Peace of Mind Organizing

Falling back into a habit

23 March 2016

It always amazes me how even the most engrained habits can fall by the wayside through a shift of routine. The silver lining is that once we’ve created a good habit it’s easier to get back into it than starting from scratch.

Case in point: Blogging. I’ve been blogging on this blog for seven-and-a-half years, since 2008. In recent years I’ve fallen into a fairly steady habit of blogging twice a week, usually on Mondays and Thursdays. In 2012, I added another blog, Organize Your Family History. I try to blog there on Tuesdays and Fridays.

So for the past couple of years, I’ve blogged four days a week. I don’t plan my blog posts (or write them) ahead of time. As you might be able to tell from reading the blogs, I write about whatever is on my mind that day, which usually works well for me.

But my five-month-old standard poodle puppy, Bix, has thrown my blogging routine into flux. It’s easier to keep an eye on him in our living area, rather than my office, so I’ve been bringing my laptop to the dining room in the evening. That’s actually closer to our bedroom than my office, so I’ve started doing my morning work at the dining room table. I get up before Bix and my husband, Barry, so being in the dining room makes it easier for me to get Bix out of his crate if he starts stirring.

There’s something about the change in location that is disrupting my blogging schedule. I used to wake up and think about what I would blog about that day. And then I’d blog when I reached my office a short time later. Now that I’m not necessarily going to my office until after I walk Bix, I’m not remembering to blog. It’s the strangest thing.

But I know the value of blogging and I don’t want to disappoint my readers, so here’s how I’m going to get back into my blogging groove:

• I’m going to create a list of posts for the next two weeks so I don’t have to come up with a post each day.
• I’m going to set a reminder on my phone about 8 a.m. when I’m most likely to be available to blog.
• After I have my blog calendar set up I’m going to try to take or find photos for the posts so that it’s easier to actually create the post.
• I’ll try to pre-write a couple of posts for some upcoming days where I know it would be challenging to blog.

For me, putting these intentions here provides needed accountability and also helps bring my blogging habit top of mine. I enjoy blogging. And I know it doesn’t have to difficult. Today, while I have a little time, I’m going to take some steps to make it even easier to get back into my blogging habit.

Photo by Christophe Benoit via Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License

Tagged with: blogging, habits

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