A little glimpse behind the scenes... and a new weekly schedule!

I was talking with my friend Ronit last week about how I often feel lost when I come to my blog each morning- I feel like I have no idea what to post, I feel frazzled and time crunched and mildly desperate to find "inspiration" of some sort (which I think makes it harder to see it when it's right in front of you) and it seems I end up wasting a lot of time in the long run. Time I could be using to answer a truckload of emails or get some client work done!

Nope, I don't pre-post everything for the week on one rainy Sunday evening. I don't even hardly plan posts at all. I don't have lists of ideas to return back to when I feel at a loss. It appears that after 4 1/2 years of blogging every day straight, I still haven't gotten it quite figured out!

The truth is, I'm horribly unorganized. It's just my nature, I think. Is it "organized chaos", as other messy and frazzled people like to call it? No. I'm just a pure, simple mess. A perpetual procrastinator, a last-minute magician. I've always been that way and it always stresses me out, but it's hard to change a lifetime habit.

But, for the sake of my own sanity, I think it's high time to try to kick this habit to the curb!

It's almost fall, a season of change. I always feel so motivated and fresh when fall comes, like crisp air and crunchy leaves. It feels like a time to get work done, implement schedules and stick to plans. A time to hunker down and get things in order, and that's what I plan to do!

First on the agenda is to make this blog more manageable behind the scenes. I have a lot of regular "features" that I tend to start with enthusiasm and then they just drop by the wayside as I get sidetracked. I literally forget about some of them! I'd like to try to adhere to them with some sense of regularity, beacause I think that'll help me be able to both plan ahead sometimes and not feel lost about what to write about each morning.

So, gotta "put it out there" for all to see cause that's a major motivation factor for me. I'd like to a stick to a schedule of these features...

Monday: ✶Blogstar✶ (I've been wanting to have a new column here for a long time that celebrates the blogs I love, so I'm finally gonna do it! Every Monday I'll profile a blog that's lighting me up in some way & hopefully you'll like it too- starting next week) + occasionally Take a Walk with Me

Tuesday: Eco-Friendly Finds with Liz + artist/designer/shop feature

Wednesday: Miss Modish Muses and/or Color Me Happy + artist/designer/shop feature

Thursday: Come shopping with me and/or Outfitted + artist/designer/shop feature

Friday: Petals & Pedals with Renee + Happy Weekend

So, now you know what to expect when you come here, and now I have something to guide me on days when I wake up and say, "What the heck am I going to write about?!" Sound okey dokey? Any features you really love that are missing? Think I can do it? (Hah! ;) We'll see!

Happy Monday! I'm going to get to work planning the rest of week and I'll see you back here tomorrow!

Comments

[Lindsey]

I know the feeling, I often find myself searching for inspiration daily for my own blog. Good luck with the new schedule!

[Valeria]

Good for you! It always helps being organized. I'm a last minute magician myself and let me tell you it really helps to plan things out, mentally and emotionally! Totally worth the work! Looking forward to the new schedule :)

[gaia • Illustration]

That sounds like a great plan! I'm definitely one of those people who are on a never-ending quest to be "more organized." It isn't in my nature either! But it does make things easier. Your posts are always so lovely and inspiring!-- so here's to making things easier behind the scenes :)

[Maggie]

I feel the same way about Fall. Maybe it's left over from when I was little and still in school--every new school year felt like a chance to "re-invent" myself and begin fresh (though I'm pretty sure I ended up the same nerdy kid each year...;) ).

Isn't making lists the best? Good luck with your new schedule!

[Julie]

Amen, sister! I feel quite the same way when I sit down to blog. Glad to hear I'm not alone. Your new schedule sounds great! I'm looking forward to the Blogstar posts, especially! :)

[Grace @ Front Porch Yoga]

Lululemon Athletica has been posting about GOALS on their blog lately, and one of the ways to reach your goals is to be held accountable (your version of "putting it out there" as a major motivator). Good for you for recognizing that you needed some change/inspiration to jump-start your writing! It can be tough to come to a blank page each. and. every. day.

[makelifesweet]

What a great idea! So inspirational!
(Pretty photo as well.)

[Sweet Ronit]

Love your schedule - the new feature sounds fun and I'm glad the favorites will be sticking around!

Also, thanks for giving me a last peek of the trampoline;)

[kate]

Getting on somewhat of a schedule has always helped me blog easier. I hope it works for you as well!
Also, I am so a "last minute magician" too. HA!

[Jess]

Oh, I know the feeling! I try to pre-schedule ahead by at least a week or so, or everything else I need to do piles up and I freak out! I also have regular features.. though I have let some fall by the wayside at times ;D

I try to schedule one or two posts a day, and than add in any extras as I come across interesting/inspiring stuff during my daily blog travels :D

[Brooklyn]

Good for you lady! Putting this as a blog post confirms that you're all ready to stick to your plan! Fall is inspiring for me too, and I can't wait to see your adorable fall Outfitted posts!

[Lili]

H and I have been working on the same thing over the last few days. We're finding the more we schedule the more free we feel to be creative and dream of more awesome things to do! It is not in my nature at all, but I am even considering scheduling my days by the hour - especially to give (force) myself time to work on projects well in advance of deadlines.