Once again, Sydney Shop Girl inspired me to do a list blog. This one is Finding the balance, a challenge set by Modly Chic.

Finding the balance refers to the balance between blogging and living life.

This past week is apt for me – I needed the balance between blogging and living life. Living life has run me ragged, and after work, I’ve flopped on the couch and watched cooking shows. I was very glad for some blogging foresight in preparation for a big week of living life.

1. When it comes to prioritising your life, in what place does blogging fall?

I write my blog to practise my writing, form and vocalise opinions, tell stories, meet people, and research/learn new things.

It is quite a high priority – I always wonder whether I can blog about something. It’s my name, my product, a message I can control.

I take it as seriously as my freelance writing – I have come to the point of making notes at concerts to blog later, and stay up all night writing the review to aim to get the first review online.

I try to blog every day.

Sadly blogging takes precedence over reading a novel or watching a film on TV or DVD.

2. We all wish we had more free time to dedicate to blogging and all it entails. What are your tricks for taking advantage of the time you do have to be as productive as possible?

I schedule posts. Often I write a few posts at night and schedule them for early morning. This ensures better quality and thoughts. And editing before the post goes live.

Scheduling posts means I can quickly promote my blog the day it’s published, too.

Not all posts are scheduled.

I also try to blog when I have something to say – I want quality.

Cooking, restaurants, film reviews, music I’ve been missing, and fashion are easy topics to write, so these are often quality fillers. And I can add pieces of my life in there too.

Fortunately I have a bit to write about with due to ichthyosis, and also the No Limits TV show and promoting my writing on DiVine and ABC’s Ramp Up.

I plan posts in dot points – I have a few in draft and return to them later.

I have joined my blog to Networked Blogs so it automatically creates links on Facebook and Twitter.

3. Have you discovered any short-cuts that makes blogging easier or more time efficient?

Be honest, write well and get ideas/promote your blog through blogging groups and challenges like these.

Blog about life. You are your best subject matter.

Read the news and other blogs to see what people are talking about.

Sometimes I feel time poor to catch up on blog reading though – that is not as high a priority as writing. I try to visit at least five blogs a day and leave comments.

4. Do you have an editorial calendar or something similar that helps you plan ahead?

Only scheduling posts. And if I know that I will be seeing a band or show, I know there is a blog post right there.

5. If time wasn’t an issue what you would be doing on your blog/for your blog that you aren’t doing now?

Research and write more opinion pieces that can be used elsewhere. I have ideas, but full time work, study, freelancing and keeping up with life and health often means I miss the (current) opportunity. I wish I had written this piece on trainwrecks in the media.

And pitching my blog entries to independent publishers. I’d love for my writing to get more exposure!

Modly Chic has also written a great post on blogging more with limited time.

What are your secrets to economical blogging?