On Blogging

The Bloggy Chiropractor, Step 1: Take two weeks off

This is step 1 in The Bloggy Chiropractor 3-step program, in which we work on correcting our blog/life balance.

For the first part of this journey, the bloggy chiropractor prescribes that you take a MANDATED blog vacation of a minimum of 2 weeks.

WHAT!?!  you may gasp, TWO WEEKS?! I CAN’T DO THAT!

I’m here to tell you that you can.

And you should.

It’ll be good for you.  Seriously.

I know because I did it.  

And now I’m here to walk you through it.

Why a blog vacation?

Taking at least two weeks off from blogging is the natural starting place on this journey because it gives us a little thing called perspective. It’s really, really hard… impossible, even… to have perspective when we’re down in the trenches of bad habits.  It’s only when we come up for air and start living life again that we can see clearly.

I am mandating two weeks (minimum!) because we need at least that long to really get perspective.  One week is too short.  And although four weeks would be EVEN BETTER… let’s be honest. If I told you to take a month, would you?  I didn’t think so.

How to take a blog vacation

But what about my blog?!

The easiest way to take a blog vacation is to just stop blogging- cold turkey- for two weeks.  I honestly think that for most of us this little blip in our blogging activity would go relatively unnoticed in the grand old blogosphere.

However.  If you’re too scared to do this (like me!) another option is to sit down for a couple of hours and write out enough posts to carry your blog through during the time that you’ll be actively NOT blogging.  Set the posts to go up automatically and then don’t look back.  Trust me, your readers will never know that you’re not really there behind the curtain.

But what will I DO?!

Now, before you kick off your vacation, I want you to write out a list of all the things you’ve been wanting and needing to do. 

…organize the closet
…submit an article for publication
…start an exercise program
…research a new camera
…read that one book
…sign up for salsa dancing lessons

We all have those things that we’ve had on the back burner for a year or two or twenty… write them down!  Star the ones that you’re excited about.  Decorate your list using markers and stickers and fancy paper.  Get excited about the possibility of GETTING STUFF DONE! 

Now post the list on the fridge or (better) over the top of your computer screen. 

Note: This in no way is meant to imply that you should accomplish everything on your list during the 2-week time period.  The list is merely a means to remind you of ALL THE OTHER THINGS that you can do instead of blogging.  You know, in case you need reminding.

What about the rules?!

Ok, for those of you who need RULES, here they are.

While on bloggy vacation there shall be:

1) No blogging
2) No checking your stats
3) No reading comments
4) No checking your reader.  Don’t even THINK about looking at it.
5) You can choose a few of your favorite blogs to read.  You may not comment on these blogs; however, as you should ONLY be reading them for enjoyment.

Now, in the words of the sneakers, JUST DO IT.

Then check back in two weeks to read Step 2!

© Jenny Blackburn. All Rights Reserved.

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Catch more of Jenny Blackburn’s humorous anecdotes on being a mom, a woman, and a whole lot crazy at Absolutely Bananas. If you have questions, anecdotes, or topics for “On Blogging,” email jenny[@]seattlemomblogs[dot]com.