The secret to inspired blogging when you’re short on time

Okay, I get it. You have a life. You have a family. You have a business to run. So, how are earth are you supposed to blog?

You make time. Simple as that.

If you want to have a successful blog, you can’t sit around waiting for inspiration to strike. You have to act. And sometimes that’s means you write when you don’t want to, when you’re pressed for time or when you’re short on inspiration.

The good news is that there is one thing you can do to set yourself up for success and keep a steady flow of killer content on your blog.

Wanna know what it is?

Always have ideas at your disposal.

Sitting down to a blank screen is paralyzing, even to skilled writers and bloggers. Don’t let that unnecessary hurdle get in the way of you delivering the goods to your readers.

Having a stockpile of ideas at the ready ensures you’re never scrambling to come up with your next blog post.

If you’re not sure where to look for inspiration, here are some things you can do to make sure your well of resources is always full:

Talk to your clients and customers.

Oftentimes, your best blog post ideas come from the clients and customers you talk to every day. Pay attention to their frustrations and listen closely to what they are interested in. Chances are you’ll find a blog post (or several) that way. I know I always do.

Use social media.

If you’re active in social media, think about the conversations you’ve had online. What are people talking about? Use twitter search to see what questions people are asking or simply ask your follows for their questions on a particular topic. Your next post can offer the answer they are looking for!

Read.

Reading blogs, news publications and books can help you keep your finger on the pulse of what’s new and relevant. You never want to copy what others are writing. However, you can draw on the work of others for inspiration. Expand on something you’ve read or find a way to write about the same topic in a different way.

Re-purpose other things you’ve written.

Think about all of the emails you write in a given day. I’m willing to bet there are some golden nuggets in all of those messages. Look at all of the things you write — white papers, proposals, presentations, and even emails — and transform them into a blog post. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to create a killer post.

Get active.

Some of my best blogging ideas happen when I’m running. Step away from the computer and get your body moving. Go for a walk, even if it’s just around the block. The fresh air and activity will invigorate you and trigger your endorphins. Sometimes, pulling yourself away from the computer is all we need to get our creative juices flowing.

Draw upon your experiences.

Think about your latest visit to your favorite coffee shop or road trip to see your family. Some of the best blog posts tell draw on stories from our personal lives. Use your experiences to explain an idea, draw a comparison or even provide an example of what not to do.

Where do you turn to find blogging inspiration? What’s your biggest challenge in coming up with topic ideas?

P.S. If you still need more ideas, here are 32 blog topic suggestions free for the taking.

Image credit: lett -/=