Probably unwise, going offline: the working parent’s dilemma
I am really excited to talk more about all sorts of things… internal Web collaboration strategies, new Web 2.0/Old Skool projects on the horizon, and the ever-changing work of the non-profit techie. It looks like my org might have another year of funding (fingers still crossed, but we might have made it!). I think, very possibly, there’s a year of really engaging work ahead of us, and I hope we will be learning a lot. I plan to share what we learn here.
At the moment, I am juggling my nonprofit techie work with a cute but obstinate toddler, and a terminally ill parent. One of the most incredible bloggers out there, whose blog (along with NTEN and Beth Katner) I consider essential daily reading, is Chris Brogan. His blogging tips, as well as his knowledge of and insight into social media, is unparalleled. I know he’d say one of the worst mistakes I can make as a new blogger is to not blog regularly enough; to take a break this early is surely unwise. It’s important, he says–and I agree–for your readers to be able to rely upon you for regularly-scheduled content. It’s one of the most important ways to cultivate a voice as a blogger and build a relationship with your readers.
But I have things to say and much I want to learn from readers in a blog-based conversation. I don’t want to let the fact that I am a working parent with sick family to stop me from blogging. There’s a difference between lack of commitment to blogging and life making it difficult for me to post as much as I’d like. Right now, the reality is that I do have to go offline more than some of my colleagues. I am not going to be able to post daily. I hope that people will consider subscribing via RSS to this blog, or following me on Twitter. I hope that you will find the content and comments here valuable even if I am not as prolific as some.
For the next ten days, I am taking a much-needed break. I am going offline to go to Maine to be with my family. Late next week, I will be back with another post.
In the meantime, do other working parents feel this way? Like you want to participate in the social media conversations more, but your life demands that you spend more time offline? Do you feel like you’re missing out on Twittering your way through webinars and contributing to wikis as much as you’d like? How do you feel about these limitations, and how do they affect your work? Does a lack of free time online keep you from blogging?
July 15th, 2008 at 8:34 am
Johanna – a post that resonated with me! It’s great to hear your passion for blogging and wanting to communicate!
I had a roll with my blogging, then with work overload managing a nonprofit, and a growing freelance business, and also two vibrant young children to manage too, as well as family issues (and the list could go on…!); it forced my blog to slow, then take a virtual back seat for the moment until things settle more. (I’ve been fortunate to give up my day job to focus on the web work now but only in the last week or so at that!) I hope to be back blogging and better soon. But know it’s just not yet as need to get the ‘other stuff’ in order first to allow that space to happen again.
It can be difficult and frustrating, especially at the pace that conversations whizz along in web 2.0 world. Instead of my constant personal battle at the time of not being able to find enough moments in the day to blog about the current topic, I began to comment more on other people’s blogs who were discussing the issues, and that often compensated and enabled some great conversation.
The tip that I was passed when I had similar feelings a few months back is that it’s ‘quality not quantity’. The only time I blogged daily was when I was part of the 30 days to a better blog challenge I participated in last year, it was good fun but also hard work. I tried thereafter to tell myself I’d blog at least once a week, and usually did and sometimes more, until ‘busyworld’ suddently took over.
Finally, we’ll all be here listening and ready to converse again when you’re back! And of course we’ll still see you on Twitter no doubt in the meantime! (and if you find SuperBeths secret to being such a blog superstar – be sure to pass it on!)
take care!
July 15th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Hi Johanna,
I hope you have a fantastic vacation in Maine. What you write is all too familiar to me. I don’t have an obstinate toddler, but I do care for a particularly fiesty 1 year old pup, work a job from 9-5, have a serious relationship, am training for a marathon, etc… The list goes on and on. I have so much to say on the web front, but for better or worse, I’ve had to accept that right now it’s a hard time for me to keep my blog up-to-date. If I were an independent consultant I’d feel that my blog would be a critical launching point for new client relationships, but the reality of my busy life is that at the end of the day I want to know that my life was diversified.
When inspiration strikes and I have some free time, I definitely go for it, but after having blogged almost religiously since 2003, I’m letting myself be more lapse and focusing on those things in my life that need the most attention. Even sadly if it means social media et al. have to be pushed on the back burner. I live this stuff, it’s not going away, and the time will come to blog again.
Enjoy yourself and unplug! I’ll be here when you get back
)
July 15th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Laura, thank you!
Quality not quantity… that’s definitely what I am aiming for.
So you’ve quit other work to focus on web work! Wow. This is part of the dilemma for me. Working for a small but early-adopter org, reading blogs/listening/commenting is part of my paid work. And perhaps blogging will be part of my paid work soon, too. But right now, I do it on my own, because I love talking about nonprofit tech etc., even if it’s on my own time. Part of being a paid consultant or a cutting-edge social media expert usually means you’re paid to blog, too. That’s ideal, but right now it’s not the situation I am in.
Laura, I hope your work change means we all get to hear more from you. Congrats!
July 15th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Michaela,
It actually helps me to hear you say that you’re stepping back, too. I have a lot of respect for you as a colleague who is extremely involved in/passionate about nonprofit tech and social media. I can’t imagine that if you continue to step back a bit from blogging, anyone would ever forget about you. It is so important to remember that there are many ways to be involved that are not blogging. I just started blogging, but I’ve been involved in NTEN conferences and discussion lists for years, which is how I’ve connected to most of the people I am now conversing on this blog and on Twitter. If it means we blog a little less because we are engaging with life, and with our careers in other ways, we are still offering a lot.
Amen, sister.