Blogging Insights #2–What does blogging cost you in your personal life ?

Initially I framed this question as :”What is the cost of blogging for you?”

I was afraid that “cost” might be misinterpreted as financial cost such as fees for a domain name, registration on a blogging platform etc. So I rephrased the question to “What does blogging cost to your personal life?”

This question was asked by another blogger in a post I read(if I find the link I will share it). I thought why not put it to others too.

Life offers you no such thing as a free lunch. For everything you do or everything you gain you must pay a cost, whether financial, physical or emotional.

So what, indeed, is the cost of blogging for you?

# Cost of Blogging — Questions

1. Does it infringe upon your leisure time?

2. Worse still, does it distract you from your work/studies ?

3. Is it taking a toll on your personal relationships ?

4. Has your health suffered?

5. Have you gained weight ?

6. Do you ever get writer’s block?

7. Have you ever suffered from blog related stress or blogger burn out?

   It would be great if you answered these questions because I would love to know how you are balancing blogging with other things in your life so I can make some improvements. If you answer them in a separate post please link back to this post and use the hashtag  # Cost of Blogging

   

My Answers

 

1. Does it infringe upon your leisure time?

It does, most definitely. I used to read as much as I could in my free time and also in my ‘not so free’ time : while commuting, waiting during the kids’ pick and drop or dentist appointments etc. Now I try to use this time to catch up with blogging on my smart phone.

2. Worse still, does it distract you from your work/studies ?

For me, this is not such a problem these days as I am on a sabbatical. When I go back to work I will try to fit it in my schedule by scaling down the frequency of posts and comments on other blogs. There are many bloggers out there who are also students so I guess they must have their lives very well organised.

3. Is it taking a toll on your personal relationships ?

No, not at all. I have never let work get in the way of personal relationships so why would I allow blogging to do so? Family and close friends always come first.

Social commitments are another story. I would much rather stay home and blog than attend a party/wedding beyond my immediate circle. Note that I say ‘I would much rather’ and not ‘I do’. I am a good little girl who honours formal commitments.

4. Has your health suffered?

Yes and no. Yes, in that  my neck and shoulders start aching when I am at the computer too long. No, in that I come across many posts on healthy eating and that has improved my food choices.

5. Have you gained weight ?

I wish I could say NO, but I can’t lie to you. I usually go for a twenty minute walk before breakfast. Sometimes when I wake up, I have an idea for a blog post and want to get it down immediately. On such mornings, I sacrifice my walk. This could be one reason for the several pounds I have gained. Of course, recent indulgences during a vacation are responsible too.

6. Do you ever get writer’s block?

Luckily, that is one experience that I have not suffered yet (I hope I never do). This may be because I have not been blogging for very long (only a year and a half).

7. Have you ever suffered from blog related stress or blogger burn out?

No, I haven’t so far. Maybe this is because I am still treating blogging as a hobby. Maybe if I monetize it and turn it into  a business I might have these experiences.

 

Okay! That was my bit. Now I am really looking forward to reading YOUR answers. Please remember to tag your post

# Cost of Blogging,

and leave a link in my comments section too.

 

Photo by Aron Visuals on Unsplash