You may know how much I hate to spend money! Even on very worthwhile things like blog conferences where I might grow and learn. I think they are frivolous and somewhat overwhelming! I have four children that would need care while I was away. Meals to prep, activities to plan, and then the cost of attending the event can be daunting. That’s why I jumped at the chance to participate in the #BlogStaycation!
Funny thing is I had talked about a blogger retreat with another blogger who had attended many conferences. She confirmed that the time and cost to attend didn’t really allow for actual growth and action on the blog. See you spend all that time picking out clothes, ordering business cards, planning meals, scheduling flights and hotel accommodations. Valuable time if you ask me that could be spent on keyword searches, photo editing, post writing, and social media shares!
Join me over the next few days as I dig in and get some work down while learning some new skills to help me grow as a blogger and social media manager! I will be adding to the bottom of this post as I accomplish my long list of to-do’s as well as spontaneous items that pop up!
Day 1- September 10
Location: kitchen table before kids woke up
Things I got done:
Listened to Days 1-5 of Karen Yankovich’s 30 Days to LinkedIn
Worked on updating my profile pic across social media
Worked on blog header and uploaded twitter header pic
Created a new FB coverpic for personal FB
Cooked French Toast for myself since no one else in the house likes it
Emailed myself a couple pics/graphics so I could put them on Instagram
Drank my cup of coffee, got a shower, got dressed, packed up my laptop and headed out the door!
Location: library children’s department
Things I got done:
Listened to Days 6-8 of Karen Yankovich’s 30 Days to LinkedIn
Fixed the access to Google doc for my KBN Kindergarten Bloggers group
Posted a few things to FB
Scheduled a ton of posts via Buffer to fill Facebook and Twitter for 3 FB & 3 Twitter accounts
Tweeted to see if any local restaurant would treat me to lunch. Posted on FB as well..
Signed hubby’s blog up for a giveaway or two
Saw some good articles about Google Analytics which I pinned via Ahalogy
Read a few Blog Income Reports to try and see where I can apply for more sponsored posts,etc.
Realized it was almost 2pm and hadn’t had lunch!
Got home and found my hubby was in the middle of making lunch for everyone. Perfect timing! I jumped in to help make a few “made to order” quesadillas.
Day 2- September 11
Location: Home
Day 2 of my attempt at#BlogStaycation! So far I have applied for 5 opps, deleted emails, sent pics for DD to edit, entertained MIL, cut up apples for crockpot, had parents stop by to confirm dead van battery, discussed #ComicCon costume details with hubby and now trying to get tot to nap! All before 1:00 pm!
I will admit today got way out of hand! I forgot to check my Google doc to see if I had any new linky clients until after 10 am and I DID have 2 new blogger who had hired me with 2 links each! Woohoo! Excited but then had to stop my #BlogStaycation list to set-up their links in my spreadsheet and bill them via Paypay!
I have been active today on social media here and there but still have not gotten any new posts official posted! ACK!! Have tons almost ready but not quite which is driving me even more crazy since some just need an image or a tiny bit more of text.
Read a few things on Facebook which made me realize that I REALLY need to write about our unemployment journey, our no credit card living and just all those everyday things that are UBER frugal that most people don’t know about us. Shame on me for keeping this a secret. So for those of you who are struggling with low wages or no wages or unemployment hold tight! Keep your head up. YOU CAN DO THIS!! I realize that filling out applications online for 45 minutes jumping through hoops to have the companies website freeze up on you is devastating. Been there done that!
Okay.. totally rambling..If you want to catch some pics of my #RealLife while it’s happening then join me on INSTAGRAM! Seriously I do try to post in the moment as things happen and boy did we have some fun painting today with my little boys!
I took a break this afternoon because after-all I felt rather accomplished by 1 pm, remember above, lol. Princess and I headed to JoAnn’s to find something apple. Boy was I disappointed by all the Day of the Dead, pumpkin, owl, and Fall decor but NO APPLES!! How can you celebrate Fall without apples? Okay, we did find ONE apple cookie cutter but that is a normal item-poo! We stopped in at Big Lots and meet with the same items minus the Day of the Dead/Skulls.. Catch back up with you all tomorrow aka Day 3!
lol — I love that you make yourself French Toast even though no one else likes it 🙂 I do that but with butternut squash soup. You got a TON done! I could never work in the children’s section of the library — I would be too distracted by all the new books 🙂
Haha. I went while the kids were still in school so it was just the librarians and me…My kids can come in and choose their books or I pre-order them online for pick up. Not quite in the “homeschool” mode just yet!
I love this, I am going to follow along and get inspiration….thanks for posting.
Allison,
Thanks for stopping by! I am a little bit behind in my updates. But will do my best to add some pics and more things that I did do.
Love how much you were able to accomplish during the Blog Staycation!!!