by Skellie
Photo by Hamed Saber
I found myself thinking about an article I read a month ago on Zen Habits today, called “Wake Up: Are You Living Consciously?” The memory was prompted by a feeling of regret I had about pouring many hours of my time into a role at my university’s magazine — something I ended up getting very little out of in return.
About half-way through my commitment to the magazine I’d decided that I didn’t like the kind of writing I was doing, and that I no longer wanted to be a journalist. Yet I stayed on, wasting more time and energy on the project. It wouldn’t have been hard to find someone else to fill the role. My mistake was running on autopilot. I never took the time to evaluate what I was doing, so I continued to pour my time down the drain on something that contributed little to my life and what I want to do with it.
Living consciously is about analyzing and evaluating your actions, habits and behaviors, rather than simply doing. In other words, asking why rather than doing without really thinking.
I think it’s vital to remember the importance of this is a counter-balance to all of the ideas on productivity being pushed around. We can get so caught up in being productive that we don’t take the time to evaluate whether the task we want to hone down to a fine art is actually worth doing!
Adapting this idea, it’s also worth considering whether you’re blogging consciously. Are you so caught up in doing everything, all the time, that you’ve forgotten to ask whether something is really worth doing?
If you feel like you might be blogging on autopilot, here are some important questions to ask yourself. The answers might help jolt you into consciousness.
1. Evaluate why you started your blog in the first place. Are you getting what you wanted out of it?
2. Ask yourself where you want your blog to be in one year. Are you moving it in that direction, or keeping it in one place? If your blog is stagnating, it’s time to shake up your strategy.
3. Are the types of content you’re producing getting the results you hoped? If not, change them.
4. Are you spending ‘blogging time’ on tasks that don’t really help your blog? Could you change the way you use ‘blogging time’?
5. Is your blogging strategy working for you? If not, sit down and re-evaluate it.
6. Is blogging enjoyable for its own sake, or a chore? If your blogging feels like a chore, it’s time to re-focus on the things that made it exciting in the first place.
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30 Comments, Comment or Ping
How To Rule The World
I think you are right and that many people blog for no reason and have no real valuable content on there site. I recently read an article that said to find bloggers that are not main stream, keep in contact and network with them. I find this the most difficult task so far for blogging, mainly because I have to sift through endless blogs that have no interesting content.
I just created a goals list for my blog for 2008. Actually I am just starting my blog, but one thing I have noticed about the bigger bloggers is that most of them set goals, in writing and attempt to accomplish them by doing and try to become better writers. I think the six tips above can help many evaluate if the content they are writing is worth reading, or are the just blogging about nonsense because they feel they have to
Jan 6th, 2008
Steve Nguyen - BeyondBehaviors.Com
Although I’ve been blogging for almost 2 years, I felt burnt out and two months ago refocused my blog. I completely changed it’s contents and direction. With the help of Lorelle on WordPress’ tips on Finding Your Blog Focus, I made the successful transition towards blogging more “consciously.”
When I analyze my blog with the questions you posed: Why I started it, where I want it to go, what its content is, and whether it’s enjoyable - I feel good about my decision to shift gears from talking about trauma and crisis intervention to one of personal development and transformation.
Jan 6th, 2008
Jack
Ironically, I went through this thought process right before the new year, which is why I now have only one blog for all the things I like writing about. I decided I’m not in it for a huge audience on a single-topic blog. If I change my mind later, I can always export my posts to another wordpress install.
Jan 6th, 2008
plonkee
Yes, I’m still getting out of it what I was looking for, the chance to write and have people write back. I still love blogging, I just need to remember why I still love it.
Jan 6th, 2008
Mark
Hi Skellie - this is a very good question (and post) that I think does a very nice job of going beyond how much traffic is your site getting…meaning, sometimes low traffic can lead to blogging frustration and loss of consciousness.
In order for me to stay “conscious,” when I write my posts I assume that I am the only person who is going to read them (which sometimes is true ;-))
But, this method keeps the joy of blogging very much on the surface.
Jan 6th, 2008
Michael from Pro Blog Design
I suppose there’s no better time than a new year to carry out such a review. I think I’ll take some time out later on and go through my blog like this, and to set some goals for the year ahead.
Jan 6th, 2008
Mrs. Micah
There are days when I ask myself why I blog. But then I learn something somewhere, get excited, and want to share it. And I say, “Oh right, that’s why.”
Jan 7th, 2008
Sean Hodge
These are good questions to ask yourself as your blog matures.
The space between where you are at when you started your blog and where it is at now and where you are at now can be great. I suppose over time it could be hard to change the direction of your blog if it has grow a certain way.
I’m way to new to the game to need to ask these questions now though.
Jan 7th, 2008
Tibi Puiu
Great questions, I’ve been actually faced with the issue in the past, not in blogging, but in other activities, that used to passionate me, but with which I soon lost interest. I did the terrible mistake of marching on, instead of quiting. I was basically wasting everyone’s time, not only mine.
Jan 7th, 2008
Alfa King
Rightly said; if blogging feels like a chore, there’s definitely something wrong somewhere, and you’ll need to ask yourself the question “why you started your blog?”.
Well highlighted food for thought, Skellie.
Jan 7th, 2008
Conrad Hees
This is a topic that has been weighing heavily on my mind the past few days. I have been spending a great deal of time going back and forth, networking with other bloggers. While it is very fulfilling, and is getting me subscribers and relationships, I am not getting alot of other, more important taks finished.
This article really helped me to keep focused at all times on where I am trying to go with my blogging goals.
Thanks for another good post, Skellie!
Jan 7th, 2008
Nez
I just started my own blog this January 1st, although I was thinking about it for a while, and have been reading sites like yours and Zen Habits (among others, there are so many good ones) for inspiration.
Thank you for another insightful post — I guess for me it will be a good idea periodically review the direction I’m headed, once I’ve actually blogged a while.
Jan 7th, 2008
Lin
It took me a little while to become focused on what I wanted my blog to be about. For the last year I’ve stayed very focused, writing posts that I believe in personally and that may be helpful to others, and not worrying about if or when someone will ever read the post.
Since I’ve been doing that, I’d had an increased flow of traffic and comments and subscribers. I just have to stay true to myself, and continue enjoying what I’m doing.
Jan 7th, 2008
David
I think we all go through phases of this - starting off strong, getting stuck in ruts, just maintaining the sites, etc.. It’s when it becomes a chore that you realize you either have to step it up a notch or abandon ship - and blogging consciously is important for both you and the readers. It’s a tough thing to maintain all the time, but definitely worth the effort. Thanks for the reminder!
Jan 7th, 2008
JEMi
this is a concept I try to keep intact every time I start a new post… And it does wonders so I’m thrilled that you wrote about this
When you write about what you care about, readers can detect the heart in your message
I’m going to bookmark this posting
thanks skellie!
Jan 7th, 2008
Evan
Hi Skellie,
Evaluation is important.
Being conscious is more than this. There is awareness of process - that you are doing what you are doing. This is more than evaluating it.
There is also awareness of motivation. If we blog there is a reason for it. It may be of great relevance to discover what this is.
Consciousness is more than analysis (do you have an academic background?).
Evan
Jan 7th, 2008
Stephanie
That’s something I’ve been thinking about lately too. I’ve been realizing that some of my blogs and sites were started for the wrong reasons, or I thought I would enjoy the topic, but it’s turning out to be a drag. Having them on the to-do list slows everything else down, even those that I enjoy.
Jan 7th, 2008
Ritu
Thanks for the questions ( and post ) Skellie! it’s always nice to ask onseself questions and reflect on the answers.
All the questions you have listed here are certainly something we can all look into and find answers to. I myself, at times feel the same way you did while you were working on your university magazine. But in the longrun I think blogging will bring me some success, one way or the other.
And if success is measured in terms of contacts and friends, then I would have to say I have been pretty successful :-).
Jan 7th, 2008
Joyce
Wow, thank you for an eye-opening post. I’ve really been on a quest recently to live my life intentionally. It is so very easy to get sucked in to time wasting activities instead of really focusing on what is most important and putting my energy there. My blog is fairly new and I appreciate you giving me some direction in intentional blogging.
Jan 8th, 2008
skellie
Hey everyone, thanks for your comments! I’ve read them all but I haven’t been able to respond to all of them (it’s been a crazy couple of days!).
@ Nez: Congratulations on starting a blog :). I’m just heading over there to have a look…
@ Evan: I think I talk about consciousness in the article: “In other words, asking why rather than doing without really thinking.” –> Awareness of process.
“Evaluate why you started your blog in the first place. Are you getting what you wanted out of it?” –> Motivation.
But maybe I emphasized the evaluation too heavily. Something for me to think about :).
Jan 9th, 2008
storyteller
What a timely post for me to happen upon this morning! I’m considering what to write in my 100th post at Sacred Ruminations. Yesterday I gave short-shrift to my 100th post at Small Reflections because I was distracted by the semi-final tennis match between Djokovic and Federer, but wanted to participate in Haiku Friday as I’ve done the past few weeks … and did a quickie. I suspect I’ll spend time today reflecting on what you’ve shared here and perhaps do some journaling on paper before I post anything today on either blog. Thanks. I suspect I’ll be back to read more when time permits.
Hugs and blessings,
Jan 27th, 2008
Sonia Simone
This is a very interesting conversation. I’m not very goal-oriented with my blog. In a lot of ways, my blog exists for its own sake. I enjoy writing about the stuff I write about. I enjoy the conversations that sparks. I enjoy the whole process of finding an image and tying it to the words and even coding it up.
I wouldn’t say that every blogger should blog just because they want their blog to exist, but I think you need to have at least a bit of that to have a really wonderful blog. If it’s only about the result and not the process, a piece of writing (or any kind of creative work) lacks spark and vitality. In my UNBELIEVABLY HUMBLE opinion.
I like Evan’s comment very much.
It’s a bit like the difference between awareness and mindfulness. My dharma teacher is going to be really annoyed that I can’t remember which is which, but basically one (awareness, I think) is just being attuned to what you are doing and staying out of autopilot (which is a very good and important thing), and the other is that gentle work of bringing your mind (and thus your actions) to some given point, whether it’s engagement in your meditation or work or play or parenting or friendship or whatever it may be that you want to focus on.
I probably do a little of both. I do try to be very aware of what the blog is doing and what I’m focusing on. But I also let it wander from the chosen path a little, and I like to watch it as it goes where it decides to go. Letting things wander, making some space for the unexpected, is very important in creative work–or at least I have found it so.
(By the way, I have always loved that particular photo of Hamed’s.)
Jan 30th, 2008
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