Like Sands Through An Hourglass

HourGlass

There are few things in the world that thwart time management like the internet.  The vilest offenders floating around the world wide web today are the ever-increasing number of blogs available for perusal.

Blogging—essentially an online diary where writers post their musings—seems to have had its inception in the 1990s.  As the internet expanded, tools were created that allowed users to write and post blogs without having any knowledge of HTML or web design.  As blogging increased in popularity, writers began linking their blogs to similarly-themed blogs and other topics that were of interest to them.

And this is where the most noblest of time management ideals were lost amidst the labyrinth of ever-connected postings.  One blog leads to another, which is linked to another which has a reference to a news article that contains comments linked to another blog posting—before one even realizes it, hours have passed, the soufflé has fallen, and nothing has been accomplished.

Fortunately, with a simple process, order can be restored and effective time management can once again reign supreme—both for those blogging, and those reading.

The first step is to determine how much time can be spent on blogs.  This needs to be a firm time, an exact time.  Once this is decided upon, two alarms must be set.  This can be an egg timer, a stopwatch, or an alarm on a cell phone.  The first alarm should be set for a few minutes before the end of the allotted time so thoughts can be finalized or the article can be finished.  At the second alarm browsers are closed and blogging time is finished.

As great as any process may be, however, it is only a process if it is done 100% of the time.  Thus, a foundational aspect of time management is consistency.  It is important to understand that consistency is not achieved in leaps and bounds, but in small, intentional steps.  For those who find it difficult to manage their time (whether it be in regards to the internet or anything else), taking the first small step towards a deliberate, repetitive behavior can help build consistency across all aspects of life.

Author:  ArticleWriteUp.com writer Fletcher H.

To Blog or Not to Blog? That is the Question

Although Shakespeare’s Hamlet wrestled with a more serious version of this paraphrased and purloined question, the potential blog writers of today need to decide whether or not they want their blogs to become an integral part of their communication repertoire.  Blogging has become an essential marketing and communication tool for a majority of businesses.

Beginning bloggers keep an online journal with an ongoing account of their personal lives.  Some of these blogs are filled with mundane, ordinary events, others with important record-keeping information, and still others rival the storylines of the most far-fetched soap operas.

The advanced beginner blog writers have the ability to post interactive entries which allow visitors to leave comments and ask questions.  These bloggers are taking the next step and are becoming social networkers.

The blogger at the intermediate level uses this writing medium for personal reasons while branching out and using it for business purposes.  This business networking can be in various forms, such as advertisements for a product or service, and can be performed by an individual, a company, or even by representatives of an entire country.  Blogging has gone from being a social activity to a necessity for any business that strives to become and remain competitive.

Bloggers need to capture the attention of their readers in a short amount of space and time.  They don’t have the luxury of attracting readers with large chunks of leisure time.  They need to follow rules of style, as with any other form of writing, and because their blogs can involve peoples’ reputations and livelihoods, blog writers must adhere to rules of etiquette as well.

The well-behaved blogger must not plagiarize or ever post someone else’s blog as if it were their own.  Name-calling should be consigned to the playground and even there it’s not acceptable, so refrain from doing so.  Don’t comment on someone else’s blog if the intention is to spam them and redirect their traffic towards you.  Remember, the words of blog writers are available to anyone to see.  If you wouldn’t be comfortable having your third grade teacher,  your elderly aunt, or a potential employer read what you’ve written, the answer should be, “Not to Blog”.

Author:  ArticleWriteUp.com writer Sue M.