. Thank you so much! That means a lot, since it comes from one of MY favorite bloggers! :-)
Even though you said you understood my reasons, I can't help but come away from this post feeling a teeny bit like my decision is being criticized, and I'd like to respond.
Why did I blog in the fist place? I started blogging because I wanted to connect family and friends with info and pictures about our daughter who has ongoing medical issues, and to create a journal for her to have someday. It grew into something much more. I started connecting with people, and I started to feel like I had something to offer. I wanted to provide a voice for other families who might be experiencing similar things, and I liked feeling like maybe I was helping or making a difference. I enjoyed reviewing products and doing research. I enjoyed the stimulating discussion with other adults via comments and social media. I LOVE writing!
I quit because I started feeling stress, and that's a red flag for self-assessment time for me. I realized that my personal priorities weren't matching my actions, and I decided to regroup and rebalance. Does that make me "flaky?" I don't think so. Does it mean all my hard work was for nothing, as Can-Can asked above? I don't think so. All the comments that I received (and still receive) are testimony to the difference that I made. The fact that my blog still maintains the same number of hits, even though haven't blogged in almost two months is a testimony to the fact that I made a difference and put something out there that people care about. Will I maybe come back someday? I'd love to - we'll see where the future takes me. Would I leave an acre of land undeveloped in the middle of a development? Yes - in a heartbeat if it was messing with my priorities and my self balance. I would know I could always come back. Maybe it would make a beautiful park.
Have I filled up my time with other pastimes? I filled it up with more quality, one-on-one time with my daughter and husband, getting more sleep at night, and better organizing and caring for my house, self and family, yes. But not with shopping and phone calls.
Finally, the only way that I think that your blog, or any other blog will lose credibility is if your content stops speaking to your audience. If I stop attending a yoga class because of personal reasons, yoga classes in general do not lose credibility. Keep writing what you write, from the heart, and your credibility will only grow.
Does blogging have to be all or nothing? Nope. Definitely not. But it did for me, right now.
You are far from in question. You made a choice for your own reasons and I respect this, I'm sad about it and hope I don't lose other blogger friends. I wrote this to share why I blog, why I feel others quit and what I hope others decide to do. Again, I'm sad you have left but it was your choice and everyone make choices for reasons that I cannot see behind the screen.
Chris
· 10 months ago
I totally agree with the final thought: Once you have created something of value, like a blog with good content, it is very hard to turn your back on it and just leave. If nothing else, it still is intellectual property that is of value - and I don't mean the monetary kind of value...
So, keep on blogging :-) And if you don't have the time, just leave the blog alone for a few weeks. I have to do that from time to time, but I still keep coming back...
Alicia [The Soft Landing]
· 10 months ago
Wow, Sommer - you've done it again. You've driven straight to the heart of the matter for so many of us WAHM's.
We all come from different backgrounds and we all started blogging for different reasons. For me, it's a necessity to blog in order to communicate our product research findings to our customers as it corresponds to our online store. But that's not all - it's actually a relief for me to blog, because I have an ongoing flow of ideas jumbling around in my head. It's a way to organize my thoughts and then release them from my swirling brain. I know that my business would be incomplete without my blog.
I do believe that we need to set realistic expectations for our blogs in the way of content, frequency and other tasks (like responding to comments, commenting on other blogs, etc.). I think we need to be okay with meeting our own expectations/goals instead of worrying about what other bloggers are doing.
Setting limits from the start and stopping often to re-evaluate what's working for you will serve to keep bloggers from burning out in the long run. Maybe that means posting only once or twice per week, or narrowing your choice of blogging topics. I also think it's fine to step away and take a break sometimes, especially when your family needs you. I would much rather see a pause in my favorite blogger's posting than a complete end.
Sommer - thank you so much for mentioning me as a source of inspiration! I hope you know how much you motivate me too :)
PsychMommy - don't worry about the choice you made to stop blogging. There is no right or wrong in this situation - I'm just sad that you feel burned out and wish you the very best! I know Sommer feels the same way . . .
I have had a very difficult time blogging the last three months, but this made me think about why I blog, and now I feel re-energized. Okay, so off to write again . . .
This is really interesting to read as someone who is beginning to 'ramp it up a notch' with my blog. I began My Web of Life in August in hopes of sharing that 'middle ground' of green. That crazy, convoluted tangle of good intentions and the reality of life. I wrote a smattering of posts here and there, but for the past two months I have begun writing more regularly and entering the social media world.
Although I am certainly still on a small scale, I am amazed at the amount of time and energy that is going into this little world that I have created. It is already becoming a bit of a tightwire act and the rope seems to be shaking at times.
But I really LOVE my little self-made world and I want to remain there. I will be continuing the balancing act and hope for the best. Blogs like yours (and many of the others you've mentioned) are a continued source of inspiration and guidance for me. Posts like this one validate that others struggle as well and it's not just me.
I guess that was my very long way of saying 'Thank you.'
<abbr>Jenni at My Web of Lifes last blog post..Stuff</abbr>
crunchy domestic goddess (amy)
· 10 months ago
good post. i think it's important to remember that we all got into this for different reasons and we'll likely all end for different reasons, but ultimately its our choice. i respect everyone who continues to blog and those who have the courage of knowing when to say when too. :)
i've been taking a break from blogging lately due to some health stuff i've had going on and honestly, it's been very refreshing to not have the pressure (even if it's self-inflicted) to post every day or every few days. i don't think i will hang up my hat and call it quits, but i was at the point where i needed to seriously cut back and reevaluate and i'm glad i'm doing that.
This is an excellent (100% stumble-worthy) post. Really. And could not be more timely as I sit here and brain storm a post for a site that doesn't pay me. So am I using my time right? I keep thinking I need to "pay my dues" and get some more experience and exposure before I start expecting to be maybe possibly gee do ya think PAID for my time. So much is a confidence thing too. I'm just a mom, typing this in her kitchen while her kid eats lunch. What value is my voice? So this balance thing. Yeah. I have to fugire it out. And do this WELL and PRACTICALLY - not just blindly doing it all the time at the cost of family, and life around me. Ack. I'm working on it. But an awesome post none the less. Truly inspiring the fire under me that much more. Thanks.
a seasoned mom here, soon to be empty nester, devoted blogger who has enough recent mishap to sit back and question why do I blog - however in parallel to what was mentioned here -- had I had "voice" the way I do now when I had itty bitty kids I would not have felt so alone and I know my confidence would have grown because of it. To find like minded is really powerful. Mommyhood sucks the life out of all of us. Not having balance is always an issue. I started my own wellness company years back and had to continually shift how I managed things. Time, phone usage, computer time, family time. Clarity is so important. In current times I just decide when can and do I want to blog, I reduced my posts by 50%. Guess what? Nothing happened! I still blog because I love it, I still have readership and my writing got tighter and more purposeful. I think quitting is an extreme solution expecially if you love having a voice. I'd like to think there is always a solution at hand. Giving up to me doesn't say solution.
<abbr>mother earth aka karen hanrahans last blog post..Is Vitamin E Safe?</abbr>
Tara Burner
· 10 months ago
oh wow Sommer! I sooooo can relate. I've got multiple blogs going and about a month ago was wayyyy overwhelmed w/them along with running my business(es) and kids, etc. BUT my wonderful techie girl emailed me saying something sooo simple that it hit home and since then I'm not overwhelmed. It was this "just because you have over 10 blogs doesn't mean you have to post to each one of them every single day. Do what you can and don't worry about it" ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh good advise...some of which I tell my stress management coaching clients...to not do things that trigger stress, delegate some work or just walk away. I'm not walking away from my blogs, but I am posting when I can where I can and going on about my business happily :) Nights my DD is at her dad's, I have nothing to do anyhow so those 2 nights a week I get lots done. Excellent post :) Thanks
I'm not a mom, but I'm a green blogger and environmental/health enthusiast. I think you really hit home for me. It's so true that whatever we create on the web is like a real estate property. We might think that stopping it isn't a big deal, but it is something we put so much time an energy into already. Plus there are people reading the blog, commenting, and investing their own energy.
I just discovered your blog, but I'll be back for more! And I know you'll be there when I do, since you are committed. :)
Green & Clean Mom
· 10 months ago
I wanted to make one more comment and I'm so happy this is appealing to my audience and that so many of us can help each other get through these rough patches.
PsychMamma, the context of the post and the tone and direction is that you made this personal choice and that is respected but from this can we all learn to help one another cope with this and make it work and not feel that we have to quit. Can we lean on each other and the friends we've made to help each other sustain our blogs? You have inspired great discussion and thought and you should be proud of that. You feel like so many of us do and I respect your honesty.
For the flaky part, this is directed towards the lot of "mommy bloggers" and perception that other could have on the group if indeed more of us mom bloggers quit. You are not flaky and this post is not directed to judge you because there are several bloggers that have quit recently and your post made me realize how sad this is for your impact on others and your good content.
alexes
· 10 months ago
Hi
I came across your blog post through a friend and could not help but be impressed with the passion of your thoughts. I have noted two kinds of people when it comes to blogging, those who put everything into their blogs to the exclusion of going outside to see what the weather is like, being with friends or family (it is close to being an addiction) or those people who start out with enthusiasm and will work and work and then go, it is not working, nothing is happening so they just give up. Regardless of which group a person falls into the fact is as you said, you have created a valuable online property. Is there a solution? You have stated some very good concepts and that is appreciated. I also came across this blog post, if I might share with you? It is titled" The Essential Guide to Growing Your Blog on Minimal Time", I hope that it will be of use to you.
One last thought and this is more an invitation to you. We would like you to nominate your blog to BlogNet Awards. You have many good things to say and feel that showcasing yourself would be of real use to you. If you are interested, then click on: Nominating My Blog to BlogNet Awards
Best Regards to you
Jen @ Eco-Office Gals
· 10 months ago
Wow! I don't consider myself a "mom blogger" I blog for my business and I am a mom, so that's were the connection lies. My husband seethes about my time online. He deals with it because he's in construction and business is so bad for him right now. He's tolerating the hand (computer) that feeds him, I guess. What would I do otherwise? Yes, probably spend more time with family. I think right now the stress of the economy is what drives me online 14 hours a day, every visit to my blog or follow on Twitter has the potential to become a client (as you will know LOL), a connection, a meal on the table. It really hit a nerve (not a bad one) to read this post as well as psychmama, cause it made me realize I'm not a freak, I'm not the only one struggling to find time for family while the pages load. Thanks!
I think I smell a new business opportunity... who wants to build a "Blogs For Adoption" blog with me???
I think now, it's really important that we help each other. There are so many valuable bloggers out here right now and of course I have days where I can't bear to come up with a post. So I don't. But all of us can utilize each other more effectively. Having a rough day? Point your readers to another blog you admire and take the day off! Building traffic is important for all of us but helping each other stay "in business" is important too.
There is always a circumstance where a blog becomes a chore or gets in the way of important real life stuff. But it's the Internet. The Internet won't go away and there is always a project to be dreamed up.
Now if I can just figure out what I'll do when I need to take maternity leave this summer.... ;)
Beth Terry, aka Fake Plastic F
· 9 months ago
Great post, Sommer. And very useful links. I just want to add that it's not just Mommy Bloggers who are overwhelmed and disorganized. I think it can be pretty much all bloggers. I don't have kids, but I do have a full life and often wish there were more hours in the day. Now I realize it's what I'm doing with the hours I have that is unhelpful.
I used to complain when I had over 500 messages in my email inbox. Now, I just laugh because I've got over 1100. Most should probably be deleted unread, but I keep emails like old clothes just in case they might possibly be useful some day. (And this is not counting the thousands and thousands of emails that are filed in folders.)
Okay, getting off the computer now and back to "real life."
Thanks Beth for taking the time to reply. I think you are right, it happens to be all bloggers or individuals online. Shoot, I'm going to say it has to do with all of us regardless of what we do. We can all get carried away with stuff (work, hobbies, etc. ) and sometimes we need to slow down and rethink things and prioritize.
Jennae @ Green Your Decor
· 9 months ago
It is definitely a delicate balancing act. When I first started, I pushed myself to post every day, three or four times. The nature of my blog makes it easier to do multiple posts, but I was burning myself out. I spent all day and all night thinking about my blog and what I could do to make it better. I was attached to the computer for hours on end, and my husband hated it.
Finally, I had a mental shift that made me prioritize. I'm not sure what made it happen, but I finally realized that there are more important things than blogging and design. Now when I wake up in the morning, instead of rushing to the computer, I spend time with my daughter before she goes to preschool, I read the Bible and pray, I exercise, I eat a healthy breakfast, and only then do I get online. And when my daughter returns from preschool, I force myself to get off the computer -- even if I'm in the middle of something -- to spend time with her.
It's not always easy, and I struggle with it even now, but I'm doing better. My blog is a business for me, so I don't think I'd ever give it up completely. But given what I've been through with my family, I certainly understand why some moms would.
Ill admit, its time consuming, but to be honest, my life is time consuming period. Before blogging, it was my business online (boutique), before my boutique, it was forums...there was always something. I simply am not good at going to mom groups and I have never had a friend I called up to just chat with BEFORE blogging. Blogging has actually given me a way TO be more interactive.
As far as my family, we all just have to balance it together. But we use our blog for charity, for community, and for a way to share knowledge amongst each other, and I feel good about it.
Thanks Trisha for commenting. I think you make a great point, it's a way for you to be more social and that is great! I love how blogs, forums and social networking helps connect us.
Carrie Lauth
· 9 months ago
Great post, and you inspired me to write an entire article in response!
I think balance is different for everyone. If one mom finds that her blogging is a source of stress and is taking away from her other priorities, she can either set boundaries with it or quit. I have no criticism of that.
Boundaries are hard to enforce though, so it really has to be a decision that we can back up with accountability. It's great to take a step back and revisit our purpose and goals when we started blogging, which is slightly different for everyone.
Ironically while I've seen many quit or move on and I commented before about keeping balance, in the last few days I've installed (well my tech girl installed for me) 3 or 4 NEW blogs for me! LOL I can't help that I get an idea and go with it! But it doesn't mean that I have to be 'blogged' down (get it instead of bogged down...ok so I'm working on less sleep than normal) I can still post whenever I want, as often or infrequent as I want and now have more 'targeted' blogs rather than all on one... I'll have to print up a 'schedule' of when I'm blogging and on where since some of them are themed for days of the week! but it can be done..just have to do what works for YOU!
If a Mom blogger came to me and asked my opinion about quitting, I'd tell them to just step back for a bit and see if you just need a break. A blogging vacay, if you will. Often I see Mom bloggers drop off the face of the web only to come back a few months later ready to rock and roll again. I was one of them! So I speak from experience.
I think many times we just need a break. And sure, you'll still lose some of your audience, just like you would if you totally yanked your blog, but the difference is that ALL your writing and life and pictures and soul that you've poured into your blog will still be there when you get back. And if you take the break, see that you really don't ever want to come back then so be it...close down the blog and move on. Sometimes blogging is just there for a season in our lives and it fills a purpose for that time.
Nell
Jaime
· 9 months ago
WOW - What a great article. I am glad to see that I am not the only one who feels this way. I am a first time mom who stays at home and before my daughter I was addicted to blogging, but now I am trying to find the happy medium of motherhood and blog addict LOL... I now have the motivation to revamp what I was doing and make things work together - THANKS!!
Multi-Tasking Mommy
· 9 months ago
Hmmm...what an interesting post and very well written! You've given me a lot to ponder. Thank you!
From: Multi-Tasking Mommy a Mommy blogger who wished she had more time and a less cluttered multi-tasking mind to blog more often :)
I was reading a few other blogs that led me to this blog, which is leading me to more blogs! Wow, can you believe it is dark outside already??
Seriously, yes, this is a hardship for all of us. We want to communicate, we want to help others, we want to patch boo-boos... this is what moms do. Moms also overschedule themselves. If it weren't blogging, it would be on the phone, it would be so many other things to communicate, to help others, to patch boo-boos.
So, while we think about the fact that we are overburdened with so many tasks... all the other moms in the world before us were also overburdened, and their moms were too. So, the point of this comment is to say:
1. Communicate - it is good for you and for us 2. Help others - you are a good person for doing so 3. Patch BooBoos - we all need patches... and we all need you (and I am speaking not only to Sommer, but to ALL OF YOU)
All Comments
However, it is VERY time consuming. I write and do research while my daughter naps and I'm up most nights until 11:30pm or midnight. With the New Year, I had to scale back to only posting on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I can't imagine giving up my blog - it's become too much of me to do that. I'm a blogger - something I never thought I would be saying since writing was always my least favorite thing to do.
If I have to scale back again at some point, I will, but I won't give it up. It's something I'm very proud of that I would miss too much.
<abbr>Kirstins last blog post..Help the environment and your health all on your lunch break</abbr>
I think that the online connection (not just blogging, but forums, twitter, etc.) can be very addictive...especially for SAHMs who were formerly very active in their professions or in their communities.
It is tough to draw that line.
And there is a lot more to blogging than writing the blog, of course--there is the commenting on other blogs, answering comments on your blog, responding to PR people if you accept pitches, and all the social media.
<abbr>Candaces last blog post..Put a Spring in Your Step!</abbr>
For me, it is all about making a schedule for myself and turning the computer off sometimes. Emails and comments on my blog will wait, my 3 and 1 year olds won't.
<abbr>Nicole @frugalisfabs last blog post..Rite Aid 2/22-2/28</abbr>
My current goal is to learn all I can about creating advertising on my site and making some green from my green blog.
Great post!
<abbr>Elenas last blog post..The Green Place To Go For Los Angeles EcoDivas</abbr>
It is sad that there are some wonderful mommy bloggers giving it up, but I fully understand what a time committment it is to make their blogs the wonderful resources they are! I hope that many more will find a way to continue. What a loss it would be if not...
<abbr>Brennas last blog post..New Robeez with Free Socks!</abbr>
First of all, I'm completely floored and flattered that you referred to me as one of your favorite bloggers. Thank you so much! That means a lot, since it comes from one of MY favorite bloggers! :-)
Even though you said you understood my reasons, I can't help but come away from this post feeling a teeny bit like my decision is being criticized, and I'd like to respond.
Why did I blog in the fist place? I started blogging because I wanted to connect family and friends with info and pictures about our daughter who has ongoing medical issues, and to create a journal for her to have someday. It grew into something much more. I started connecting with people, and I started to feel like I had something to offer. I wanted to provide a voice for other families who might be experiencing similar things, and I liked feeling like maybe I was helping or making a difference. I enjoyed reviewing products and doing research. I enjoyed the stimulating discussion with other adults via comments and social media. I LOVE writing!
I quit because I started feeling stress, and that's a red flag for self-assessment time for me. I realized that my personal priorities weren't matching my actions, and I decided to regroup and rebalance. Does that make me "flaky?" I don't think so. Does it mean all my hard work was for nothing, as Can-Can asked above? I don't think so. All the comments that I received (and still receive) are testimony to the difference that I made. The fact that my blog still maintains the same number of hits, even though haven't blogged in almost two months is a testimony to the fact that I made a difference and put something out there that people care about. Will I maybe come back someday? I'd love to - we'll see where the future takes me. Would I leave an acre of land undeveloped in the middle of a development? Yes - in a heartbeat if it was messing with my priorities and my self balance. I would know I could always come back. Maybe it would make a beautiful park.
Have I filled up my time with other pastimes? I filled it up with more quality, one-on-one time with my daughter and husband, getting more sleep at night, and better organizing and caring for my house, self and family, yes. But not with shopping and phone calls.
Finally, the only way that I think that your blog, or any other blog will lose credibility is if your content stops speaking to your audience. If I stop attending a yoga class because of personal reasons, yoga classes in general do not lose credibility. Keep writing what you write, from the heart, and your credibility will only grow.
Does blogging have to be all or nothing? Nope. Definitely not. But it did for me, right now.
<abbr>PsychMammas last blog post..Success</abbr>
So, keep on blogging :-) And if you don't have the time, just leave the blog alone for a few weeks. I have to do that from time to time, but I still keep coming back...
We all come from different backgrounds and we all started blogging for different reasons. For me, it's a necessity to blog in order to communicate our product research findings to our customers as it corresponds to our online store. But that's not all - it's actually a relief for me to blog, because I have an ongoing flow of ideas jumbling around in my head. It's a way to organize my thoughts and then release them from my swirling brain. I know that my business would be incomplete without my blog.
I do believe that we need to set realistic expectations for our blogs in the way of content, frequency and other tasks (like responding to comments, commenting on other blogs, etc.). I think we need to be okay with meeting our own expectations/goals instead of worrying about what other bloggers are doing.
Setting limits from the start and stopping often to re-evaluate what's working for you will serve to keep bloggers from burning out in the long run. Maybe that means posting only once or twice per week, or narrowing your choice of blogging topics. I also think it's fine to step away and take a break sometimes, especially when your family needs you. I would much rather see a pause in my favorite blogger's posting than a complete end.
Sommer - thank you so much for mentioning me as a source of inspiration! I hope you know how much you motivate me too :)
PsychMommy - don't worry about the choice you made to stop blogging. There is no right or wrong in this situation - I'm just sad that you feel burned out and wish you the very best! I know Sommer feels the same way . . .
<abbr>Alicia [The Soft Landing]s last blog post..Don’t Worry, We’ve Got You Covered</abbr>
<abbr>Jennifer Taggarts last blog post..CPSC & CPSIA Updates</abbr>
Although I am certainly still on a small scale, I am amazed at the amount of time and energy that is going into this little world that I have created. It is already becoming a bit of a tightwire act and the rope seems to be shaking at times.
But I really LOVE my little self-made world and I want to remain there. I will be continuing the balancing act and hope for the best. Blogs like yours (and many of the others you've mentioned) are a continued source of inspiration and guidance for me. Posts like this one validate that others struggle as well and it's not just me.
I guess that was my very long way of saying 'Thank you.'
<abbr>Jenni at My Web of Lifes last blog post..Stuff</abbr>
i've been taking a break from blogging lately due to some health stuff i've had going on and honestly, it's been very refreshing to not have the pressure (even if it's self-inflicted) to post every day or every few days. i don't think i will hang up my hat and call it quits, but i was at the point where i needed to seriously cut back and reevaluate and i'm glad i'm doing that.
<abbr>crunchy domestic goddess (amy)s last blog post..The fog is slowly lifting</abbr>
<abbr>Carolines last blog post..Vivienne Tam: Giving Thanks and Feeling Worthy</abbr>
<abbr>mother earth aka karen hanrahans last blog post..Is Vitamin E Safe?</abbr>
I've got multiple blogs going and about a month ago was wayyyy overwhelmed w/them along with running my business(es) and kids, etc.
BUT my wonderful techie girl emailed me saying something sooo simple that it hit home and since then I'm not overwhelmed.
It was this "just because you have over 10 blogs doesn't mean you have to post to each one of them every single day. Do what you can and don't worry about it"
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh good advise...some of which I tell my stress management coaching clients...to not do things that trigger stress, delegate some work or just walk away.
I'm not walking away from my blogs, but I am posting when I can where I can and going on about my business happily :)
Nights my DD is at her dad's, I have nothing to do anyhow so those 2 nights a week I get lots done.
Excellent post :)
Thanks
<abbr>Tara Burners last blog post..Container Gardening</abbr>
I just discovered your blog, but I'll be back for more! And I know you'll be there when I do, since you are committed. :)
PsychMamma, the context of the post and the tone and direction is that you made this personal choice and that is respected but from this can we all learn to help one another cope with this and make it work and not feel that we have to quit. Can we lean on each other and the friends we've made to help each other sustain our blogs? You have inspired great discussion and thought and you should be proud of that. You feel like so many of us do and I respect your honesty.
For the flaky part, this is directed towards the lot of "mommy bloggers" and perception that other could have on the group if indeed more of us mom bloggers quit. You are not flaky and this post is not directed to judge you because there are several bloggers that have quit recently and your post made me realize how sad this is for your impact on others and your good content.
I came across your blog post through a friend and could not help but be impressed with the passion of your thoughts. I have noted two kinds of people when it comes to blogging, those who put everything into their blogs to the exclusion of going outside to see what the weather is like, being with friends or family (it is close to being an addiction) or those people who start out with enthusiasm and will work and work and then go, it is not working, nothing is happening so they just give up. Regardless of which group a person falls into the fact is as you said, you have created a valuable online property. Is there a solution? You have stated some very good concepts and that is appreciated. I also came across this blog post, if I might share with you? It is titled" The Essential Guide to Growing Your Blog on Minimal Time", I hope that it will be of use to you.
One last thought and this is more an invitation to you. We would like you to nominate your blog to BlogNet Awards. You have many good things to say and feel that showcasing yourself would be of real use to you. If you are interested, then click on: Nominating My Blog to BlogNet Awards
Best Regards to you
It really hit a nerve (not a bad one) to read this post as well as psychmama, cause it made me realize I'm not a freak, I'm not the only one struggling to find time for family while the pages load. Thanks!
<abbr>Jen @ Eco-Office Galss last blog post..Is Bartering Good for Business</abbr>
I think I smell a new business opportunity... who wants to build a "Blogs For Adoption" blog with me???
I think now, it's really important that we help each other. There are so many valuable bloggers out here right now and of course I have days where I can't bear to come up with a post. So I don't. But all of us can utilize each other more effectively. Having a rough day? Point your readers to another blog you admire and take the day off! Building traffic is important for all of us but helping each other stay "in business" is important too.
There is always a circumstance where a blog becomes a chore or gets in the way of important real life stuff. But it's the Internet. The Internet won't go away and there is always a project to be dreamed up.
Now if I can just figure out what I'll do when I need to take maternity leave this summer.... ;)
I used to complain when I had over 500 messages in my email inbox. Now, I just laugh because I've got over 1100. Most should probably be deleted unread, but I keep emails like old clothes just in case they might possibly be useful some day. (And this is not counting the thousands and thousands of emails that are filed in folders.)
Okay, getting off the computer now and back to "real life."
Beth
<abbr>Beth Terry, aka Fake Plastic Fishs last blog post..Showing Some LunchBots Love & Quitting My Tupperware</abbr>
Finally, I had a mental shift that made me prioritize. I'm not sure what made it happen, but I finally realized that there are more important things than blogging and design. Now when I wake up in the morning, instead of rushing to the computer, I spend time with my daughter before she goes to preschool, I read the Bible and pray, I exercise, I eat a healthy breakfast, and only then do I get online. And when my daughter returns from preschool, I force myself to get off the computer -- even if I'm in the middle of something -- to spend time with her.
It's not always easy, and I struggle with it even now, but I'm doing better. My blog is a business for me, so I don't think I'd ever give it up completely. But given what I've been through with my family, I certainly understand why some moms would.
<abbr>Jennae @ Green Your Decors last blog post..Color Reigns: Barcelona Bench, Chair & Cubes from Viva Terra</abbr>
Blogging has actually given me a way TO be more interactive.
As far as my family, we all just have to balance it together. But we use our blog for charity, for community, and for a way to share knowledge amongst each other, and I feel good about it.
trisha
momdot.com
<abbr>trishas last blog post..Pinked Out: The Stroller Hunt</abbr>
I think balance is different for everyone. If one mom finds that her blogging is a source of stress and is taking away from her other priorities, she can either set boundaries with it or quit. I have no criticism of that.
Boundaries are hard to enforce though, so it really has to be a decision that we can back up with accountability. It's great to take a step back and revisit our purpose and goals when we started blogging, which is slightly different for everyone.
<abbr>Carrie Lauths last blog post..How Not To Quit Blogging</abbr>
I can't help that I get an idea and go with it!
But it doesn't mean that I have to be 'blogged' down (get it instead of bogged down...ok so I'm working on less sleep than normal)
I can still post whenever I want, as often or infrequent as I want and now have more 'targeted' blogs rather than all on one...
I'll have to print up a 'schedule' of when I'm blogging and on where since some of them are themed for days of the week!
but it can be done..just have to do what works for YOU!
<abbr>Tara Burners last blog post..Eco Tuesday: Going Tankless</abbr>
I think many times we just need a break. And sure, you'll still lose some of your audience, just like you would if you totally yanked your blog, but the difference is that ALL your writing and life and pictures and soul that you've poured into your blog will still be there when you get back. And if you take the break, see that you really don't ever want to come back then so be it...close down the blog and move on. Sometimes blogging is just there for a season in our lives and it fills a purpose for that time.
Nell
From: Multi-Tasking Mommy a Mommy blogger who wished she had more time and a less cluttered multi-tasking mind to blog more often :)
<abbr>Multi-Tasking Mommys last blog post..My First Day Away</abbr>
Seriously, yes, this is a hardship for all of us. We want to communicate, we want to help others, we want to patch boo-boos... this is what moms do. Moms also overschedule themselves. If it weren't blogging, it would be on the phone, it would be so many other things to communicate, to help others, to patch boo-boos.
So, while we think about the fact that we are overburdened with so many tasks... all the other moms in the world before us were also overburdened, and their moms were too. So, the point of this comment is to say:
1. Communicate - it is good for you and for us
2. Help others - you are a good person for doing so
3. Patch BooBoos - we all need patches... and we all need you (and I am speaking not only to Sommer, but to ALL OF YOU)
The world needs mothers. Seriously. Honestly.
(ick - can you imagine the Internet without us?)