May I be frank for a moment? Since we are in the middle of Adopt-a-Blogger, I thought that this might be the perfect time to write about something that has been on my mind for quite some time. The Hazards of Blogging. No… I don’t mean getting flour on your camera and cake batter on your laptop. I mean the physical and emotional hazards of blogging. You are probably thinking, “Well, that sounds silly. What kind of physical and emotional hazards could take their toll on a person blogging?”
Blogging, like any other hobby, can turn into something that is a bit more obsessive and can take over portions of your life. When people turn to me for blogging advice, one of the first things I ask them is to share their goals with me. 99.9% of the time, people want to attract more visitors and more comments to their blog. This is a very common desire. If you enjoy blogging, having visitors come to your blog and then having people leave comments on your post tends to give you that extra push of confidence you are seeking. You know, through comments, that people are listening and their comments help to validate the purpose of your blog. Most people start out blogging for themselves, but then easily get caught up in the desire for comments, links, and higher visitor stats.
I remember when I first started Dine & Dish way back when there weren’t nearly the number of food bloggers that there are now and getting your blog noticed among the pack wasn’t as difficult as it is now. I would always pride myself in the fact that I tried to remain on a personal level with the visitors to my blog. I would always respond to their comments as well as visit their blogs. Dine & Dish grew and grew some more and keeping up that promise to myself has become more and more difficult. Visiting and commenting on other blogs is extremely important if you want to keep your blog in front of others. Responding to or acknowledging comments is something I personally wanted to do. By keeping up with all of the comments and blog reading, I one day recently realized that my blogging time was starting to take over my life. Balance was something I have always had trouble with, but more so now than ever.
This past weekend my husband and I went to a movie called Fireproof. It is a Christian based movie about marriage and it was probably one of the most eye opening, moving movies I have seen in a very long time and I highly recommend anyone (Christian or not) who is married to see it. During one scene, the husband (who had an addiction to internet porn) took his computer outside and crushed it with a bat. It was at that moment in my head that I thought “Wow… sometimes that would be so nice… to be able to just get rid of technology for awhile.” It was then that I realized blogging, commenting, reading other blogs had taken a place in my life that was not healthy. I was spending less time with my family and more time with my laptop. Between writing my blog posts, cooking for my blog, photographing what I cooked, reading comments, reading other blogs, writing posts on Twitter about my blog, etc. I realized that Dine & Dish was getting more attention than some of the most important people in my life, and that was unacceptable.
I wanted to write this post to all the new bloggers out there. Some of you can balance this and balance it well. Others may have a more difficult time with it. When you are blogging, I want you to remember the sole reason you are blogging…for me that reason is to document my life for me… for my children… and for my family. Everything else (the friendships, the connections, the information), which I appreciate so much from each and every one of you, is just icing on the cake. Live your life and then blog about it. Don’t let your blog become your life.
Because this is a food blog, I’m adding a recipe. I made this a long time ago for the 3-A-Day Blogher campaign, but thought the photo was not stellar so didn’t blog about it. Well, I’ve decided…who cares if the photo isn’t great? You are going to get the recipe anyway!
Chicken, Mushroom and Cheese Quesadillas from Cooking Light Magazine
45 min | 15 min prep
SERVES 4
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 (8 ounce) package sliced mushrooms
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 4 (8 inch) flour tortillas
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Combine ground cumin, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; sprinkle over chicken.
- Add chicken to pan, and sauté 5 minutes or until browned. Remove chicken from pan; set aside.
- Add onion, mushrooms, garlic, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper to pan; sauté 5 minutes.
- Remove from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Wipe pan with paper towels.
- Heat pan over medium heat. Sprinkle each tortilla with about 1/3 cup cheese.
- Arrange 1/2 cup mushroom mixture over one-half of each tortilla.
- Arrange chicken evenly over mushroom mixture.
- Carefully fold each tortilla in half. Add 2 quesadillas to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and cheese melts.
- Repeat procedure with remaining quesadillas. Serve immediately.
Great advice to new and old bloggers alike. I don’t think I’m obsessed with my blog, but I do get caught up with comments and hits I receive. I lose focus on the whole “writing for me” part. I sometimes get discouraged when I see newer blogs suddenly get noticed and get 50 comments on one post and everyone links to them. Sometimes I have to step back from my “Blogger Envy” and realize that comments and hits aren’t the be all and end all of blogging.
Tanyas last blog post..Cool Kids For Take The Cannoli
Amen! I’ve felt at times caught in sucking vacuum, know as my PC. I’m stepping away tomorrow. Gotta live, gotta experience, gotta blog about it.
peters last blog post..Keftedes With Pligoruri, Fresh Herbs and a Lemon Verbena Yogurt Sauce
Good post Kristen. I’ve seen this happen to a lot of folks. One of the corollaries of this is getting too involved and too personal/ emotional. Always great to have a voice, but keep it tempered. If someone has something that makes them hesitate before posting, then walk away from it and return the next day and see if you *really* want that staying up “forever”…. sometimes it’s better not post in the heat of the moment than to regret later.
Thanks for the very insightful post (and delicious recipe). I have to agree that it gets a little obsessive. When we were going on vacation, I freaked when we decided not to bring laptops. I couldn’t help but think “all the other bloggers blog when they’re on vacation, shouldn’t I?” It ended up being great to leave technology behind like you mentioned.
sharons last blog post..Homemade Pitas from the Archives
As you know, I am a new blogger and there are times when I feel guilty because I’m not blogging everyday. I enjoy your blogs and use the posts to keep up with your family. You are a great writer, but I understand what you are saying. Keep it in balance, but keep on blogging when you can. Love
I’ve only been blogging for six months and I love it, but I do think it’s easy to become obsessed with analytics instead of what I originally came to blogging to do–which is to record my personal journey, and if someone is interested in following along, that’s just great. Thanks for this post, and for the reminder to keep it all in perspective.
Food Lovers last blog post..Eating Healthy Is Affordable: Believe It!
I started blogging because I wanted a way to document my quilt projects. That was three years ago. I started my At Home blog because I became a stay-at-home wife and I want to share my experiences at home. I write entries when I feel I have something to talk about. I don’t worry if it’s not every day, but I do try to blog at least once a week on both blogs.
I agree blogging can get in the way of life. I simply schedule my blogging time. I read blogs in the morning with my coffee and then again before I go to bed. I use Bloglines to keep me updated and for the ones where I want to leave a comment I flag them. I generally leave comments on Tuesday nights when I’m home alone.
It works for me.
Paula in NHs last blog post..Call Me Mrs. Fix-It
Thanks Kristen! You are right – as a fairly new blogger it is easy to get caught up in the comment race! It’s good to hear from someone with more blogging experience under her belt that it isn’t the most important thing!
Mariss last blog post..Fruit Beer
I could not have said it better myself!!!! I’ve thought the exact same thing before. I have 2 blogs: one where I am very busy with lots of friends and lots of blogs and lots of commenting, and one where I have zero readers and get zero comments! LOL Its where I go when I need a break from the stress and chaos of constant blogging!!! However, I’ve always been afraid to state it because it seems like such a dumb thing to complain about!! I’m glad you put it down here. Thanks! I can so identify!
Vacation without my laptop! Ha! Unheard of! LOL Even though I always say something like “I’m going to be gone for a few days, so if you don’t hear from me….” sort of like setting up a break for myself. But I ALWAYS cave in! Can’t wait to see Fireproof!
Those quesadillas look delish. I lost my cooking mojo recently, too, and I’ve finally got it back.
shelleys last blog post..Tomato Salsa & Spaghetti Sauce
Good job on this, Kristen. It’s so true. You always hear about how the Internet (MySpace, Facebook, etc.) are taking over teens’ lives, and it’s easy to see how . . .
I agree with Paula (above) – scheduling is imperative, otherwise things easily get out of hand.
Thanks for tackling this tough subject!
Sandy Ss last blog post..Happy New Year! Roasted Plum Tsimmes
Great post, and I think the balancing only gets harder the longer you are blogging, at least that’s my experience.
Kalyns last blog post..Recipe Favorites: Italian Sausage and Zucchini Soup
Wow Kristen. That was completely and totally true. I realized a few months into my blog that I was writing for an audience, and not myself… I try really hard to remain true to the ME in all of this and not someone I think everyone wants to read about. My real life as a military wife and home cook may be boring to some, but I really don’t care anymore. I just want to remain true to myself and have a REAL document of me behind all of this.
I personally, LOVE your personal attention to everyone. You make us all feel like a community, and that might just be something we’re all lacking in our OWN communities. I hope you find the balance, I for one know you care… so if it’s a choice between saying howdy to me… or spending time with the family- I’m all about you spending time with the family. I know all too well that time is a very precious thing.
Take care,
Cat
The Cat’s Pajamass last blog post..A Man and his Jewelry
You’re so right. I’ve been spending a lot of time with my computer lately. Actually, I told myself I would quit looking at blogs 10 minutes ago. Will.Walk.Away.Now.
Oh…thanks for the rec on Firewall…I’ve been curious about that. 🙂
Bridgets last blog post..*A*M*A*Z*I*N*G*
Balance is very important. Blogging is a great hobby, so much fun, and a perfect outlet for me. I do need to keep it in check and stick with my goals. Thanks for this post!
robinsues last blog post..I Got a Standing Ovation!
This is great advice. I fight against a tendency to want to do everything “all the way.” But, alas, there are priorities and compromises. It seems like every day I struggle to get the right balance in.
Heidi As last blog post..Carrots with Olives and Garlic
You know, I really needed this post. Lately I’ve been noticing that I spend the majority of my day at the computer, while the kids run wild and the housework remains undone. Thanks for reminding me why I started my blogs – in my case, one to let my family know what we’re up to, and one to share our favorite recipes. Comments are wonderful, but I shouldn’t be living and breathing solely to get the most comments I can.
Stephanies last blog post..Some Like it Hot!
Interesting post, Kristen. I’m wondering what you will do differently now that you’ve identified blogging as something that has caused your family life to get a bit out of balance.
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)s last blog post..Old Bay Seasoning (Recipe: New England shrimp boil)
Oh, Kristen, I know exactly what you mean. I wrote about this very topic a few months ago. It is so easy to become obsessed with blogging. As my readership grew, the pressure to be bigger and better became oppressive. I was spending almost every waking moment on blog related activities. I gave up all of my other hobbies and I ignored my family and friends! I was drowning! Finally, I had to step back and set some boundaries for myself. I don’t post or comment as much as before, and my traffic has suffered a little for it, but I am much saner. Thanks for posting about this.
Susan at Sticky,Gooey,Creamy,Chewys last blog post..TWD: Creme Brulee
Does being “married to my computer” count? 😉
Hours seem to be eating up (pun intended) when trying to find information for my blog(s) and articles I write for our local weekly (after being discovered by a fellow local foodie blogger!)
cookie jills last blog post..M&M’s are made in China?
Very well said, Kristen. Just starting out, I’ve had a tiny taste of the rush that comments/publicity/blog love in general can bring…but it’s important to remember that none of that compares to why I started blogging in the first place. Thanks for the reminder!
Amys last blog post..Wednesday Baking Returns: Veggie Tales
Thank you so much for leaving this post…I am right there – right now! Blogging has definitely become an obsession for me… More so than worrying who will leave comments – I’m obsessed about what to blog about…what pics to post, etc. At the moment – I’m single and don’t have a family – but I do have a full-time job and a full-time social life that take up a great deal of time as well.
So…it’s not just me…good to know and yes – I’ll keep reminding myself why I started blogging in the first place.
BTW – I like the photo – looks yummy!
Karen Kirklands last blog post..Cookie Monster
“Live your life and then blog about it. Don’t let your blog become your life.” You’ve said it all girl! You are so right!
clumbsycookies last blog post..Afro Muffin: Winner and Recipe!
It is easy to get caught up in it all! I have been very busy over the last couple of weeks and haven’t had much time for blogging. I feel so guilty about it. It is silly really.
Adopt a blogger, ahem, better get on with it 😉
hollers last blog post..Veggie Sausage Rolls
You are 100% correct in your post! I too want to keep my blog on a very personal level w/ folks and always return the favor of commenting and visiting others blogs! But it is VERY time consuming. I dont want there to be a day when I cant be personal w/ my readers..but if my husband bitches enough about not getting enough attention..I suppose he will have to come first!!LOL Damn men are sooo needy!!!
leslies last blog post..The Death Of Chocolate
Such a thoughtful post and, obviously, appreciated by the many who have commented here before me. Conversely, though, it’ll be a little tough to step away today because “CommentLuv” has given me so many new posts to explore. 🙂
Nice post and yes blogging is obsessive and hard to keep in your back pocket. Thanks for writing this and keeping us in perspective.
noble pigs last blog post..Let The Hijinks Begin…
Standing ovation! Loud clapping!!!! Bravo!! Well said!!
Good for you for going on a date with your husband.
Would love to hear more about the movie.
Hope you’re doing well.
Thanks for all your insight and great advice.
I was blessed by your friendship.
Julie
Wow, Kris, you have touched so many lives with this blog entry. No wonder you were so good in HR. I am so proud of you!
Excellent points – very well put. Thanks!
Joys last blog post..One Year Ago Today …
I could have said the same thing!! I’ve been lucky to have lots of down time at work where I can blog and comment, but when I get home, I rarely check the computer. I try to keep my family first. I know it’s all going to change when the baby comes, and blogging is going to become even harder, but I know that is when it’s going to be even more important to stay balanced and keep it all in perspective!
Well said. I think it is very important to remember why we blog. Whatever the reason, keeping it in mind helps to keep everything else in perspective.
Lisas last blog post..Study Like a Rock Star
Well said… much needed…
(And the quesadillas pic? Looks great to me!)
Naomi in Ohios last blog post..Hump Day
Great post! When Cookie Madness isn’t fun anymore, I’m just going to tear it all down. Right now I’ve got a pretty good balance, but it is definitely hard to respond to every comment and comment on other people’s blogs. For that reason, I LOVE Twitter because I can keep track of everyone at a glance and it doesn’t take much time to tweet at someone.
Annas last blog post..Maida Heatter’s (Spooky) Oreo Bundt Cake
your opening line reminded me of that famous scene in “airplane”:
Surely you can’t be serious.
I am serious… and don’t call me Shirley. 🙂
meanwhile, awesome post. i think you’re so right–a balance is definitely necessary. good for you for bringing it to everyone’s attention. 🙂
“All things in moderation…” a very good point to remember.
Sandies last blog post..Growing Pains
Kristen,
You are wise to get it figured out! Hey, are you related to that Pat girl?? I see where you get your wisdom. Balance is what we all should be trying to achieve in our lives. In everything. Hang in there and always try to think about the balance.
Keep up the good work. Nella
Nellas last blog post..On the road again.
Kristen,
Thanks so much for sharing – you’re totally right! I constantly have to remind myself that I’m striving to be a better WIFE, not a better BLOGGER!! So, if I have a choice between writing a blog post and cleaning my house, as much as I’d love to sit on Twitter or write my blog, I need to do my job as a WIFE first.
Thanks for the recipe, too…. I love quesadillas… and chicken… and mushrooms…. so this should be great to try!! 🙂
Looking forward to seeing Fireproof, too…. waiting impatiently for it to come to my area!
Thanks again for your post,
Heather Marshall
Heather @ The Striving Wifes last blog post..The Gracious Wife versus The Angry Wife
Hi Kristin,
I am going to blogging for a website other than my own soon. This is a timely post. I mentioned to my husband that I wanted to get organized and make a schedule so that blogging whether it’s personal or professional doesn’t entirely take over my life. I love coming to your blog for a dose of reality. Your photos look cozy and inviting while some bloggers make the food look too good to eat. I am sure your home is as warm and inviting as your blog.
AJ
Alicias last blog post..Momma’s Gonna Have a Brand New Gig
You are so right about achieving balance, Kristen. It’s easy to let your blog run roughshod over other more important parts of your life. I’ve achieved a measure of balance a couple of ways. First, from the outset, I decided to publish once a week. To me, Blue Kitchen is a weekly online publication; I don’t feel pressured to put up posts daily, and regular readers come to expect my Wednesday posts. That said, I’m on it every day, checking comments, and I’m always thinking about future posts, so I never totally turn it off in my head. But just giving myself a weekly deadline and sticking to it helps.
Second, I really lucked out in the spousal department. My wife Marion is an excellent cook and a writer; I occasionally have her doing posts on the blog. She’s also always on the lookout for food ideas, new products, photo props and other things, just like I am. So my blog is something we share, rather than something that takes time away from the family.
Terry Bs last blog post..Homemade pizza, quick enough for a weeknight
Thanks for the heads up on the movie! That is always such an important message to remember your priorities! Thanks for the reminder! It looks like a good movie!
Oh, I am right there with you! I feel obligated to the blog yet it is just for fun and to work on writing. And I do ignore some other things sometimes. I have just had to cut down on commenting and how often I post. Balance is always hard!
Nicoles last blog post..Carpe Diem
Well written post! I have definitely seen and heard of people going through similar things while food blogging. It can definitely be tough to do with a family too. I find it easier as a single person to make the rounds and spend the time coming up with stuff for the blog, but the minute I start to ignore my friends I snap out of it. I have to have a life too. I hope you find your balance 🙂
Kristen – what a great post! I’ve been trying to balance blogging and life and am starting to get a handle on it.
That recipe sounds wonderful, so I am going to have to give it a try soon.
Patsyks last blog post..L’Shanah Tovah!
What an excellent post. It’s tricky deciding what the balance will be for a blogger, isn’t it? I love the feel of visiting a blog and leaving a comment and then knowing the comment is read and responded to. I always knew I wanted to have a blog that felt “small” in that my readers would be like friends. But keeping up with comments is getting tougher and taking far longer than actually blogging and cooking. I love it but I don’t want it to take away from what matters most. Thanks for the reminder to keep it in balance!
Erins last blog post..Caramelized Onions Pear and Brie Crostini
This is a great post with lots of food for thought. Balance is so hard.
Sharis last blog post..Whisk Wednesdays—Navarin d’Agneau Printanier (Lamb Stew with Spring Vegetables)
We try to have one day a week where we go home and don’t turn on the TV or computer. The past three weeks have been so busy at home that I haven’t had much of a chance to post or read blog stuff which has been nice but that feeling that “I’m behind” sticks with me 🙁
That’s why I don’t post daily neither on weekends. I have set that as a limit, so I can enjoy my house, my husband.
Of course that not having kids yet helps a lot, I don’t know if I would be able to blog if I had kids.
I do work far from home, from 8:30am to 5:30pm, but since I work as an executive assistant and my boss is not around all the time I’m able to read the blogs I love at the office.
Patricia Scarpins last blog post..Brioche filled with chocolate ganache
The only pressure as it relates to blogging is what we place on ourselves. The minute that the Pink Heels blog becomes a ‘job’ or detracts me from the things that are important to me, I will cut the strings.
It is worth pointing out that my absolute favorite blogger only posts once a month! When the new post is up, I savor every morsel and wait in anticipation for the next one. Quality is far more important then quantity…in my opinion.
Don’t be afraid to take a break from blogging and technology.
This has SO, SO been on my mind too. All of it. The time, the emotions involved, the sacrifices. But mostly the inner struggle it creates -it’s like a bad drug sometimes. It has so many positive things for me, it’s an outlet, it’s social, I get to be creative, and my ego is stroked because to some people I’m an expert…
But sometimes the cost is really, really high. I feel sometimes like it does control me, and I’m a slave to it. I sometimes wish it was all bad, so I could just give it up, but it is mostly good, I just need to be better at letting it not control me. It is such a hard balance for me personally.
I loved it so much when my blog was just my family and friends and for ME! But you only get about 50 hits a day and 3 comments off of that, which is hard, because the more you get, the more it validates you and all of the hard work you put into it. I, like you, thrive on it being personal, which is so hard to do once you hit that wave of sudden viewership beyond family, friends, and friends of friends.
I don’t know what the answer is, I really, really struggle with it all though too. I wish it were easier to blog in moderation, but you’re right, to be successful you either have to go for it for real or be content with your blog being small-time.
Oh the trials, I hope I can figure it out… I really do.
This was a great post Kristin, really, really good. It is so good to know it’s not just me.
Hot Garlics last blog post..Caramel Apples {cute as a button}
Thanks for the gentle reminder Kristin!
I do remember reading Susan’s post at Sticky,Gooey,Creamy,Chewy a while ago.
I even asked her if I could quote her words, because that’s exactly how I’ve felt lately.
I was baking for TWD among other things, taking photos, and blogging about it. But it didn’t stop there. I still had to answer every comment and in the beginning when there were only 75 members, I could comment on everyone’s blog. Now it’s over 300 members and there’s NO way I can do all that. As it was, I was spending 2 days or more, just baking, photographing, answering comments and blogging. Blogrolls are great for perpetuating this obsessive phenomenon and I love to hate it. I feel like a crack addict, out of control and looking for my next fix. My life was going down the crapper!
The more you comment on others blogs, the more comments you get and the higher your stats.
It was bothering me so much, that I wrote a piece on it for an audition of sorts. I needed to back away too. I was competing against myself! Like Susan said, my comments and stats started to suffer.
So, here I am I’m still sitting at my computer, reading YOUR blog at 1:00am! My hubby has long since gone to bed without me!
Thanks for addressing this Kristen and Susan! It needed to be said!
Donnas last blog post..CONGRATULATIONS To The Cookbook Giveaway Winner!
Thank you for posting this! I went to comment yesterday and I kept getting distracted at work.
When I started blogging (granted only four months ago) I was determined to post every day, seven days a week. I would get stressed if I thought I wouldn’t be able to post every day. It totally took the joy out of it for me. Thanks for reminding me why I’m blogging and what’s important. You’re the best!
Jessicas last blog post..Salmon Nicoise
Thank you for this great post. I think that any of your readers can relate to this. I have also noticed that there’s a high burnout rate among food bloggers and this explains it–a fair warning.
It’s so important to get some perspective. Have a great weekend, Kristen!
What a great post Kristen. I just started a blog so this is great to read to keep in mind!!!
Preach it, sister!
I’ve been burning the midnight oil far too long, missing sleep and bedtime cuddling. It really saps your energy and will.
But I realize that as a new blogger, it’s a stage you have to go through. Especially the stats addiction. I like to think I’m getting over that but not completely.
Nates last blog post..Thien Long Restaurant (San Jose)
HI, I found your blog through a link in another blog. I so agree with what you are saying. I often wish I could type faster with less mistakes, since that would decrease the amount of time it takes to create a post. A good reminder that things like this happen slowly, and sometimes we don’t even realize it until it reaches the point you described.
The movie Fireproof is such a good movie. I rarely purchase movies because there are so few quality movies. This movie, though, will be purchased as soon as it is released. I have not seen such a good movie since “A Walk to Remember”.
Sandy O
Hi, Great post…I just started blogging and I am going a little overboard–not with posting, but with exploring other peoples blogs and enjoying their thoughts and lives.
I want to keep blogging, but I will have to find a time limit. Thanks for the reality check!
You said it, Sister. I’m new to blogging (only been doing it about six months), but I easily see how consuming it can become. My husband came up with a rule that I cannot be on the computer when he comes home from work. Needless to say, I broke that rule many times already. While on vacation recently, he tried to keep me off his laptop, as I constantly wanted to monitor my blog or get on Twitter. It’s good to have a wise husband who knows that there is a real need for down time. I hope we all remember that. It’s good to be passionate and diligent about something. But it’s also good to step away from it for awhile to spend time on the real _ and real important _ things in life, too.
Just checked your mail.
It’s so true! We do lose ourselves in blogging before we even realize it indeed. Only when your kids say “mom!! you and your blogging!!” and husband gets jealous of my blogs, that I realized how far I have gone! 😀
Glad you wrote this, comments and blog friends are like icing on the cake of course which we do enjoy. Everything tastes great in moderation!!
Take care, see you next year! :))
One thing I have tried to do is not feel pressured to post to my blog just to post. I only want to post when I feel I have something meaningful and well thought-out to share with some wonderful new friends. I am so impressed with not only the content but some of the wonderful photography on other people’s blogs.
LisaSDs last blog post..How Can You Help Families of Injured Soldiers?