Stay Sane When Mummy Blogging: 20 Tips to Keep you Motivated Daily
“The secret of your success is found in your daily routine” - John Maxwell
As a mum, it can be so hard to stay motivated with anything and to keep up with a blog alongside all the “mummying” tasks, can feel totally overwhelming and daunting.
When you have little ones that always need your constant attention, how are you supposed to fit in any kind of blogging time?
I wanted to share some tips with you today that have helped me stay motivated and consistent with my blogging.
It’s not easy, I will say that. Nothing that takes time, effort and consistency are ever easy, but because starting a blog is soooooooo worth it, it’s imperative that you find ways that work for you to stay motivated…
So, let’s get into it and see how to stay sane when mummy blogging: 20 tips to keep you motivated…
I think you will find this post super duper helpful and actionable!
“This post may contain affiliate links and if you make a purchase using one of my links, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you”.
#1 - Plan Blogging Tasks
The first tip for today is this one!
I always sit down on a Sunday evening and plan out roughly what it is I want to achieve with my blog for the following week.
Now, this is in no way in-depth at all. This is a brief and rough scribble as to the things I’d like to get done.
Usually, this consists of things like:
Write a Blog Post
Edit & Schedule Blog Post
Create 3 Pin Images for this week’s Blog Post
Create Instagram & Facebook Posts to go with Blog Post
Put together Email for Subscribers
Watch a couple of Videos/Read a couple of blog posts to learn something new…
This is not exhaustive and doesn’t remain exactly the same every week.
I’m currently looking to add more videos to my YouTube channel, so I’m putting together notes and outlining these as well each week at the moment!
I just like to have some idea of what I want to do and also I find it easier to do this on a Sunday when I know what I’ve got planned for the week ahead.
When it comes to any appointments, catching up with friends or family or helping out at my boy’s schools for school trips, days out etc, I can factor my blogging tasks around all of these.
I know when the weeks are really busy, I can’t do it all, so my blog will have less time dedicated to it during these busy spells – and that’s OK!
#2 - Prioritise what's important for Maximum Productivity
Next up is making sure to prioritise what’s important for the week!
It’s very easy to think that everything is important – and in one way, it probably is, however, when it comes to your blog and getting ANYTHING done on it, you have to use a priority system…
I always set myself 3 tasks a day at the most.
This may not seem a lot, but trust me, I get a heck of a lot more done when I have a small to-do list, than when I have tons of things on there staring back at me.
Big lists for me = overwhelm and getting zero done!
But to be clear – within those 3 tasks, nine times out of ten they’re quite big tasks anyway, such as outlining an entire blog post (which includes keyword research and general research) or creating Pin images or Social graphics for several blog posts etc…
The tasks are always time-consuming, therefore warranting a lot of time dedicated to them.
How do I know what to prioritise?
With loads to do, it can feel like you don’t know where to start when it comes to setting a priority list!
But it doesn’t need to be and you can sort through the fog by looking at what’s most relevant to moving your blog forward!
As bloggers, especially when you’re a beginner – your priority should always be to write and publish as many blog posts of value as you can. In order for your blog to rank and be seen, you have to write consistently and have fresh content appearing in the search results every week. So start by making sure writing a blog post is at the top of your task list every week…
You also want to make sure once your post is written, it’s getting as many eyeballs on it as possible. That means sharing it on all your platforms and social media. Wherever your audiences are hanging out, you want to make sure they’re seeing your content. This isn’t scary or massively time-consuming. I schedule all my social media posts at the same time via either Canva’s Content Planner or Tailwind. I can then forget about it as it will all post automatically alongside my blog post.
Look at what commitments you have with your blog. For example, maybe you need to write a guest post! This is a super important task you need to prioritise as it’s a commitment you’ve made to someone else and should be done before anything else.
Your priority tasks are always those which will move your blog forward in some way.
Tasks which will help you achieve a blogging goal, such as gaining more email subscribers, making money from your blog or making sure your posts are Search Engine Optimised as best they can be…
You can see how you can go through and look at what needs to be done first as a MUST and then you can slot in all the other things you want to do around those.
#3 - Do something FUN!
What’s life if you aren’t having fun…
It’s really, really important to make sure you’re having some fun!
It’s so easy to get wrapped up in being a mum and blogging and everything else that gets thrown at you, but setting time aside to have some much-needed fun will do you the world of good.
I like to catch up for coffee with my best friend and spend time with her and her little boy – I miss mine so much now they’re at school all day.
I also love to listen to Techno music and dance around my living room – especially if I feel like things are getting the better of me.
This lifts my mood every single time!
If you’re looking for fun, blogging things to do when you’re having “one of those crazy days” then create some graphics or an Infographic!
Doing something creative is much better for your mindset than writing a blog post if you’re just not in the right frame of mind…
Plus, you’re still doing something “blogging” related, so it’s not a waste of your time.
#4 - Make Time for Yourself
Going alongside the theme of having fun, I also think it’s extremely important to make time for yourself.
We should all be making time for self-care, especially as mums, as it’s a necessity for our health and wellbeing.
I know personally how trying to do everything can affect the way you are, both as a mum and as a person!
I used to literally stay up all hours around a baby and toddler to get things done and I was exhausted. It didn’t do me any good and I wasn’t being productive or getting half as much done as I thought I would because I was so tired.
You don’t have to work all hours to be successful with your blog. You can still get it off the ground and make things happen – it’ll take you longer and that’s ok.
Of course, there will be times when you have to put in lots of hours when you’re maybe doing a launch of a new product or course etc… but it doesn’t have to become your “blogging norm”.
We’re mums and with that comes huge responsibilities to the little people we have to take care of. That will always be our #1 priority…
Making time for yourself can manifest in all kinds of ways:
Getting more sleep ( I know it isn’t easy when you have a baby and are awake all the time)…
Meditating
Exercising and taking even just 15/20 minutes out of your day to do this
Going for a walk on a beautiful day
Taking a relaxing bath with essential oils
All of these things are going to make you feel amazing and will give you more energy to get the things done you need to during your day.
#5 - Read lots of Books
If I’m lacking in motivation, there’s nothing quite like a good book to get me feeling inspired and raring to go again!
I love reading about other entrepreneurs, and getting tips and advice from them because they’ve been there and gone through the same crazy journey…
You can check out some of my favourite entrepreneurial books that have really helped me and changed my mindset.
Sometimes you just need to read about someone else’s path to help you get clarity and focus. It really can make a huge difference in how you feel.
It’s not just entrepreneurial books I like to read though. I also love delving into historical fiction and crime thrillers too, as they help me relax and unwind.
If you’re in a big “lack of motivation” slump, sometimes it’s best to just not work on your blog and take an hour or two to completely switch off.
Walk away and come back once you’ve had a break!
#6 - Listen to Inspiring Podcasts
I absolutely adore podcasts, especially when I’m working and there’s so many out there, you’re spoilt for choice, which can be very overwhelming!
With tons out there, it can be hard to find ones which are interesting and worth listening to, so below are some of the ones I listen to and love.
I love to learn and find out what makes other entrepreneurs tick, so these shows are great for that…
I listen to all of my podcasts on Spotify, but they’re all on Apple too!
BossMum Podcast with Dana Malstaff
She Dreams All Day with Mia Brox
She Means Business with Carrie Green
Your Lifestyle Business with Jo Barnes
This list is NOT all of the podcasts I love and listen to, there’s loads more, but these are some of my faves!
Check some of them out because a fab podcast can really change the way you think and feel, especially when you’re lacking that much-needed motivation.
As a mum, podcasts are also great because you can listen to them anywhere while doing pretty much anything.
When your baby’s sleeping on you, you can enjoy a podcast while resting and having a cuddle with them or listen to an episode or two when you’re working on blogging tasks on your laptop…
You’ll be amazed how a good podcast can make you feel so much better and give you that push to get going with the things you need to get done.
#7 - Watch helpful YouTube Videos
Who doesn’t love a video, but as well as all the funny animals and celebrity vlogs, there’s so many educational videos on there which can really help you.
I’m not trying to encourage you to be spending hours and hours watching YouTube – not at all, but when you’re feeling totally unmotivated, sometimes watching a video can really lift you up!
I’m talking about TED Talks and inspiring stories which can help you to see things differently and shift your mood to a better one.
These kinds of videos can help you when you feel like you’re plummeting.
They can help to give you tips and advice and I love it when you’re watching a video and something really awesome and unexpected is shared and it’s just super-duper helpful!
#8 - Take Breaks and Eat and drink plenty of Water
A lot of the time, being a mummy blogger involves working non-stop!
It can be really hard to take a break when there’s so much to get done, however, it’s way more beneficial to you (and your blog and children) to actually take regular breaks…
You need to stop and make time to eat so that you can refuel your tank and give yourself more energy to carry on.
We’re tired anyway – that’s a fact being mums, but we don’t want to be adding fuel to the already lit fire, by draining our energy levels and not refilling them.
Take a proper break and make something healthy to eat, so that you’re giving your body and mind the best boost you can.
Also, make sure you’re always sipping water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
Your brain needs water to stay focused, so in order to keep yourself motivated in any activity, be sure to drink plenty…
#9 - Don't allow yourself to Think Negatively
If anything is going to cause you to be unmotivated, it’s thinking negatively.
Negative thinking has a profound impact on every aspect of your life.
When it comes to blogging, it’s all too easy to be self-critical.
Constantly looking at what you’re NOT doing or what you should be doing…
It can have a real impact on the way you think and feel about yourself and what you do.
Blogging has so many moving parts and it can be incredibly tough sometimes to navigate through it all.
There’s so much to learn and get to grips with, but you have to learn to give yourself grace and accept that things aren’t always going to go the way you want them to.
If that blog post isn’t going in the right direction or the video you’re trying to record just doesn’t look or sound right – don’t worry… step back and take a breather and then go back to it with fresh eyes.
When this happens to me (which is a lot as I’m annoyingly such a perfectionist) I sometimes step away for the day and then come back to it the next morning.
This is more for when I’m getting super frustrated with something in particular.
For me, I find this so much more productive and less of a mental strain!
#10 - Connect with Others
I love connecting with other mummy bloggers, as it gives me a real sense of belonging.
There’s nothing more rewarding and amazing than being able to speak to women who are building businesses alongside being a mum!
They’re the superheroes who balance many plates and are just incredible…
When I sit and think about it, I get so overwhelmed at how powerful mums and women are with all that they do each and every day.
You need a support network when you’re blogging because it can be so lonely, sitting at your computer working away… There’s no office full of people, it’s just you and your babies!
Honestly, you need to join some Facebook Groups, follow some awesome mummy bloggers on Instagram and connect, engage and communicate.
It’s amazing the relationships you can build online when you’re around like-minded people who know what you’re going through and can have your back, giving you advice and support when you need it.
Sometimes our family and friends just don’t get it (or maybe don’t even know about your blog) and that’s ok, so it’s important to know that you have your tribe at the ready to talk to…
#11 - Journal
I was never a person who journaled – I just didn’t get what all the fuss was about, to be honest, but I have to say that writing in a journal has changed my life mentally.
I use the 6-Minute Diary and I love it…
It’s simple and easy to complete and literally only takes a few minutes a day (hence the title).
I’ve found that since writing in my journal daily, I have a lot more clarity. It also makes me feel brighter and more focused.
We all have so many things floating around our brains and this can cause brain fog and severe overwhelm, but by writing down something as simple as what you’re grateful for and how you’re going to make the day great can really shift how you think and see things.
I don’t want to bang on in this post about how journaling is amazing, but I know I’m a lot more motivated knowing that I’m clearing my mind first thing in the morning and feel lighter to start the day ahead.
Even if you don’t have an actual journal, just writing thoughts and feelings down on a piece of paper works wonders.
We’re all so used to keeping things in, when really we should be letting it all out so that our minds can breathe…
#12 - Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
This one’s an absolute annoyance and yet one we ALL do…
I feel like it’s built-in and we just can’t help it, but we have to stop comparing ourselves to everyone else.
When you’re scrolling Instagram and you see amazing people who are so successful and seem to have it all figured out, it makes you feel rubbish!
But you have to remember this – you don’t know where they are in their journey, or how long it’s taken them to get to the stage you’re looking at right now!
I want to say this though, you can sure as heck know that they’re not at the beginning like you may be and you can also sure as heck know they’ve put in a lot of hard work, time and consistency to be the success they’re at today!
They started out fresh and as a newbie at some point… they’re no different to you.
People don’t just wake up successful and with loads of money (unless they win the lottery) they’ve put tons of time into growing whatever it is they’ve grown, to the level of success it’s at!
There’s nothing more disturbing and detrimental to your own success and motivation than comparison.
Put a positive spin on seeing others and their success when you’re scrolling your feed and see it as a push to strive for that kind of success yourself and if you really can’t handle seeing it all the time – don’t follow them/watch their videos etc… Remove yourself from the ring entirely.
The only thing you should be concentrating on is YOU and what you’re doing – that’s it. Don’t worry about what other people are doing and how they’re progressing because we’re all at different stages, taking different paths on our own individual journeys…
#13 - Get some Fresh Air
When you’re feeling stagnant, it can be helpful to get out and get some fresh air.
If you can, step outside for a few minutes and take some deep breaths. Or, if you can’t get outside, open a window and let some fresh air into your home.
Sometimes, a change of scenery is all you need to reset yourself and jumpstart your motivation anyway.
Do this and you’ll soon find you’re back in the zone in no time…
#14 - Set Realistic Goals
If you try to do too much at once, you will quickly become bogged down.
Setting small goals that you can realistically achieve will make all the difference.
For example, rather than saying you’ll blog 3 times a week, start with once a week and then increase it as you get into a rhythm and become used to blogging around your other commitments and family.
I must have said this a hundred times, but blogging is a marathon and not a sprint!
You don’t (and can’t) have it all done straight away. There’s so much to learn and get to grips with.
Trying to do too much is going to have the opposite effect and cause you to burn out and not enjoy blogging at all, which kind of defeats the object of doing it in the first place.
Some small, realistic goals you can set are:
Get your blog set up within two weeks
Create 3-5 Pinterest Pins per week
Post a valuable post/story on your Instagram twice a week
Write one, awesome and value-packed blog post a week
Gain 100 email subscribers within the first 6 months
Make your first $100 within 6 months
The above goals are realistic to stick to and achieve and you’ll feel good when you do them.
#15 - Celebrate the Small Wins
Following on from setting realistic goals, it’s really important to celebrate your small wins and not just the big ones!
Whenever you hit your goal – even if it’s getting your very first email subscriber, you should celebrate this, as it’s a big achievement.
Someone has found you and your website online amongst the millions of others and signed up for something you’re offering and that’s totally amazing!
There’s nothing that’s going to get you more motivated and more productive than celebrating a goal you’ve smashed…
#16 - Stop feeling Guilty
As mums, we feel guilty ALL THE TIME about everything.
Mum guilt is that one thing we just never seem to be able to avoid!
You feel guilty towards your kids when you need to take time for self-care or to blog and then you feel guilty you should be working when you’re with your kids…
It can be a vicious cycle that can be hard to break.
The truth is there’s nothing more demotivating and demoralising than the feeling of guilt. It can affect how we feel so intensely, that we can end up doing nothing in the end.
You do not need to feel guilty when you’re doing either.
You’re not just a mum, you are a person outside of motherhood and therefore you have other things you want to do to feel fulfilled and you shouldn’t ever feel bad about that.
It’s so important to remember that your blog is your creative outlet and it’s a way for you to connect with other people. Don’t feel guilty about taking the time for it, as you deserve it!
#17 - Invest in your Learning
When you invest in your learning, it shows that you are committed to your blog and your goals, plus it’s really important that you’re continuously improving your skills.
Things change all the time and you need to be on top of things, especially if you’re educating others.
Taking the time to learn something new can be a huge motivator to keep going, even when things get tough and boy things can get really tough in blogging!
There are so many courses, products and resources out there to help you grow and I know it can be hard to know who to listen to.
You need to find one or two people who you trust and gain something from and learn from them.
Also, another tip I have is to only invest in a product or course when you actually need to!
It’s easy to get carried away and buy everything, but then they just sit there collecting digital dust and get forgotten.
I’ve made this mistake so many times, but have finally learnt my lesson the hard way, after spending far too much money on unnecessary things.
Another great thing is that the more you learn, the more you can share with others and that’s how you can build a successful blog and business.
You want to become the “go-to” person within your industry that people can rely on to show them exactly what they need to know and how they can do something!
#18 - Are you treating your Blog as a Business
If you’re in this “blogging thang” for the long haul and you want to make money from it, then you need to make sure you’ve got your business head-on.
Stop thinking of it as a hobby and give it the time and attention it needs and deserves.
If you make plans, have a blog schedule and set goals, then you’re much more likely to stick with it and not give up!
Blogging isn’t easy, despite what people may think. I know a lot of people just think you write a post, publish it and that’s it – well my lovely, that is not the case at all.
There’s so much more to starting and maintaining a blog for sure!
Some things to think about when it comes to treating your blog like a business are as follows:
Be Consistent in everything you do
Invest in a good blog theme which is mobile optimised and functional
Use Branding to stand out
If you get questions and comments – answer them
Give tons of valuable content, that’s both helpful and actionable
Think about how you want to monetise your blog (ads, affiliate marketing, products and services etc)…
Set times (working hours) you can dedicate to blogging
Staying organised with your blog and making sure you’re working on it daily/weekly will see you building a brand and business you and others will love.
#19 - Find your Niche
When you know what kind of content you want to produce, it will be so much easier to stay motivated and focused.
If you try to write about everything, you’ll quickly become overwhelmed and your blog will lose its direction.
This isn’t good for SEO purposes, especially at the beginning when you’re trying to establish yourself in the online world.
If you focus on writing about a specific topic, you’ll be able to build a loyal following of readers who are interested in what you have to say.
They’ll see you as an expert and want to come back again and again (hopefully)…
Once you’re more established, then you can definitely branch out and write on more topics and include more on your website, but when starting out, try and focus on one or two things, so that search engines and readers understand what it is your site’s all about!
If you’re having trouble with a blog topic, I can help you find what niche to start your blog in.
#20 - Give it Time
I know how stressful and frustrating it is when you’re putting in all the hard work and it doesn’t seem to be paying off…
Blogs take time to rank and be seen online because there are so many out there.
It can take months for even one post to rank properly within Google and other search engines, as they have to go through indexing processes and be crawled…
All I can say is, if you’re looking to make a quick buck or you want to get thousands of views immediately, blogging is definitely not for you!
But, if you have the patience and are willing to work hard and put in the effort and dedication that’s required, you can 100% start and grow a successful mummy blog.
That being said, give yourself some grace – Being a mum and a blogger can be tough and there will be days where it feels like you can’t do it all and you know what – that’s ok!
It’s important to always, always remember that you’re doing the best you can and that’s what matters.
Let’s wrap it up!
So, how are you going to stay motivated while blogging?
Hopefully, some of these tips will work for you and help you stay on track this year, but don’t forget to also find what works specifically for you and your blog.
Don’t be afraid to experiment until you find what makes you happy and keeps you productive…
And lastly, don’t forget to have fun and celebrate those small wins because they add up over time and eventually lead to big accomplishments!
Blogging should be enjoyable, so make sure to take breaks and enjoy other hobbies outside of writing as well.
Keep putting one foot in front of the other because you’ve got this mama…
