How to prep your blog so you can actually relax on vacation
When I go out-of-town, I like my blog to stay home and keep working for me. It’s part of my business, so I never want it to look like I’ve skipped town and taken a holiday because, I know from experience, it will create a lull in my traffic and sales. So I prep my blog about two weeks in advance and automate as much as content as possible.
I’m headed out-of-town next week, so here’s what I’ve been working on to make sure I’ll actually be able to vacation on my vacation…
Write posts in advance
The first thing I do is plan content and write all my posts in advance. I generally write two posts per day instead of one and/or use a chunk of my weekend to knock out a bunch of posts at once. I like to make a list separate from my regular editorial calendar, so I can have the satisfaction of crossing things off and watching my list get smaller.
Ask for guest posts to lighten your work load
In order to make my schedule a little less crazy, I ask a few of my favorite bloggers to give me a hand and write guest posts, which I have them send in advance so I can have it scheduled before I leave. Generally I try to cover the aspects of blogging and business that readers have asked about, but I don’t have much experience in.
Schedule everything
Everything! Blog posts, emails, tweets, Facebook and Google posts – it’s all scheduled in advance to post automatically while I’m gone.
Turn off all push notifications
Email, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram – turn them all off! I actually keep all my notifications except Twitter off always, but if you’re someone whose phone is generally buzzing all day long – it’s time to take a break :) I turned my email notifications off during a vacation about three years ago and loved it so much I never turned it back on!
Check-in
I do try to check in once a day – just for a few minutes – to approve/respond to blog comments and reply to tweets. This will be a helpful rule if you’re having a moment of, “OMG but what if….” just thinking about taking a break. It’s the internet, it will be fine until you return, but allowing yourself a daily check-in might give you just the right balance for a stress-free vacation.
Remember, as a small business owner, taking a break should be part of your job. It’s so important to completely step away from the daily task of blogging and social media every couple of months to release all of the work you’ve done and make room for something new.
