How to keep on top of blog posts

It's Monday and what better day to boost your blogging motivation! Keeping on top of your blog posts and activity can be a daunting task, especially when you add a full-time job into the mix. Whether you like to post daily or once a week, finding the time to write, edit, proof-read, take photos and all the other jazz can become a stressful mess. So how to stay on track? Impossible? No! Not with a little organising and a routine that works for you. Here are some tips on how to stay on top of your blog posts. 

Plan, Plan, Plan: Obvious right? Sometimes the most effective methods are the simplest. I try to keep a list of blog post ideas for the next couple of weeks. This means I have a rough idea of what will need doing regarding photos and all the extra little bits before actually sitting down to write. If I don't feel like writing about the first thing on the list, I just pick something else that inspires me that day. This also helps me work out whether my posts are too "samey" or relate to one particular topic. I can re-order to keep content interesting and keep up my motivation.

Keep a book:  Now you may already be using a notebook for planning and that's great, but when you're out and about and suddenly get struck with an idea.. you need to jot it down somewhere. Even if you keep a mini notepad in your handbag that you don't use anywhere else, it can be surprisingly helpful. I can't count the number of times I have been walking around the shops or taking a stroll when a random idea springs up. 

Schedule content:  Unless you have a good amount of freetime in the day, posting content on social media or your blog alone can be a nightmare. I like to use Hootsuite (there's many more scheduling programs out there) for all my scheduling and once everything is set to the times I want, all I have to do is copy and paste to Instagram. Tweets go out automatically and blog posts are scheduled through Blogger's scheduler. All easy to do, can be planned well in advance and means your days content isn't abandoned. 

Bulk photos: Instagram is probably my most difficult area when it comes to content. Some days I don't have many interesting photos to show and no one really cares for a look at your staff room I'm sure. So how I get around this is by taking bulk photos when I'm out or when the sun is hovering around. Natural light is always better for photos so take advantage of it while you can. Now when you haven't had the most interesting day, you still have plenty to share on a daily basis. 

 Helpful? I hope so. What are your tips for staying on track?