7 Tips for Balancing a Blog + A Full Time Job

Working a full time job is time consuming enough, but when you add a blog and a blog design business on top of it all, it starts to take over your life. For quite a while, when I was really struggling to make new friends in Dallas, I welcomed the constant time spent at the computer. Now that my whole life has changed, and my social agenda has bulked up,  I had to maximize my productivity in the after work hours.  Giving up blogging or designing was never on the table. This blog is one of my proudest accomplishments, I genuinely enjoy blogging. I just needed to figure out how to have it all while doing it all! 
I used to use my desktop computer all the time, but as of late, I haven't so much as touched a key on that keyboard. I need to be able to work from anywhere, at any time. If I'm over at CB's on the couch, at Starbucks or even at one of our monthly neighborhood events. I often times feel more creative or inspired when I'm out and about anyway. 


I was lucky enough to test drive the HP Stream tablet with Intel Inside®, and incorporate it into my blog and design routine. The HP Stream is a new kind of tablet with Intel Inside®. Not only is it lightning fast because of the Intel Inside®, but get this, it comes with free 4G data right out of the box. Yes, I'm not joking, free 4G data. That is huge for me, it literally means I can work anywhere! It also comes with a year of Office 365, and 1TB of free cloud storage for one year, so I can save all of my gigantic photo files, no problem. This tablet allows me to #WorkFromHappyPlace, which for me, is essentially anywhere with CB! Haha, sorry for that mushy-ness y'all!!!! I just can't help myself sometimes! 

Over the past several months, I've picked up some great tips that have worked for me to continue to run my blog and Social&Chic, while having a full time job. 
1. Write everything down.I have ideas all day long. If I have a great idea, and I don't write it down, poof it's gone, and sometimes within seconds. I'm weird in that I like to email myself the idea, but I'm sure most people would use a reminder app. Whatever you prefer, type your great blog post idea up and save it for later! 

2. Constantly be drawing inspirationDesigns don't just pop out of thin air. I struggle with color combinations. Always be on the lookout for colors, textures, patterns etc that catch your eye. Snap a photo and use those colors or that pattern in your next design. 

3. Make everything an adventureGreat bloggers always have content because they turn ordinary meals out or neighborhood events into something memorable. Use your nights, and the fun things you go do to your advantage. Everything can be a blog post if you look at it that way. Document everything in a way that tells a story. Take your readers out with you, and you'll always have easy, fresh content.

4. Take pictures on top of picturesThere is no such thing as taking too many pictures. The more pictures you have, the easier it makes blogging, and in turn, the faster you have a post up! 

5.Don't be bashfulYou've got to get over worrying about people around you. If you see a great photo opp, but there are people around and you're embarrassed, you'll never get the shot. Take the same approach to blogging that you take to vacationing... who cares, you'll never see these people again! 

6. Make every space your work spaceSure we all see those beautiful Pinterest work spaces with the gold stapler and inspirational "get it guuuurl" posters hanging on the walls, but when you are a busy girl constantly on the go, that work space collects dust. Put your tablet in your purse at all times, and you can work from anywhere. 

7. Tell Your FriendsI know there is a lot of debate in blog land on whether or not to tell your friends about your blog. Personally, I tell everyone that I have this blog, because I am so proud of it! Look at all the effort you're putting in, why wouldn't you want your friends to be apart of that? I find that my friends often notice things that would be great for the blog, and will point them out to me! 

What are some tips you've acquired over the years for balancing a blog and a full time job? I'd love to ready about some ideas I may have missed!