Caffeinated Confessions #8

August 17th, 2013 Kimberly Feature 89 Comments

17th Aug

Caffeinated Confessions
Welcome to Caffeinated Confessions !
I wanted a forum where we could talk about bookish subjects from swoon-worthy covers to the price of eBooks. I hope to share my thoughts on a different subject each month. So that we can all chat and share opinions. In the process, I hope we get to know each other a little better. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and lets dish!

Balancing Reading, Blogging, and Life- Oh MY! 

I love my blog, the blogging community, books and most of all chatting with the friends I have made since I began blogging. What started out as a hobby has quickly morphed into something I am passionate about and Ok maybe an obsession. *giggles* Sometimes though juggling my passion and the rest of my life isn’t easy. I sometimes get so wrapped up with the blog, Twitter, Facebook, and trolling the sphere,  that the rest of the world slips away….

skeleton on computer

I wasn’t getting the laundry done, or reading that book I wanted to start. Dinner? Oops was I suppose to make dinner? Which got me thinking, “how much time am I spending on all things bloggy and how can I better organize my time?” So I mapped out what I did all week..and ooh baby *faints* was I spending way to much time surfing the web and tweaking things that don’t really affect viewers.

I spend roughly three and half hours on Sunday visiting back and responding to comments on the Sunday Post. Seriously! I use to comment on everyone’s post that linked up, but I quickly realized I needed to cut back somewhere. I am very organized on the review end. I prep posts for the month by completing the top portion of posts two weeks worth a time. I am currently 2-3 weeks out on posts scheduled but with the move that gap closed a little. I spend the most time socializing and researching ideas- all of which I love. If left unchecked I could lose myself for 4-6 hrs on the computer daily…LOL I had no idea I was spending this much time, well maybe the dust should have been an indicator..but I love blogging *shrugs*

Seriously I could get lost in the blogosphere! *my butt has fallen asleep and I can’t get up*  So I decided I needed a plan!  Since I am anal/OCD..this wasn’t very hard. I have banned myself from all things bloggy at certain times during the day. That means no computer, no checking emails, no Twitter, Facebook, and widget shopping!  I tried this before but my smartphone notified me of comments, tweets, facebook chats and I ended up right back in front of the computer. So this time, no means no! Guess what..I still manage to visit my favorite blogs, respond to comments and get bloggy things done. By setting time limits I have found I am much more focused and not caught up or sucked into shiny things on the web. *I love just browsing Amazon and Goodreads…I mean look at all those shiny covers*  I hear peeps say they are “burnt out” that “blogging has become a chore” and I don’t want to ever feel that way. So I am taking action, setting aside no blog days and organizing my time better.

This has made me a much happier, less stressed blogger!

So my question to you is…Do you get lost in the blogosphere? Feel burnt out? Have trouble balancing reading, blogging, and life? Have you been sucked in by the internet? Gotten lost in the cloud? It’s pretty there isn’t it?  What steps have you do you take to keep things fresh and exciting?

~confessions of a blogging addict

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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

89 Responses to “Caffeinated Confessions #8”

  1. Lauren

    What a wonderful post! Yes I do feel burnt out and lost in the blogosphere sometimes, especially when real life becomes stressful. I just moved cities, and the packing, traveling, and moving in really cut into my blogging time and it stressed me out. I think you have to just be ok with letting everything go and jumping back in whenever you have time when real life intrudes. Fabulous post! Glad to hear you’re having luck with setting blog free times. I hope you never feel burnt out either, it sucks for something that’s fun to end up feeling like a chore. 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Lauren moving can suck up all aspects of life, I hope you settle in soon and agree that sometimes you just need to let life happen and surprise, surprise..if you have built a good foundation for your blog it survives!

  2. Lil Berry

    It is easy to get lost in this wonderful community, but this last few weeks I’ve had my job keeping me on a book bloggers diet, I guess I must learn to schedule posts and afterwards keep on working on future posts before my head gets the idea that the job is done.
    But when work is slow I do get home feeling fresh and with a sense that I can read it all (blog posts or books doesn’t matter).

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Agreed, this week I keep saying yes to more books..I post two-three weeks out which is good but not when I have 4-6 books to read a week..hehehe 🙂

  3. Dani C

    I am totally hearing you Kim! My sweet Hubby feels ignored when I am doing bloggy stuff. So I try to get it done while I am on break during the day or when he has to work at night. Though I do see where I will have to cut back on how much I am doing in the near future….

  4. Maida

    AHHH…Kim you hit it right on the spot! For me personally, I am currently in school, starting first year of University come September, and I am at a loss on how I’m going to balance my school work with my blog. I didn’t have a problem in high school, as there isn’t a lot of homework, but I don’t know what’ll happen now. lol ;p But yes I completely get lost in the blogoshpere. On twitter…on Goodreads..on amazon…on anything internet related for that fact. I’m a lazy person, I’ll admit it, so I think I should start scheduling my post ahead of time too. I think that would really help and cut back on some of my time, as I always do everything last minute. I usually take a break in between commenting and then pick a day to catch up on EVERYTHING! lol ;p I need to find a better commenting solution. Hopefully, we both can reach our goals, Kim! 😀

    ~ Maida
    Literary Love Affair 

    • kimbacaffeinate

      The blogoshpere is full of shiny things! I am really good about scheduling in advance, right now I am working on week 2 of September, all other posts are done and pending in my scheduler. Hopefully you will find a balance that works for you, school must come first!

  5. Lisa

    Heh. Have you read my post about ADHD and book blogging? I so need to work on this. I am really bad about it. And then I do all that commenting, and forget where I commented to go back and see if they replied. I tried spreadsheets, didn’t work out for me. I tried using a calendar… No suck luck. My blog ends up consuming my life and the things like.. Well, work, and cleaning and such, they get pushed aside. But after a year and a half, I still love every minute of it. I just don’t want to get so overwhelmed that I lose track of why I love it.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Yep, I love it too and get lost in the sphere, laundry be damned, but unplugging at certain times during the day and blog free days keep things in check 🙂

  6. Maja (The Nocturnal Library)

    I myself am very anal and OC too, and I find it hard to let go. I just took my first vacation away from my blog for a whole week, and it almost killed me. Regardless, I’m pretty determined to do it every year.
    I think we all have to be a bit obsessed, otherwise we never would have made it. So many blogs start and then just disappear. Only the obssessed remain. 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Oh Maja truer words were never spoken and the obsessed shall out live them all! Last year we went on a cruise for 14 days and while I had posts scheduled being cut off from my baby was so hard, the only thing that saved me ..was that a trusted friend monitored my blog for me daily in case of problems. I don’t get overwhelmed by the blog or commenting..but I do get caught up in it and the outside world suffers..LOL

  7. Victoria (aka zEmfIrKa)

    Aww! Great post – and I feel so much better just by reading it. I’m still new to blogging, but I’ve fallen in love with it and often see myself getting carried away and forgetting my other commitments such as housework, hubby, my dogs, and oh yeah… real work too, sometimes! That’s why whenever I start feeling like blogging is taking over my life a bit, I scale back. I realized I might not be as quick as others at reading and reviewing. I love to read, but I want to enjoy and savor when I do. I love to write as well, but it takes time for me to do a post. It often takes a good 2-3 hours for me to write up, edit, post, etc. – I’m a perfectionist and I want to put out quality material, not just something. So, I try to convince myself that quality over quantity will win over. 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      It is tough finding that balance especially when we love it, and it’s good you pull back to ensure that passion continues!

  8. Berls

    Thanks for sharing, it’s good to know I’m not alone! I started my blog just over a month ago and since starting it I have spent almost all my free time on the blog – I’m having trouble keeping up with reading, not socializing as much with friends, not even sleeping enough. But school starts in a week so I have no choice but to find balance. I’m currently working really hard to get myself a little ahead on my posts so that I’ll be able to keep up once school starts. My plan is to write all my posts for the week on Saturday, so that the rest of the week I’ll just block out a couple of hours a day for responding to comments and reading the blogs I follow. I sure hope it works!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      It sounds like you have a good plan, I organize my blog very well…it is the surfing, commenting and social sites that suck me in for hours on end!

  9. Marlene

    My day job is books, and blogging is books and I also blog on my day job and sometimes it all blurs, but…if I don’t schedule the blog everything happens at the last minute.

    Kim gave me some great advice when I went back to work, and scheduling most of the “finish” work for the blog on Sunday has totally saved my bacon.

    But I can get lost in the weeds of “shiny” all too easily.

    There’s always take out.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      it is fun getting lost looking at all the shiny things!

  10. Lark

    Kimba, I can relate so much to this! I enjoy reviewing, blogging, reading and commenting on other blogs, and especially all the friends I’m making in the blogging community. At the same time, it takes up more and more time, and the more I do to try to “grow” my blog, the more time everything takes. I find I have less time for reading, and it’s sometimes distracting me from family or from other things I enjoy doing (knitting, for example.)

    Like you, I need to find a better balance. Your ideas of setting aside blog-free days and also limiting the blogging time on the days you do blog are good ones. When I return from vacation, I’m going to have to do something similar, because I’ll be working from home; I need to set limits on the blogging time and the work time to try to be more efficient with both.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      But it’s all so much fun..and that is the problem, I may get lost for hours doing it and my butt may fall asleep in the computer chair…but I love it, and clean laundry is overrated right?!?

  11. Melissa

    Great post! I enjoy posting my reviews, and looking at other bloggers sites, Pinterest, Facebook…. =)

    I have tried to set a timer to tell myself..”I CAN NOT look at the computer until the timer goes off..( Im still working on this method )… =)

    Have a great week!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      hmm, that might work, if the timer told me I had to get off the internet I might kill it, like I do my alarm clock in the morning..LOL

  12. Sandy

    Girl yes! I love blogging. I really do. But I hate NO idea how much time it was really going to take. And I don’t even do half of the things I’d like to do related to blogging due to the amount of time required to put into them.

    I don’t have a specific designated “off” day where I don’t blog. But I do a pretty good job of taking forced breaks to maintain my sanity. Husband is pretty good about letting me know when I need to take a break too. He knows me that well.

    And yes, scheduling posts ahead of time relieves so much stress for me too. Great post!

    Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I am not alone! It’s good your hubby is able to save you from the sphere. LOL

  13. Jan

    Very good post and discussion. I think this is probably a problem for most of us bloggers…we decided to blog because we wanted to connect with other bloggers especially book review bloggers.

    Since I started blogging earlier this year the number of books I’m reading has gone down. I was averaging 10-12 books a month–now it’s only 5 or 6 books a month. 🙁 I need to find a better balance. I won’t even talk about the amount of housecleaning or cooking I’m not getting done…lol

    • kimbacaffeinate

      It’s because we enjoy socializing and looking at all bookish things..so it is so easy to lose time! When I would stop reading because my smartphone was flashing in knew I needed to unplug a little! hehehe.

      • Jan

        I really appreciate how you answer so many/all of your comments on your blog. I try to do that, too. I don’t get as many comments so it’s much easier for me. You get many comments so I know it takes a chunk of time, but I think it makes a big difference to encourage people to comment.

        I’m less likely to comment on a blog when I’m pressed for time and I know they don’t engage with the commenters because I’m not sure they are reading their comments.

        • kimbacaffeinate

          Thanks Jan, it is one of my favorite aspects of blogging and I really think you are right, I do get a lot of comments because I engage with my readers and they know it. I did cut out a few posts that simply didn’t make sense to comment back to..like WoW (I visit back)and Giveaway Hops, oh and my Blogoversary..cause I would have cried commenting back to some of those lovely, ego inflating comments..LOL

  14. Aurian

    I agree with you, I do find myself not wanting to read all the blog emails I get from other blogs, browsing facebook mindlessly, and just getting to tired to read. So I do allow myself a break from blogging, I don’t have to keep up with it everyday.
    Writing reviews is also very time consuming, especially as it just won’t flow. Perhaps I should go back to writing the review immediately after I finish a book, but well, often it is already past my bedtime.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I try to write my reviews within the first 24 hrs, so if I finish late night, I will write my review the next day. I tend to get lose time when I am surfing the web and chatting on social sites. LOL

  15. April

    I’ve always been curious how much time Comment Queen’s such as yourself spent commenting alone. I feel bad I don’t get around the blogosphere as much as I really want to.. but I feel like I’d burn out really quickly if I commented on too many a day. I really need this to stay *fun* and part of that for me has meant setting aside time for FUN posts – not guest posts that need formatted or reviews that need written AND formatted.. but just discussion posts that I like coming up with AND Shelf Reflections that I pretty much throw whatever I’m in love with that week into! 😀

    I’ve been looking for time savers too, and what I can cut down on to give myself more time to do the things I need and WANT to do! 😀

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Oh commenting is a blast for me, some days I only comment back and reply to those who comment here but my favorite part of blogging is comments..so I spend a minimum of an hour a day, 30 mins in the am and 30 in the pm. Some days more. There are peeps I visit everyday, and the rest is based on interest when I troll my bloglovin feed. Sundays are huge..but if someone comments on my blog, I always take the time to reply and comment back ..it is who I am but I am learning it is ok to reply the next day and not jump up and respond right back..ha!

  16. Chelsea

    Great post! I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes, I get so caught up in blogging and become a little obsessed. I have to make myself realize that I have to balance life with blogging better. I absolutely love it but I am like you and I don’t want to burn out or have it feel like a chore. It’s a hobby I love and I don’t want that to change.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I love it too Chelsea but food and clean clothes are good things too! LOL

    • kimbacaffeinate

      *nods head* Yeppers if I do not love a series..I drop it for more reading!

  17. Jennifer Bielman

    I do pretty good with balancing, though sometimes I read too much. I know, there should be no such phrase, but I do. But now I am going back to school for web design and I am nervous on how much that is going to affect my blogging, reading, and writing. I guess I will have to go with the flow.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I am sure you will figure it out, you are very organized like me..my problem is getting lost on the social sites and looking at shiny things, not the blog itself or commenting back..those are easy to manage..it’s the I just spent 2 hrs surfing Amazon WTF I forgot to start dinner moments I need to control! Bwahaha!

  18. Christy

    One of my main issues is that I get obsessed with something like blogging, and then I’m bored and over it… on to the next hobby. Instead of taking it easy when I started feeling that way, I HAD to keep with commitments. So I started to resent it. Hopefully I can start to enjoy it again.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      planning is going to be key for you. You need a nice cushion of posts, so that you can read and post when you want rather than feel pressured..it should be fun! I love it, but the socializing ..i can get lost for hours doing that!

  19. Heidi

    I hear ya! It is so hard to juggle everything. I cut back a long time ago on commenting. I return all the comments on my blog and keep up with about 12-15 of my favorite blogs daily and let the rest slide. You can spend hours commenting and it is so time consuming even though I do love reading blogs. I am trying to get posts prepped and scheduled ahead of time to have a nice cushion since I keep falling behind with the summer. Is is a big committment and I agree, I need to cut back and spend more time doing other things and that is my goal for this fall. I used to stress if I missed commenting a day or so, but I think we all understand and I never sweat it when faithful followers miss commenting. It happens! I am sure it is so time consuming keeping up on Sundays. I couldn’t do it, weekends are the time I spend with my family and blogging comments get left until Monday 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      My peeps are grown up so meals are our time, and Sundays during football it is easy to get lost on the blog. I love the socializing and surfing for shiny things..and this is where I can get lost for hours and forget to make dinner..hehehe. You stopped linking your Sunday Post, I am glad you do it, but miss seeing you linked up 🙁

  20. Doctor's Notes

    Kim this is the perfect post for me. I am still working out a system but recently I have started to set aside Sunday afternoon as my day to get all my posts up for the upcoming week. I am toying with the idea of making my posts especially for blog tours ahead of time and then just having to add in my review once I finish the book. Another awesome post as always lady.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I post about two weeks ahead on reviews etc, and when I accept a tour I prep the page and save it to drafts..my problem is socialize..i can do it for hours on end and forget about the outside world!

  21. pabkins

    Yep, I have to start cutting back more. I have a 1yr old and a full time job. I’m trying to get things scheduled a ahead of time. Luckily I’m not much of a net surfer I just visit around on blogs because I like them and like being social with booky friends. I do spend a lot of time on goodreads, I don’t like facebook so I’m rarely on it thank goodness.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      See since I got my smartphone and twitter, goodreads and facebook are at my finger tips..ooh and pinterest I can get lost there..but my schedule is working out lovely.

  22. Laurel-Rain Snow

    I was definitely getting “lost in the blogosphere” for awhile there, especially when I first really got hooked on it all and saw where it could take me. I even used that obsession as a storyline in one of the novels I’ve written recently (soon to be published, I hope).

    But setting limits for myself has been the way to go. I go online in the early morning for a specified period of time, usually an hour or so.

    Then I won’t go on again until later in the afternoon, unless I have a book review to post. I have my reading time in the mid-morning, and then again in the afternoon and evening.

    Great post, Kimba!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Exactly..and I still get things done in both the sphere and the real world!

  23. Angie

    What I have found is that yes I do spend hours blogging… but I don’t mind it since I enjoy it. What I do notice though is that it takes away time from reading. Now THAT is when I have to call it quits!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Yes..i stopped looking at notification on my phone when it’s reading time and like you I enjoy all aspects of blogging and the socializing..but my house and hubby need attention too!

  24. Carmel

    Real life? What’s that? LOL Admittedly, I do get distracted by Twitter more often than not but I try to limit myself by imposing a maximum time allowance and sticking with it. It’s impossible to keep up with all of the comments, e-mails, tweets, GoodReads discussions, Facebook comments, blog visits, post tweaks… and the list goes on. I set a list of priorities and that way what absolutely needs to get done gets done, the rest is just gravy.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Exactly..I just need to add laundry and dinner to my list of priorities!

  25. Candace

    Oh geez, it’s like you just talked about ME! I can spend entire days on. I get on to comment or answer emails but then remember I need to do this, and then that, and then it goes on forever. Because I work on the computer, and it kind of blurs lines with blogging, I have a harder time focusing on things. What I need to do (and do sometimes) is say for this hour I am JUST working on this and I will not check facebook, answer emails, reply to comments, etc. And like you said, I need block out hours, where I can’t get on line, including not on my phone. It’s like I think some emergency will happen and I NEED to get the email immediately, but really, that email can sit there for a couple hours just fine… I really don’t like things piling up, so I think dealing with my emails is like an obsession, I have to deal with it right away because what if I forget? What if it gets buried? What if they are just waiting for me to reply? Yeah, I obsess. Way too much!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I am the same, I get a message for email, twitter, facebook etc and want to stop my chores or reading and answer it..LOL The problem is …I LOVE it! LOL

  26. A Voracious Reader

    I’ve spent a *lot* more time on my blog lately than ever before, but I think it requires extra groundwork before I can go back to relaxing. I’m a SAHM, so it doesn’t interfere any more than when I was reading all the time and not reviewing. Social media (Facebook & Goodreads) does tend to creep into my reading time, so I’ve had to put the brakes on that aspect of it. I do get anxious because I have such a long review list but I have a hard time turning down books that look good. Luckily, the indie requests only trickle in now and I have plenty to choose from other sources. Still, I have a huge backlog that I’m hoping to pick up speed on now that my blog is coming together nicely. Anyway, yes the shiny internet does distract me, but I’m slowly getting it under control.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      See it’s that socialize that gets me, that and looking at shiny things..then I forget to do laundry and cook dinner! I did better before my smartphone..LOL but no way am I giving it up!

  27. Debbie Haupt

    Girlfriends, can we talk. I mean you hit the proverbial blog/reading/reviewing/full time job/board of directors position/ in-person book club/life on the head 🙂
    I have to admit when B&N was supporting their on line forums life was pretty much a piece of cake, I’d have one author a week for an interview/review (their rules) chat everyday with my peeps on the board from my day job, read/review and other life events in the evening. Well that changed with a bang when B&N dumped unceremoniously all of their faithful and tried and true moderators ( yes that means the checks stopped coming) and since I loved what I did I thought well I’ll just revamp my blog and go from there no biggy. Boy was I wrong (right Kimba). If it weren’t for the serious help from this blogger right here my blog would be in the trash but now that I’m “getting” it better it’s taking up oodles of time so what am I doing on a Saturday am when I’ve still got 8 book reviews due by Friday, yup posting a blog post.
    So I guess I’ll have to sign up for your course Kimba, when does it start. I’ll bring the pastries to go with the coffee.
    Great post as always and you are a literal life saver
    xoxoxo
    deb

    • kimbacaffeinate

      It’s a balancing game, I do well with my own posts, reviews but I get lost surfing blogs, looking at shiny book covers and chatting on all the social sites. Pastries? hmmm I might just need to start a class.

  28. Andrea

    Oh, Kim. I have dealt with the same issues as you for two years now. I have driven my husband bananas, but now that he actually looks at my reviews and knows some of my bloggy friends, he understands more. I’m working hard at cutting back too, and have decided to only work on blog stuff when my kids are at school, and shut everything down from 3pm until they are in bed.

    I hope we both accomplish our goals!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      That is great your hubby reads your posts, mine signed up for email and comes home and mentions funny things..like the other day he said, “I licked the chocolate” bwahahaha!

  29. Jenea

    I am a stay at home mom, so juggling work and blogging isn’t a problem for me so much. I try not to do a bunch of bloggy stuff on days the kids and husband are home. I have had a few times when reading just doesn’t work out and have gotten frustrated with it. When blogging does become a chore to me, is when I take a step back. I started this because I love reading so much. Great post Kim. 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I think we don’t get burned out because we are passionate and with young ones they probably keep you from having your butt fall asleep while looking at shiny things on the web!

  30. Kerri

    This is a great post! Whe I began my blog a few months back, I was SO excited. I never realized how much time I would wind up putting into it. I found I had to force myself away and to actually read those books I wanted to review. I started stressing about followers/views etc. When the summer came, kids were home and I really found myself struggling to get anything done-lightbulb! I started this for fun and it wasn’t, so I pulled back a bit. I know when the kids go back to school, I can get myself into more of a schedule, but until then, I am just relaxing and trying to go with the flow.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      thankfully I never stressed about followers, and I’ve been careful about how I schedule but twitter, facebook, goodreads, pinterest and all those shiny things can suck me in for hours on end!

  31. sharonda

    I feel you…I started doing a little of organizing too. like not visisting blogs & commenting until the weekend. Sometimes I still sneak a peak during the week, but for the most part, I’ve pretty good about it. I’m still trying to get together how I review my books & things of that nature…definitely stopped signing up for so many blog tours as well.

    I can’t say that I’ve gotten burnt out, but balancing life between blogging can get a crazy sometimes, but like you said it so much fun 🙂

    Great post

    • kimbacaffeinate

      No burnt out here either, I do love it all, and laundry not so much..but I have found a balance so that I can not feel guilty when I do bloggy things!

  32. Tanja

    It’s all about organizing your time for me. I mean it’s much easier to me as I’m currently on vacation and I don’t have kids etc. I still have to do some things around the house but nothing that I cannot manage. Still once my classes star it’ll be another story. So like you I prepare my post in advance (sometimes for weeks) and it’s easier that way. I’m glad you found the way to balance all these things. Great post 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I do find with scheduling the blog etc, it’s the time I spend surfing and looking at shiny things I need to cut back on..ha!

  33. Vilia

    I got Blogger Fatigue right about when I hit my three month anniversary. I’d been publishing about 40 reviews a month and I was absolutely stuffed. I also hadn’t worked out how to stop my phone from making a noise every time I got a comment on my site or an email. Noise woke the kittens and the kittens work me. Bleh! I eased up and I’m enjoying blogging much more. I keep trying to tell myself – quality over quantity.

  34. Diamond

    Yes, Yes, Yes! To all those..I definitely have a blogging problem. Where does the time go?! I have no idea..but you’re right, I need to schedule my time better.
    I’m currently in the process of having posts scheduled for a few weeks in advance. Ok, more like one week at this point. Mainly reviews is what I need scheduled. That way I can relax a bit and not feel so pressured.
    No blogging days is a good idea. That’s supposed to be Sunday for me, but I always sneak some time in at night to follow back and comment on people’s wrap up/Sunday posts. For some reason I feel like if I respond on Monday I won’t have time, or it’ll be rude or something– which doesn’t make sense..lol..

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I am realizing it’s ok to respond and comment back when you can, it doesn’t have to be that day!

  35. blodeuedd

    As I keep my reviews light and easy I do not get burned out. I do think it’s down to my relaxed style (even if I should try to read through what I write now and again. Spell check anyone 😉

    But I would love to do more discussion posts and things like that, but I know I would get too swamped. I need to read too

    • kimbacaffeinate

      You do seem to have fun and it always reflects in your reviews:)

  36. Toni

    I spend WAY TOO MUCH TIME on bloggy things. Blogging has taken over my life in a way it never has before. I have been blogging for almost 15 years and I’ve never gotten this obsessed. There’s something about book blogging that does it, just sucks all of my time away. When my husband says he’s going bowling or to a ball game with friends my first thought is, “Yay, no interruptions!” What has happened to me? It’s like heroin or something. It has rearranged my entire life, and I’m not sure how I let that happen. Don’t get me wrong, I love it.. everything about it.. but there is a constant underlying feeling of guilt. I need a twelve step program in a serious way, Kim. But right now I need to go finish this review… LOL.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I do a little dance whenever I find myself alone and able to read or do bloggy things..LOL

  37. Sharon - Obsession with Books

    An awesome post Kimba, this is so me!! since I recently started part-time work my blog, social media and reading time isn’t such a high priority anymore as I’m rushing to balance work, family, school, personal time which can be pretty exhausting! I am at the stage where I can’t be bothered picking up a book some nights even though I need to catch up on review copies (this is pretty much my only reading time). I have thought about quitting my blog but it is something I really enjoy so will just have to ensure I’m a lot more organised.

    Blog tours are now few and far between and I’ll only take on books I really want to read, I just need to stay away from NG and EW – my next step.

    Thanks for sharing! it’s always nice to know we aren’t alone 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I love doing all things bloggy but sometimes need to remember my peeps need fresh laundry..LOL

  38. Chene Sterckx

    I totally relate too.. I thought it was just a ‘me-thing’ and that I was totally addicted. Trying to balance reading, writing, work, trolling the sphere, it feels like I dont have enough time in my day. So glad to hear its not only me 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I do fine if I allow certain times for bloggy things that I actual get more done 🙂

  39. kindlemom1

    I have been guilty on this many times and I find that I too have to set goals for myself and limit my time between reading and blogging and just being on the web in general or I do feel burnt out. Yes some days are better than others but overall I am doing better. I have limited myself on how many blog tours I sign up for and how many author reviews I will accept each month as well as ARCs and even though that number is still probably higher than it should be, it is better and hopefully will continue to get better and more manageable.

  40. Michelle

    *inhales deeply* Confession time…Lol.
    I’m nearly burnt out myself but I’m in a weird place right now. I still have no job…seriously. Due to anxiety issues I don’t drive, though hopefully after next week I’ll be able to jump that hurdle. So I spend a lot of time at home, okay…I spend nearly ALL of my time at home. Blogging and socialization keeps me sane, but because I’m not doing anything ‘productive’ in society I feel the need to do as much as I possibly can. I have to feel like I’m doing something or I get in a funk. So I read, socialize, schedule, and type as much as I can. I do laundry and cook, but chance are the book or the phone is near me.
    I’m thinking of cutting back a bit though, because it’s become more like work and it’s killing my want to read. Plus I need to restrict the amount of time I spend surfing and such.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I prefer to be at home and work about 20 hrs outside of the home, my hubby swears that if he wasn’t here I would never leave and I think he could be right. I do hope you find a job you enjoy and are able to go out a little. I don’t feel like it is work..but I do need to spend time doing other mundane things..ha! Good luck sweetie!

  41. Donna

    I can definitely relate Kim, this is why I have been such a sporadic blogger over the past 3 years. Now that I have committed to being a much more consistent blogger, I’ve set some rules and boundaries for myself about tours, NetGalley, review requests, and setting aside plenty of time to read for fun and not obligation. I love my blog and I want it to continue to grow so I have to be aware of my limits and be realistic in my commitments. Like you, I can spend an inordinate amount of time online, for me it’s Pinterest that does me in and I sit mindlessly clicking crafts and recipes for HOURS. In my defense, we have been eating a lot better since I discovered Pinterest and I had a blast crafting with the kids during Christmas! But like you, I need to set some limits on how much time I devote to random browsing. Great discussion post Kim!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      ooh Pinterest has lots of shiny things..LOL My problems is doing all of the things that aren’t fun..like laundry, cleaning etc. I also need to watch that I don’t cut into my reading time. I settle down to read, then get a tweet or email and bam..i am back on the computer socializing again.