Morninglight Mama wrote earlier in the week about a conversation she overhead where some people were talking about blogs, where one of the participants made a comment along the lines of "I don't know much about blogs. I just don't have that much free time." This struck a nerve with me, because I have heard it one too many times, often with a negative or condescending tone.
Anytime that I go out on a limb, and mention to a someone who I am willing to let into my little blogging world, that I actually have a blog, I am always a bit apprehensive about the reaction I am going to get.
If I tell them about it over email, it may be the “non-acknowledgement response” then when I ask over the phone if they have checked it out yet I get, “Oh yeah, I keep meaning to pop over there when I get the time.” So I know it won’t happen, which is fine.
On several occasions with multiple different people I have had conversations where a natural response of mine has been “So and so were just talking about that on their blog”, or when I try to convince someone that they should start one of their own, because I think that their stories are so funny, or I know that they are an excellent writer, I often get the response and excuse of :
“I just don’t have time for that kind of thing.”
“How do you have the time to read all those blogs?”
“I don’t have the time it would take to write my own blog.”
And from my personal friends who actually DO read this bit of my world:
“How do you have time to write multiple times a week?”
Call me clueless or whatever, but I didn’t realize that there was such an apparent negative view of blogging or bloggers. Even before I started writing one, heck even before I started heavily reading them, I never thought of blogs as a waste of time or as a place that writers went that couldn’t get published elsewhere, but this seems to be what a lot of people not in the blogging community still think that it is all about. (btw, I do not consider myself a writer in any way shape or form) Anyway…..back on topic. How do I manage my “free” time so that I can blog, read blogs and still manage to work full time, run my household and be the fabulous mother and wife that I am?
I do the thing that most women do best….I multi-task like hell. And having a lap-top with a wire-less connection helps immensely.
-Like right now-I am writing this while participating/listening in on a conference call that has lasted for. freaking. ever.
-I carpool to work the three days a week that I physically go in, and I only have to drive every other week. The week that I don’t drive, chances are you will see more posts, because I will usually write something up on the drive home.
-I only go out to lunch 1 of those three days. The other two days I eat my lunch at my desk and try to read all my blogs during that time. I also get up probably 30 minutes earlier than I really need to in the morning, not just to read/maybe write a post myself, but if there is time it’s a bonus!
-Jake and Olivia have gymnastics for 1 hour each, once a week on separate days (of course). While I sometimes end up chatting with the other moms the whole time during Olivia’s class, no one really talks during Jake’s class, so I utilize that whole hour to write a post or two.
-My husband rocks. He does 90% of the bedtime duties, which allows me to do the final cleanup of the house and to get everything ready for the next day. The kids are down and we are free for whatever by 8:00 every night. We will sit on the couch together and watch a show or two, and unless it is LOST (where I really need to pay attention) I can write/read at the same time, I am sitting next to the hubby, I’ll even talk to him give him a kiss or two so he doesn’t feel neglected, and everyone is happy.
-If life is really busy and work isn’t so busy, and I feel like I haven’t posted enough or written anything worthwhile in a while, shhhh don’t tell my boss, I will, under the pretense of writing a report or an email, write up a post during my time physically at work. I don’t advocate this…..but I have a feeling many of us do it. It’s really no different than a smoke break, which I don’t do because I don’t smoke.
Some of the guidelines that I have had to set upon myself so that my family time didn’t suffer, was to not do any blogging while the children were awake and not otherwise engaged in a worthwhile activity. I typically do not write on the weekends, since that is family time. I do try to stay on top of the reading on the weekends however, but I won’t comment as often. Most of the reading is done while the kids are sleeping or if they are watching a movie, I will sit next to them and “cheat” on my rule and and read then as well.
Posts
19 comments:
"If life is really busy and work isn’t so busy, and I feel like I haven’t posted enough or written anything worthwhile in a while, shhhh don’t tell my boss, I will, under the pretense of writing a report or an email, write up a post during my time physically at work. I don’t advocate this…..but I have a feeling many of us do it. It’s really no different than a smoke break, which I don’t do because I don’t smoke."
Now, now, who would you be talking about here? teehee.
Blogging is my outlet. When I go home at night I just want to relax. However, I typically have a post written up at work, MOST of the time during lunchtime, and I just put the finishing touches on it at night. If I have a fresh post I want to start I will occassionally start it before my son goes to bed, but the majority of rough draft at home posts I do are done after 9pm. Some nights I watch TV. Some nights I blog. I wonder if the people who say they have no time for blogs also have no time for TV.
I know what you mean about the stigma attached to blogging and I say screw it. I don't tell people IRL about my blog (okay, I've told TWO people who I know won't judge me, an ex-boyfriend, and a good friend, BOTH from my first Air Force base), because they'll roll their eyes, ignore it, or whatever. Plus, it gives me more freedom to talk about the things I want to talk about.
I had friends give me a hard time about blogging until I started getting free stuff like a Wii and paid for doing something I love. Suddenly they wanted to know how to start on so they could get free stuff.
I sacrifice sleep so I can blog. I do it late at night and sometimes during Marigrace's nap when I should be cleaning. Really, cleaning is such a waste of time because by the end of the day I have nothing to show for it since the house is a mess again. At least blogging has a satisfying end result.
That's so funny because I've been totally behind this week on reading, and I don't post until I feel "compelled to." I am not much interested in anything on tv except LOST, so reading blogs is how I "unwind" before I go to bed.
I also do it at work when I'm bored:)
I don't think it's "having" the time as much as it is "making" the time. Would I rather blog than do the laundry? Sure, but blogging doesn't get me clean shirts. But while the shirts are in the dryer, I might post.
I've drafted posts at work during lunch (which might start at 10:00 a.m., shhh) Sometimes I post later in the afternoon or after I get home and get Maddy to bed.
I blog as an outlet for my humor or my angst or just a random stream of consciousness. I haven't had any negative comments about my blogging; and I hope to inspire others to blog.
Oh my gosh....i TOTALLY hear ya!!! Completely!! I feel the SAME way...anytime I tell someone i have a blog...they act like I must be a crazy internet junkie or something! It drives me crazy!!! I jump on in the morning before anyone else wakes up..and I jump on at naptime. Sometimes I get on for a bit at night...but not usually.
I do not claim to be the best at time management. I may only get in one post a week some weeks. But I do utilize naptime when there is something to read or write. I usually wait to eat my lunch until C.B. is at school and the Banana is in bed, so I often eat at the computer and read. Writing for me is more time and thought consuming, but I usually find time at some point during the week to put a post or two together.
The part of your post that hit home for me was the part about people telling you that they’d get around to reading your blog, when you knew they wouldn’t do it. That gets me too. My best friends don’t even read my blog, and that’s always bothered me. Obviously there’s nothing I can do about that, but I do try to mention some tidbit of information or a cute picture they missed by not checking it out. You know…I try to rub it in a little. It doesn’t stop me from writing, though, and I so enjoy reading other blogs that I will continue to make time for that too.
Busy people always find a way of doing the things that are important to them.
I blog while my dh is putting the kids to bed, or on my self given lunch break. In the evening, if dh is watching a movie I may blog or scrapbook. I don't always find time, but I love it so I try.
Most of my friends, who aren't bloggers never 'find time' to read mine. oh well. I have made so many wonderful friends blogging.
aren't you glad you convinced me to start a blog...I am so funny and a fab writer...right?
How I find time. I have replaced food with coffee and sleep for sex. I figure the coffee makes up for lack of sleep and sex makes up for no exercise. And to think I cannot come up with better blog ideas:)
I make time...because I deserve it!
And as for the stereotypes...yeah, I'm used to that! They can kiss my white hiney for all I care! I could be judgemental to all of them too!!!
Stupid people are just stupid, stupid people! Stupid! :0)
i don't have the time constraint that those pesky kids demand, so i know it is much easier for me. that said, it's not always easy to get a quality post up, keep up with the reading, and keep up with commenting. that said, writing has always been a release for me. . . so even if i stress about needing to write, once i get inspired and actually do it, it's uplifting for my soul. and i just love the community that we bloggers have formed. and who can say that that's a waste of time?
My laptop with wireless connection is my lifesaver! I can be with the kids while they watch TV and take 30 minutes to blog. After the kids leave the breakfast table, I usually take another 30 minutes to savor my coffee and read other blogs!
My husband does 90% of bedtime duties, too! How funny!
I usually do it during the day while at work. I usually only spend 20 minutes reading and don't post as often as I should. I am still an infant in the blogging world and took it up this January as something to do since I finished school. I haven't heard any negativity yet,but I'm sure it's to come. Keep up the good work!
I'm still more of a reader than a poster. I do most of my reading/poster when I am at work. Believe me, I have loads of free time. And I keep the knowledge that I blog to myself.
I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling this way- blogging is a part of my life, and because it brings me happiness, connections, an outlet to vent, or all of the above, I will make time for it whenever possible.
Thanks for the nod!
I was just wondering this question too, actually. But not in a negative way. More along the lines of "how are people able to fit so much into one day? Do my time management skills suck THAT bad?
As in there are people who are reading a hundred blog posts a day and writing several times a week. How are they doing it?
I've had to really cut back on the blogging -- not because I wanted to but because the person I live with expects a super clean house, refuses to pick up after himself and won't lift a finger to help out with anything in any way. As in, he comes home, opens his computer and that's literally it. He works his job and comes home. I do everything else. He won't even bring his plate to the sink.
He definitely thinks I'm some pampered housewife because I blog -- even tho I'm starting to make a bit of money. He looks at it as the housework comes first, then our son, then what other obligations/his needs. If I have any time left over, then I can either watch tv or blog. (Which is what, 45 minutes a day a few times a week? Note this is my ONLY hobby whereas the hubby will spend several hours a night on Party Poker.)
My computer is also slower than shit.SO I think it must take me longer to get to a post/send a comment, etc.
So at times I wonder too how everyone is fitting it in with jobs, multiple children. But you are really smart about how you spend your time. Very cool.
Great post.
First thing in the morning I usually sit down with my coffee and catch up on emails and other networking sites for about an hour. The girls wake up, I give them breakfast, then I'm usually off doing mommy things until nap time.
The girls usually have a two hour nap during the day. That is when I do some reading and writing.
In the evening, around dinner prep, I read and catch up a bit.
Finally, at around 8 or 9pm, the girls go to sleep and I go hardcore into blog reading and commenting. I don't watch TV, so I do a lot of blogging stuff then. It's my serious time, when I know the kids are down for the night. I tend to stay up until about 1am PST.
That said, I am still never caught up. Blog writing, reading, commenting and cre8Buzz could be a full-time job if I had the chance :)
I can't tell you how many times I've heard the condescending, "I just don't have time for that sort of stuff!"
One of my sister's friends said it after she sat at my sister's kitchen table gossiping for 2 hours. It'a all about what you're into.
If I happen to mention that I have a blog, most people look at me as if I have 2 heads. Only a few loved ones check mine out on a regular basis. One coworker, after reading my blog, said, "I really liked it, but how do you find the time to do that? I would rather spend time with my child". Grrr....I have always loved to write, so to me, my blog is a place to vent, share my experiences and be creative. It is my own little piece of the cyberworld. I also like reading and commenting on other blogs. It gives you a lot of insight on human psychology.
Well, as evident in my recent 6 week absence from blog reading and writing, I AM sometimes too busy!
Sometimes I'm too busy, because I'm well, TOO BUSY. Sometimes I'm too busy, because well, I'm just not up to it at the moment.
I usually read and comment on blogs while I'm at work. We have dial up at home, and I just don't have the 37 hours to spare that it would take to load the 8-10 blogs I read. Besides, we own our business, and if claims are submitted and all other paperwork up to date, the only thing I'm required to do is sit there and answer the phone - might as well keep myself busy.
Posting to the blog I usually do at home, sometimes after the kids go to bed, but sometimes while I'm making dinner. Which is why I wanted a desk built into the new kitchen - computer is right there, and better yet, it's the only one in the house connected to the internet, so the kids' time on the intenet is well supervised with me right there in the kitchen with them.
I don't think anyone I actually know knows I have a blog. Well, not true, a good friend from home knows, but she doesn't read it often because she 'doesn't have time'. She is too busy quilting, or some other craft - and I envy that! I think that's what it really comes down to with most people - they do something ELSE with their time, so make negative sounding comments in regards to anyone having time to read or write a blog. Funny how bloggers don't say similar things to them about what they do with their time! I don't comment to my friend in Missouri about how does she find the time to quilt? I am just jealous that she manages to arrange to have the time to do it. If I spent less time blogging, I'd have more time to knit. But then again, it's easy to spend just a few minutes reading or writing a blog - a lot harder to pick up knitting, find your 'place' in the pattern, and actually knit. Right now the socks on my needles have cables - I need to CONCENTRATE to knit those, and I just don't the time to devote to that right now!
Post a Comment