Everyone needs a little down time.
No matter how much you love blogging, you can’t do it 24 hours a day. Trust me on this one.
There is a burnout factor.
Plus, you are probably a wife or a mom or a student or all of the above. There are some things like meals, laundry, house cleaning, yard work, grocery shopping, homework, and showering, to name a few, of which you are also responsible for.
I know, right?
So, what is the secret to becoming a successful blogger? Good habits. The best bloggers know you need to set aside quality personal development time. Without it, your blog will stagnate. And probably so will your life. It is vital to be consistently growing and learning as you walk your own path to success.
Taking time to stretch your brain muscle is imperative if you want to grow a successful blog you love. The best bloggers in the world know this and they never fail to make time for it.
When I talk about personal development I’m not referring to watching reality TV with a pint of ice cream, going to the mall or even taking a run. I’m talking about the time you set aside to learn how to be a better leader, run a business, develop into an entrepreneur, learn a new skill, and think critically about the world around you.
The new skill you learn may not be in your “blog niche.” That’s okay. There are a lot of ways to improve yourself that will help make you a better blogger. For example, you may not blog for profit, but reading a book about running a business will help you think more critically about what you write about, teach you how to prioritize, and open your mind to new possibilities.
It’s all related and it’s all important.
{Updated for 2020}
Personal Development
Personal development time is what it says, personal development.
This is when you take a good look in the mirror and ask the question, “What can I learn to improve me?”
Notice, I didn’t say what can I learn to improve my husband or what can I learn to improve my mother-in-law.
No, it’s what can I learn to improve me?
Sometimes this will be business books. Sometimes this will be spiritual books. Sometimes this will be history books or classic fiction.
At other times it will be a podcast, a video series, a magazine article, or an online course.
You can take a number of steps to learn and grow, the point is, you have to make time to do them. Failing to do so equals failing to grow.
Personal development is consuming materials that will change the way you blog, do business, and serve.
This is important because blogging is an extremely fluid endeavor. It’s in motion, all the time. Changes to the tools you use are happening constantly. There are regular updates to WordPress. The plugins you use and trends in style, color, and layout are constantly evolving. You need to be able to respond to fluidity not as a knee jerk reaction but as a well thought-out plan.
If you have spent time on personal development you will know when to panic and when to make slow methodical adjustments. Your priorities will shift because you are ahead of the game, not running to catch up.
Think of it as a superhighway you are traveling down. You have to know where you are going, how to get there, and take the time needed to assure safe passage.
This is where concrete goals, a plan to achieve them, and focus matter. This is where setting aside time for personal development takes on extreme significance.
When you do the leg work ahead of time sudden changes to the journey will be manageable instead of catastrophic.
So, where do you start?
There are 3 key elements to personal development for blog growth.
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Read
Libraries are filled with books to expand your mind. Find some and start reading. Nothing builds a better brain than reading. Sure, blogs are good, but books are better.
Try this list from Michael Hyatt to get you started.
Online I like to regularly check the Fast Company website. The Work Life section has some great articles on leadership.
And when I add reading + Fast Company it equals this.
I also recommend these books:
- Hitting The Highest Notes by Beverly Sallee
- A Woman’s Guide to Bootstrapping a Business by Beverly Sallee Ophoff
- Moms Mean Business: A Guide to Creating a Successful Company and Happy Life as a Mom Entrepreneur by Erin Baebler
- Never Give in: The Extrordinary Character of Winston Churchill (Leaders in Action) by Stephen Mansfield
- Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times by Donald T. Phillips
- Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend
Listen
Podcasts are a great way to multi-task. Listen while you are exercising, commuting, waiting in the school pick-up line. Be better by practicing your listening skills. It will carry over to the rest of your life.
Here’s a pretty good jumping off point if you want to get started with podcasts for personal development.
This one always makes me think.
Act
There is no book or podcast or speaker or course that will automatically infuse you with something to make you better. It takes action. Read, listen, and study. Then put what you’ve learned into practice.
Start small. Take one action and then another. Build on what works for you. Before you know it you’ll be better than you were the day before and you’ll keep getting better and better, as a blogger, as a wife, as a mom, as a leader.
Personal development isn’t optional if you want to improve your blog. It’s mandatory. A little each day will produce huge benefits in all areas of your life.
What are you going to do to today that will help ensure your success tomorrow?
Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash
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