Blogging is one heck of an enjoying activity. Whether it be on a personal level or from a business standpoint (I’d like to call it “entrepreneurship” because its cooler), blogging can make yourself get tied in it. Most people eventually marry it (look at Mr.Rowse) while some are currently on an “MU” situation.
The main problem with blogging I believe is that once you enjoy it, it can become your whole world. Aside from that, it can burn you out, it can make you stop watching South Park, it can give you appetite problems, makes you intoxicated with caffeine, and a whole lot more, you name ’em!
But how do I know I need to stop and take a rest in it once in a while? Well fear no more! I compiled a definitive guide on 17 signs on why you must need to take a break from blogging. Some of them do have a comprehensive (ehem) explanation, most of them do not have Here it goes:
- You can’t spell cheezburger cheeseburger properly? – Blogging is cool, it can be improve the heck out of your grammar but it does have a lot of freedom that sometimes it makes you susceptible to commit stupidly wrong spellings! Come on! Even before we reach 15, we should have been able to spell all words correctly.
- You printed out your own copy of the blogging dictionary – in these modern days, we started having all sorts of dictionary for various topics like dictionary for idioms, medical dictionary, taboo terms dictionary, but heck blogging dictionary? geez!
- You’re constantly looking for the keys S, E, O in your piano.
- You’re with your friend talking and sharing great stories with each other. You started scratching your head though because you couldn’t find a digg, likethis or retweet button.
- You’re hands are trembling – on a serious note, since blogging is all about typing, you may want to take proper care of your hands. Make sure you give them proper rests and not overstress your fingers that much. I usually get the flak ( or praise depending on who u are) of masturbating too much just because my hands are trembling so bad when taking pictures. You may not want to experience that experience from me.
- You’re neighbor thinks you’re insane because you’re talking alone – this oftentimes happen when you don’t type but use one of those speech to text software that sounds like dragon or you interview someone over at Skype. Either way its a clear indication to stop or at least speak in a more lighter voice.
- You use the target =”_blank” in your application form. After filling up the character reference, you remembered that you need that detail to open in a new window so it can be more convenient to the HR to scan it.
- You get into the zoo and you’re frustrated to see that graywolf, web guerilla and randfish exhibits are closed.
- Your mother/father leaves you a note on 30 things to get done over the course of a month. You feel pissed off because you’re tired of numbered list.
- You’re watching a baseball game and you saw an advertisement from a sponsor. Immediately you wondered whether the link is nofollow or not.
- You think Shoemoney is the son of Mr.Clean.
- You received a mail from someone you don’t know and you immediately trash it. You thought it was spam.
- You setup a blog for your daughter or you encourage your friends to start a make money online blog. – Geez! I’m guilty with this. But then when you start talking about blogging outside your own blogging, that’s a good indication that a break is imminent
- Someone whom you give a gift way back gave you a gift in your birthday. You didn’t accept it because you realized Google frowns at reciprocal linking.
- While attending the customary Sunday mass, you were listening to the sermon and thought it was a good article with good keyword density. Aside from that, you were sure that it will rank high in search engines. tsk.tsk..
- You’re obsessively and compulsively thinking of this guy and that guy.
- You laugh at anything included in this list.
There ya go. If you’re doing any of those 17 things I listed, then you’re in serious trouble. From a personal experience yes I do most of this, if not all and that’s attributed to my pure adoration with blogging. Obviously the rule “anything excessive is bad” applies.
On a more serious note (I used that phrase again!), everyone should have a fair break on doing blogging. I know guys like Darren Rowse and Melvin Dichoso (who the f is the latter one?) spend like 8+ hours a day blogging but do take note that they are doing blogging as a living. If it doesn’t work out for them then they’re poor so their challenge is to make it work.
Most people who work at home (aka online entrepreneurs) do use a blog as a communication medium. That being said, blogging is just a tool. Yes, just a tool that is used to leverage an audience and eventually make them buy your sh*t. And if we spend more time on things that have a lesser importance, we get burned out quickly and we do not maximize our productivity by spending time on the more important part.
Also it can have a bad impact on the other things. For example if you’re a parent, or maybe a busy stupid student. Its always good to ask questions like “Am I neglecting something that’s more important?” “What are the cons of me doing this a lot?” Re-evaluating simple things will help you to have much clearer perspective on whether it’s harming you more than benefiting you.
As I end this article, I don’t really have the magic bullet on how to spend time properly or how much to spend time. These are all things that you should be aware with. If you feel you’re overspending and you need that break, don’t hesitate, take it! Whaddaya think?
Melvin Dichoso is an internet marketer and blogger who is that damn good. He blogs at MelvinBlog Dot Com where he shares his two cents on the industry. Don’t forget to become a fan of his blog in Facebook.