People often ask me ‘What is blogging?’ and wonder what I do all day long. They also ask for blogging tips related to lifestyle blogging or writing an online journal.
A day in the life of a blogger can be varied, and often unpredictable, so if you’re new to blogging, read on for some compelling blogging tips, and also the lowdown about what really goes on in the day in the life of a lifestyle blogger.
The start to the day in the life of a lifestyle blogger
- Stumble out of bed at around 6.30am into my exercise gear.
- Exercise for an hour
- Shower.
- Hope that Dave (my hubby) has made coffee and left it on the brew for me! (He gets up earlier than I do).
- Eat porridge
- Be a domestic goddess for a short while, because I can’t concentrate on my work if the house is in a mess or if I don’t have dinner planned.
- Get to my desk by 8.30am and park arse on chair and start to work.
If I have a deadline, then scrap 1 – 6 but grab a coffee, find my glasses, and head to my desk.
Lifestyle Blogging Tips
On a regular day I’ll get to my desk by 8.30 – 9.00 am.
My blogging day will consist of answering emails, planning posts, writing posts, sharing other people’s posts, editing photographs, promoting posts, taking photographs, writing Instagram and Facebook posts as well as on my other social media platforms, sharing other people’s stories on social media, answering comments on my blog and then reading and commenting on other people’s blog posts too.
Tips for successful blogging
An informative and entertaining blog post of around 1000 words with photographs can take around 5 hours to put together, publish and share on social media. Blogging Tip: Yes it’s important to write the best post you can on a topic. Successful blogging requires more thought than just writing a quick online journal each day.
During the day I may write letters to brands, and reply to emails in which brands have asked to collaborate with me. Blogging Tip: Cold calling and responding to potential collaborations, in many respects, is the most important pre-requisite of blogging success.
I may have prepared a variety of outfits which I’ll keep on a rail in my office, which I’ll be photographing that day, or I might have persuaded my husband, my son or my daughter to take photos for me on their days off and the shoot might happen elsewhere – on the beach or in the forest or at a local beauty spot. Blogging Tip: It’s important to be organised. The clothes I select will be mix ‘n match and have shoes and accessories lined up to go with them.
In the spirit of networking sometimes I’ll meet up with a friend for coffee, or discuss blogging and social media with a business person who needs some help. If I’m out, then I’ll run any errands or do any shopping we might need. Blogging Tip : It’s important to get up from the computer and meet people in real life too.
At home, and if I remember I’ll stop for lunch. I’m trying to make it a habit to get up regularly from my desk to do stretches, or I work standing up at the kitchen counter with my laptop. Blogging Tip: Make sure you stretch frequently and exercise daily.
I’ll work through until around 5.30pm and then cook dinner.
Then I’ll probably connect on social media later in the evening for an hour after dinner.
Blogging Assignments and Travel Blogging
However, there are many many days when I’m on blog assignments, and I’m travelling. I get to meet and work with some awesome people, and brands.
If I’m out and about on blog assignments or travelling then I stress to fit in all the other stuff on the fly – in the car, in aeroplanes – I’m never not working or thinking about my blog in some way or another.
Blogging 101
I try to live the message I put out on the blog, and introduce people to the things I write about. It’s important because really people want transformation, not information (of which we have an overload really these days, don’t we?)
So as the blog is about the art of ageing and living the good life – it’s up to me to introduce readers to these things, not just tell them about them – and so I also need to get out from behind the computer and actually find a way to do these things.
Lifestyle Fifty is not about taking up knitting and waiting for the grandchildren to arrive. It’s about embracing the next phase of your life with gusto and it’s about being kind and giving back when ever possible.
I think 50 is a bit of a milestone – you know half a century on this earth and all that, and the tendency is to feel well it’s all downhill from here. Our energy might start to flag and aches and body pains might start to creep in.
So everyday as a Lifestyle Blogger I’m thinking about how to motivate women over 50 not to sink into comfort zones, but to get out and have adventures – travel, volunteer, adapt and change with the times and their bodies.
And I’m out there doing it too – which means my blogging day changes, and it’s quite different day in the life of a blogger entirely 😉
Keeping up with technology
We live in such a different climate to our parents that we also have to be savvy and keep up with technology, we can’t ignore it.
My blogging days also consist of trouble shooting technical issues and finding out how to use new apps and technology. I’m not what they call an early adopter, but I try not to be a geriatric one.
Fashion side of lifestyle blogging
Then there’s fashion and looking good. We can’t and shouldn’t wear what our parents wore at 50, but also we have to be careful not to get stuck in a fashion rut from when we were younger.
On the fashion side of things my days often include piling loads of clothes on the bed and finding out what does and doesn’t suit me, and what’s dated and a no-go, then taking photos of my outfits. It might be ponte pants, or jersey dresses, or perhaps re-writing a post about the best jeans or the best swimsuits for women over 50.
Narcissistic or what!
But again, maybe not so much!
Because I think our society is youth centric – even the stores which cater for older women mostly have younger women as models – so it’s confusing because you know after 50 a lot of our body bits head south maybe to the Bermuda Triangle never to be found again.
What I’m trying to do on the fashion side of things is to show people that you don’t have to be a model to look stylish, and if I can do it, then other women my age can do it as well – without spending a fortune.
I hope that readers see me as a real woman complete with flaws, just being honest and authentic and saying – if it looks good on me, then maybe give it a go – it might look even better on you. This way I think that people are not under any illusions and they’re less set up for disappointment.
I’m always banging on about, ‘Be your own person. Be kind and generous. Dress to suit yourself. Don’t compare yourself to others and try not to take life too seriously,’ but the reality is I’m learning every day, falling over, getting up again, giving up, starting up, despairing and applauding, and sometimes jousting with the critics.
It’s all in a day in the life of a blogger, and I’m expecting that many of you reading this might agree?
You might also like this post by fellow blogger Luisa : A day in the life of a professional Fashion Blogger and Stylist.
5 Top Tips for blogging success
- Be consistent and be persistent with your blogging. Stick to a routine when you’re at home.
- Collaborate with other bloggers, as well as sharing their posts and commenting on their articles.
- Try and transform readers lives, don’t just inform them.
- Be authentic and honest.
- Remember that being out in real life, is the best way to find stories to share online.
Chic Style – Your Ultimate Guide
This post was truly worthwhile to read. I wanted to say thank you for the key points you have pointed out as they are enlightening.
Hi there! Great advice. I’ve been blogging for about 5 months now and I’m trying to mail down a schedule. I appreciate the advice. I really need to start connecting with other bloggers. Take care! ❤️
Hi Khrystal, nice to meet you. Hope you’re getting into a rhythm with your new blog 🙂
Just read this post again Jo – it is a good reminder for me – fantastic tips for bloggers and would-be bloggers. There is a lot more to being a professional blogger than people realise. I don’t have your dedication, and your blog demonstrates the effort you put into blogging. Well done Jo. Inspiring.
Thanks for your encouragement Jill. Yes, there is so much more to blogging than meets the eye. It’s become less creative and more technical – Especially when you find out that sites are scraping your content (that’s taken hours to compile to read well) and then they produce shoddy ‘almost replicas,’ using all your hard work.
It is fabulous to find your site and see a women 50+ making a success of blogging. I’ve not long started doing the same, still feeling my feet a lot. But seeing someone doing it helps provide the inspiration when things aren’t moving as quickly as I want! I love your line ‘transformation not information’ – such a true message. Thanks.
Thanks Megan, and good luck with your blog 🙂 It takes a while, but if you love blogging you’ll stick with it, and perseverance counts for such a lot.
I don’t have your dedication Jo – but you’ve made a success out of being a blogger – so we should follow your tips – I think being authentic and honest is paramount. Happy blogging and planning your next “assignment”.
Thanks Jill. Yes it does take dedication, but I love it, so I’m lucky there. You however, I think are also a successful blogger in a different way. I love your blog x
I really enjoyed this post Jo, thank you. ‘Transformation not information’ is a terrific takeaway message. I hope there aren’t too many people around these days who still think it’s all downhill from 50. If they do they really need to be reading your blog.
Personally I felt like I was just getting started at 50. Increased confidence and courage led to more challenging and interesting job opportunities for starters. Nothing to do with children growing up as I didn’t have any, and therefore have been in continuous work all my adult life.
And at age 60 we relocated to the country, and into a new build surrounded by 5 acres of bare earth with a plan to establish fruit and veggies, keep chickens, and endeavour to meet some of our own food needs. Attitude has a lot to do with it I think. BTW I enjoy knitting!
Hi Jo, Thanks for your reply and your thoughts. It sounds as if you have been going from strength to strength in your 50s and now into your 60s. That’s so wonderful. It’s important to keep positive, have a good reason for being, enjoy life and keep active – and you are doing all those things – as well as knitting!! Go you! x
Great tips Johanna! I’ve fallen off the ‘blogging band wagon’ again (rolls eyes at herself). I’m always inspired by others enthusiasm, such as yourself. It’s lovely to hear how much you enjoy your work through your words. Hope you are keeping well also. Sandra. Xx
Hi Sandra, oh I know what it’s like too – it’s a hard fall and even harder to get back on the bandwagon! Lovely to hear from you and hope you get back into blogging again soon x
I enjoyed your post Jo. I think non-bloggers could learn a lot from this post. I agree with your 5 tips – especially about being authentic and honest. I find that the posts that I get the most feedback on are when I write about “true life”. Sometimes we just need to know that someone else out there has gone through what we have. Happy blogging Jo. Time we caught up for coffee again!
Thanks Jill! And Yesssss 🙂
About youthful models, this week I attended an event with a style and colour coordinator. It was very well attended by a mostly mature audience and one of their biggest complaints was they never saw anyone even approaching their age modelling clothes.
Oh Sonia, I know what you mean and it’s so annoying.
Great insight and tips!
“Transform readers lives, don’t just inform them.”
This is one I need to focus on more. My background was all in IT – programming, project management, writing tech guides – so I have a tendency to keep emotion and personal experience out of my writing. I fight myself to either reinsert it or keep it in to begin with. When I fail, I write something that might fit well in an encyclopedia. All a work in progress!
Hello Emily, it is an interesting thought isn’t it. And so different to the way we’ve been brought up to learn. Transforming was not a buzzword when I was younger.
Thanks for the peek into a day in your life. I’m still working in an office full-time and blogging on the side, so my day looks quite a bit different from yours, but I can certainly relate to much of what you said. Also, thanks for the great tips. I especially like the reminder that getting out in real life is the best way to find stories. I had a writing coach tell me once, the two best cures for writer’s block are getting out in the world and then priming the pump by writing whatever comes into your mind without worrying about if it’s “good” or “useful.” Those tips have served me well.
Hi Christie, thanks for your lovely insights. Yes, just getting things out into the world is something I totally agree with 🙂
Great post. You certainly do live your talk – if that makes sense. My life? Out the door at 6 for a walk, at my desk in the day job 8.30-5pm – luckily I work from home. Catch up on social media at lunchtime. I work on my blog after work and before dinner. After dinner, I watch telly for an hour & am in bed early working on my novel.
Thanks Jo. Wow, your life sounds busy. I’m put to shame by your discipline to fit working on your novel into such a long and busy day. That’s how things get done and books get written though isn’t it 🙂
It is amazing what all goes into blogging, isn’t it Jo?
I know my friends think I do nothing, yet there is so much that people don’t see!!
Good for you for making sure you work out too. I’ve been awfully lazy on that front, and am hoping to get back into it soon!!
XOXO
Jodie
Absolutely Jodie, most people think blogging can be fitted into a lunch break.