It is hard to balance the time you spend on blogging and keeping up with social media while keeping a small business going. Since opening my Etsy shop in 2008, I’ve tried, failed and revised the ways to be productive so as not to drive myself insane with multiple tasks. Although I enjoy writing blog posts, it is my goal to get it done in a minimal amount of time. This way I can focus on designing, sewing, improving my skills and marketing the shop.Through out the revising process, I have learnt some more efficient ways to handle things and wanted to share them with you. I am always refining the these process so I can be more efficient. If you have any tips, please comment below!
Do One Thing at a Time
This might sound obvious, but you will be surprised how often you are trying to multi-task (in an inefficient manner). For instance, I try not to touch my phone while I am doing something on my computer, whether it is responding to emails from customers, editing photos or writing an invoice. I try my best to focus on one thing and get it done quickly rather than trying to do more than one thing at a time.
Use a Timer
I’ve have learned over time that I get more things done if I know I have the limited time, as opposed to having a lot of time. So I keep a timer at hand and do things within a set time. You will be surprised how much you can do in 10 minutes.
Schedule Social Media Posts ahead of Time
I schedule a weeks worth of instagram posts using Latergram, and do the same for Facebook Page. Latergram will allow you to schedule up to 25 posts per month. You can upgrade your account to schedule more. I like Latergram since it lets you post from your computer. I hate sending myself photos I took with DSLR, open and save in my phone and finally to post on instagram. It adds so many more steps to the posting process. Using Latergram, you can schedule posts at the same time you write a blog post instead of going on your instagram app on the phone later on. It also helps you have a consistent posts. You don’t want to see a person or company posts 10 pictures at the same time to spam your feed or on the other hand, see no updates at all. You will need to download the Latergram app, since Instagram does not allow you to post automatically. Latergram will send you a reminder when your scheduled time comes to post it. I actually think this is good since it forces you to review your posts for any spelling mistakes or add hash tags before publishing the post.
Write a Blog Post While You are Still Motivated
In the past, I would often take pictures of my creation or behind-the-scene of photoshoot, never to post them to the blog. I spent time on styling the photos, taking pictures and editing them but by the time I sit down and write about those pictures, I’ve lost interest. It is such a waist! I should have rather not spent taking pictures at all if I am not going to see it through to the finish.
I find the best time for writing a blog post is when I am motivated. Whenever some ideas strike or I am excited to have made a new piece of clothes, I jot down my thoughts quickly and send it to myself, so later I can edit it and schedule a post. 
Find me elsewhere:
Andy gave me these heatless curlers! I do heatless curls overnight some nights. I usually wet my hair a bit and taking a piece of rag, I roll my hair with it and sleep with that on my hair. The curls usually last all day and I like that fact that it does not damage my hair. He always made fun of me for having rags all twisted up in my hair at bedtime so he bought me these plastic tube curlers. I haven’t tried them yet but they seem more comfortable than having rags in my hair!
Happy New Year! You can tell that I’m getting old since I went to bed at 10:30pm on New Year Eve’s. I used to stay up all night for the holiday but I couldn’t care less now. I need my 8 hours of sleep!
