If you have your own gig, whether that be a little blog you run for fun, a multi-million dollar small business, or anything in between, you know first hand how tough it can be to take a break from your “baby”. Whether the break is a vacation or a forced leave of absence for one reason or another is irrelevant. It’s hard either way.
For me, I know vacations are an important time to unplug, enjoy life a bit away from the norm (by that I mean computer), and make memories with my family. But I always have a hard time pulling myself away from my projects for fear that something bad will happen when I’m gone or they won’t continue on full force without me.
A side tip about vacations. If you have a tough time getting away and unplugging, I’ve found one of the best ways to force yourself to do it is by going on a cruise or going to a resort in a place like Mexico. Both can be very affordable vacations and one of the greatest things about them is they take away the ease of Internet access that is so tempting when you go to a mainline hotels. The several times I’ve gone on a trip like this, I’ve found myself completely unplugging and not even thinking about work, blogs, Internet projects or even email. I’m too cheap to spend $20 a minute (or whatever crazy amount it costs for Internet access) to check my mail, so the laptop ends up spending it’s time in the hotel safe.
When you find yourself headed out, as I am this week with my family, for a little R&R, I have some suggestions for how to put your blog on auto-pilot while you’re out.
1. Post ahead of time.
This may sound completely obvious, but I’m continually amazed at the number of bloggers I run in to that don’t use, or even know about, the post scheduling feature. A week away is a great time to load up a mini-series of posts about a topic. If you’re using WordPress, this is a no brainer. I’m pretty sure most, if not all, of the mainline blogging platforms have a scheduling feature for posts.
On a Porsche blog I run, for instance, I loaded up a 7 day series of posts on Porsche aftermarket tuners. It was a great chance to dive into a topic a bit more and show some amazing pictures of Porsche cars. Plus the series was pretty easy to put together ahead of time. And as far as my readers go, they’ll never even know I’m away. Pretty cool.
2. Buddy up with another blog owner and help each other out.
Maybe you don’t have the luxury of a large writing staff and support people to help you manage your blog. No worries, why not buddy up with a friend, colleague or a fellow blogger and have them watch over your blog while you’re away. Also, it’s a great chance to share content on each other’s blogs. Think of it as your only little blogger consortium.
Oftentimes we are closed minded about our blogs and looking for help. However, knowing that someone is watching over things while you’re unplugged can go a long way toward putting your mind at ease and allowing you to take full advantage of your vacation. I’d love to take part in something like this with a group of bloggers I can trust, share posts with as filler content and help with some of the administrative duties of the blog like approving comments on each other’s blogs once in a while. I bet others feel the same way.
3. Ask for guest posts.
Maybe you’re having a hard time putting together the content you need for your blog while you’re away. Simple, ask your readers for guest posts. If that doesn’t produce any results, ask other bloggers in your niche to submit posts. I love sharing posts on other blogs to help with the inbound links and like it when others submit posts for me to use.
This is another area that I think it’s really easy to get one-track minded in and not think outside the box a little bit. For one of my blogs, a few weeks ago I decided to take a chance and email a few other blog owners in my niche whose blogs I’d been reading. To my surprise, several agreed to guest posts. The one I really wanted to respond is sending me several posts to put in as filler content whenever I need it. Perfect! Plus he writes great stuff in a style different from mine, so it’s a big value add for my readers.
A recent example of this is John Chow over at JohnChow.com. He’s abroad for something like 6 weeks. Seems like he’s got a guest post loaded up at least every other day. Really lightens the load and lets him not worry so much about generating content while he’s on an extended vacation.
One of the things I love about my online projects is I can do them from anywhere. I can blog from the coffee shop, the airport, on the plane in some cases, on the beach, on the mountain, or wherever. But sometimes we just need to unplug a bit and relax outside our norm. When that time comes for you, don’t be afraid to put things on auto-pilot and step away. You’ll be glad you did and you’ll end up being more effective and productive when you return. To make the time a little easier to prep for, think about how you can leverage the people around you to help fill in in your absence in exchange for filling in for them when they need it.
March 24th, 2009 at 5:56 am
With a cellphone like iPhone, it is hard to get away from blogging because I can still blog on my phone. I wouldn't trust guest posters that much especially when I am away from my blog for a week or two. Some people might stab your back, and posts stuff that are inappropriate for your blog. You are held accountable since it is YOUR blog afterall.
P.S. – your < strong > tags are not working
March 24th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Absolutely brilliant advise. The problem is in taking and implementing it!
March 24th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
thanks for useful tips….I will implemented soon and enjoy my vacation
March 24th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
I can definitely relate to this! Burn out will hit you at one time or another! It's very important to "step away" and get your mind totally off it!!! Hard for me to do sometimes hahaha
Nice post!
March 24th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Good info, I find it hard to be able to get away. To put yourself on the ocean makes you get away, at least till your near land. Although I thought sending my bosses to St. Barts for the weekend would make them unplu, no they just racked up one hell of a bill.
March 25th, 2009 at 10:49 am
I really love sheduling my posts as this leaves me the freedom to write when I have time and get the blog on autopilot for a few days. I feel I have a better output when I have the urge to write rather than when I have to write to keep the blog alive.
March 25th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Yeah I do schedule and time stamp m post when I have to go out for a vacation. That way you don't lose your readers while you are away.
March 25th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
You need a break. Your blog isn't your life. Take a week off and come back to write some good stuff. It'll be a lot easier that way.
March 25th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Great tips. Your strong tag is showing. I think guest posts is a great way to get more visitors. I need to try that method more often. Thanks for reminding me.
March 26th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Posting for blogs doesn't always need to be everyday, regularity means that you have set a schedule for you and your readers to turn toi your blog form time to time
March 27th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
Great!
March 28th, 2009 at 5:03 am
interesting site it really learns me a a lot.
March 28th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Vacation is very near and here i got a superb tips that will make my vacation memorable and useful. I will definately use these tips practically.
March 30th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Some very good tips here. I am about to have over a month of exams soon but have a two week break very soon, so I will be writing posts for half of the day then revise for the rest of it. If you are interested in writing a guest post for Success Circuit then please contact me (at Shane@ShaneHudson.net).
March 30th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Guest posts are a good way to go even when you're not vacationing. Combining steps one and three could work well when you're taking a break. Great ideas.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:22 am
Yes… It's a great advantage when You can work with Yours internet projects everywhere!
Thanks, Ryan, for these vacational tips!
March 31st, 2009 at 3:05 pm
I'm looking to have some people to help on my blog, because like you say its so time consuming!… Besides a couple of different perspectives would be a good thing for a blog I think
March 31st, 2009 at 7:29 pm
take your blog on vacation with you
only joking, always good to write posts in advance i think.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:01 pm
I think it's difficult to do so..
That's my problem this coming week.
I gonna have my vacation and no one gonna work my blog…
But it's a good point..
I try my best…
Thanks…
April 1st, 2009 at 11:50 am
i am using this information for my blog..thanks
April 1st, 2009 at 9:57 pm
I recently was sick for a week and i had enough posts saved up so i was still able to make 2 posts a day. I had a few guest interviews during that time as well. It was hard for me to take a break during that time but my planing ahead saved me.
April 2nd, 2009 at 3:05 am
At the moment since I am newbie I am giving full throttle force to myself, working in front of computer 8 hours a day, since I have to survive.I'll take a little break on weekend only.
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:09 am
I'm going out of town for a long weekend in 2 days and I promise not to do any work! Vacations are proven to revitalize and rejuvenate – just do it.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:14 am
Glad to know about your thinking about blogging, you are right it is a risky task to trust on guest poster but if you don't trust others than i think it can creates too much difficulties for you because a single man can not prefect in all tasks. So my deer friends you should trust on others also.
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:03 am
I share the idea that the blog is not the life itself,any addiction is not good.It is necessary to look for opportunities to have a rest and inspiration.In this situation guest posts can help.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:34 pm
What has happened? The last post was a guest post, and you have been unusually silent.
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:09 pm
I hate to work on vacation. Guests and having scheduled posts make it pretty easy.
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:20 pm
Kai, I agree with you, but an easy way around that (and the "right" way to do it in my opinion) is to collect the guest posts up front and schedule them to hit while you're gone. That way YOU still control the content and you don't have to worry about what's being written.
April 4th, 2009 at 7:14 am
It extremely tough to take leave from blog as you have to write regularly.
April 4th, 2009 at 9:51 am
Perfect Vacation is must needed i like your advice of asking for guest request best because your regular reader sure provide some useful post. Thx for best advice
April 4th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
I also think it's really difficult to take a break from your blog. Although, it's not a good idea to take too many vacations because it would slow down the growth of the blog, but it is good to take a break every so often.
April 5th, 2009 at 2:01 am
i think this is great but how much people would actually contribute to making your blog more successful considering people are always trying to outperfrom your blogs success or add any meaning to your blog
April 6th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Partnering up with someone is a great idea! I hadn't thought of that.
April 6th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Nice!
April 6th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
I tried writing posts in advance and then scheduling the posts, but it was a lot of work, next time i will a message to say i am on vacation and will be back soon.
April 9th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Another good idea is to actually tell your readers you are going on holiday before you go. There is nothing worse then having a dead blog with readers thinking that you have just deserted them
April 9th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
The style of writing is quite familiar . Did you write guest posts for other bloggers?
April 9th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
No, I haven\\'t done much guest posting. I have several other blogs I write on, but they\\'re not in the Make Money Online or Internet Marketing space.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
For those who can't find a lot of guest posts, buying articles is also one solution. Buy quality articles ahead of time. Then just schedule them. Or better yet if you already know about your vacation a month ahead of time, then plan it so you write one extra article daily and just schedule it for a later date.
April 10th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
yaa,
i think only 3C is the key of blogging, these 3C is given as follow
* Content: Unique & Communicating
* Consistency: Frequency is fast
* Closeness: Stick to your niche
April 10th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
I find that if you just don't go anywhere near computer for a day you get enough time off to carry on blogging. No need for large breaks
April 12th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
I find it way too hard to be away from the websites when on vacation. I always have a laptop with me and in downtime I always take a look at blog something, even if it's just how my vacation is.
Really should take a break from it though, it does get tiring.
April 13th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
You could just tell everybody you are going away, and give them some details about your itinerary.
If you have a loyal enough readership, they will still be around when you get back.
April 18th, 2009 at 10:36 am
thanks for sharing this useful tips….I will implemented soon and enjoy my vacation ….
April 18th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
you mean 'teaches' not learns
April 19th, 2009 at 12:31 am
A vacation is always nice to take. I'd like to find a good way to connect with other bloggers for guest post exchanges. Sure, you can take the time to build relationships with other bloggers and that is effective for the most part – but after awhile it can also limit you to where you post and who posts for you. It'd be nice if someone set up a free guest post exchange network – have no clue how to start that or would do it myself
April 19th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
It's a great tips for me.
Thanks, Ryan, for these vacational tips!
April 21st, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Guest posting and having a buddy are excellent thoughts for trip preparation. I certainly have enjoyed gathering up many posts before a vacation – and then auto set them to post when ready. It's great to have a care-free environment during vacations!
April 22nd, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Im looking for a place where I can find some stories of people who visited Japan. I really want to learn about there expeirence and possibly even see pics of their trip. I tired to google it but I dont know what to search for….
April 22nd, 2009 at 7:38 pm
Who can I call or where can I get directions to follow just to upload some of my vacation photos to my profile. I don't want/need a blog or a 360 or an avatar or a Flcker. I just want to take post my photos that until yesterday were fine and 13 hours later Flckr won't allow me to upload any photos.
June 19th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Yes, me to. Need some rest, going to Cuba, bye!
June 24th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Yea I also write ahead of time and post the blogs automatically when away . Esp good if you have a number of blogs.
July 7th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Interesting information, I'll have to start implementing it on my blog. thanks for sharing !
July 10th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
Like your style
July 14th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
where you can find this information?
July 27th, 2009 at 12:50 am
love this one!
July 27th, 2009 at 12:51 am
guest posting is a good choice
July 27th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
However, knowing that someone is watching over things while you’re unplugged can go a long way toward putting your mind at ease and allowing you to take full advantage of your vacation.
August 27th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
Nice list….yeah I've never scheduled when I am on vacation which is incredibly stupid because I always lose readers…..of course I also feel the need to take time away from my family which is worse. Will check out the scheduling features on wordpress
October 8th, 2009 at 3:25 am
You know this is a really good point to make. I have realised lately that I need to unplug myself from things more. I mean I start getting anxious If I don't check my email for a couple of hours. We are so connected all the time, but it is a good and healthy thing to remove yourself from it all every now and again.
October 10th, 2009 at 10:13 am
Thanks providing authentic information to its visitors. I am also in your favor owing to this latest blog.
November 18th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Its really hard to keep dedicated to blogging. Holidays, sickness and just other life issues draw me away from my blogs. I usually do try to post when Ill be afk for longer. I find its good to take a break. Gives fresh insights.
November 26th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Great advice, I think I am actually addicted to the Internet though. I get cold sweats when I am disconnected for too long.
December 16th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Nice piece of info for addicted webmasters like me. Tough to take a long leave though unless you really have to.
December 28th, 2009 at 12:10 am
yup, there are lot of blogs offering a cheap look on great tourists spot
January 7th, 2010 at 6:16 pm
great post.. thanks
March 10th, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Glad I found this post – I like the entire blog! Anyway…I know this post is a bit old, but I think the three tips still apply. My favorite: your #1 tip, post ahead of time. WordPress makes this so easy. And if you're not able to utilize a system that allows posting ahead then incorporate item #2 – buddy up with another blogger who can help you.
March 22nd, 2010 at 8:37 pm
Thank you for these 3 tips. I needed to read something like this to give a rest to my blog.
April 17th, 2010 at 9:01 am
Wonderful! I really did not think about this topic before from your point of view. But now I am thinking about your idea. I've also discussed with my friends about your post.
Thank you Ryan . I've bookmarked this page for my reference.
Mandy Green Tea
May 10th, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Nice tips, i will surely use the guest post articles and anotehr one: link love article which is easy to write and don't take too munch of our time.
May 14th, 2010 at 7:09 am
When I go on Vacation I schedule my work accordingly if. I will post and save all in my draft and have someone just go in and publish them for me. I can relax a lot better knowing its done. Its one of those nasty steps I am working, to totally relax.
May 15th, 2010 at 5:38 am
Glad I found this post – I like the entire blog! Anyway…I know this post is a bit old, but I think the three tips still apply.
May 19th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Asking for guest posts sounds like a great idea! I have noticed that many of the big name bloggers tend to do this quite frequently.:D
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June 29th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
I like the 'post ahead of time' concept.I wish there was a wordpress plugin for it !
July 10th, 2010 at 7:04 am
I was already using the guest posts when going on vacation, but I didn't think to post ahead of time. Thanks for this tip.