If you feel tired, just stop during a day or two. But do it as soon as you feel tired. I manage to be at least one week ahead with my articles so I can take a 1-2 days break anytime I want. 

Also, set a fix schedule for your blog work. If you just blog when you have time, you will blog all the time and never at the same time. Plus, you won't be efficient. I come earlier at work to blog. I know that I have exactly 1 hour before I have to start my day job. No time for chit chat, surfing the net or looking at my hockey pool; I need to write and do no other thing. This is how I am able to be so productive : I focus on one thing.

@ SPF,

you should work on a schedule that won't burn you out. Blogging success doesn't come overnight even if you work day and night ;-). It takes time to get in people's mind and on the big G. I'd suggest you slow down a bit. Most people know you now, it's time to hit with the big guys once in a while (with a guest post). Good luck!

I was using Zemanta on Blogger and it came over when I setup the site with Word Press. It's what I use for my images. I must have an image for my post as I really like how it highlights the post. Be careful because the links can go dead ... I am finding out now since I have to import some manually (I am still not done).

I have been bloggin for almost 10 months now and I think I just got my groove :) Mostly balancing with family and chores because I could spend so much time on the computer.

These past few weeks I have been really busy with work and I fell behind on reading and catching up with other bloggers. As it stands today, I am 957 posts behind on the Yakezie Forum. I have many other blogs with double digit unread posts. It's unfortunate, but for me, that's one of the first thing that drops. I have blogs organized by categories from the ones that I learn from to the ones I find entertaining.

As for all of the rest of the blogs, I am guilty of sometimes marking all as read, but I do try to catch up with those who have visited me so I can reciprocate. The reality is that there is only so much time in a day so at some point you have to say that you've hit the 20% that will give you 80% (Pareto principle) and move on to something else, like spending time with family.

I have been bloggin for almost 10 months now and I think I just got my groove :) Mostly balancing with family and chores because I could spend so much time on the computer.

These past few weeks I have been really busy with work and I fell behind on reading and catching up with other bloggers. As it stands today, I am 957 posts behind on the Yakezie Forum. I have many other blogs with double digit unread posts. It's unfortunate, but for me, that's one of the first thing that drops. I have blogs organized by categories from the ones that I learn from to the ones I find entertaining.

Search for "Zemanta".  

SPF

Search for "Zemanta".  

Sustainable PF said:

Given i'm an IT guy by trade, I fix up Mrs. SPFs posts (adding GOOD images, SEO, links we like to our tips  (this takes about 60 mins PER tip - so 5-7 hrs per week)

---

 

Ick. 

Images:  Get something like the Zemi plugin, that hits flickr and a few other sites for images relevent to what you are writing.  One click insertion.

SEO: What are you doing?  keyword research, link building?

Links:  Can you just use a custom search for your favorite sites, or the Yakezie custom search?  It makes finding links easier.   When I'm feeling rushed, this gets neglected.

What can you cut?  Mr. Pareto knows you are getting 80% of your benefit from 20% of your labor, so cut whatever isn't contributing to the 80%.

I have the same issue with images as SPF, so I'm curious about this Zemi plugin. I searched for it but couldn't find it. I also wonder if it might just be time to sign up to something like iStockPhoto to save myself the time searching for a suitable image.

Given i'm an IT guy by trade, I fix up Mrs. SPFs posts (adding GOOD images, SEO, links we like to our tips  (this takes about 60 mins PER tip - so 5-7 hrs per week)

Ick. 

Images:  Get something like the Zemi plugin, that hits flickr and a few other sites for images relevent to what you are writing.  One click insertion.

SEO: What are you doing?  keyword research, link building?

Links:  Can you just use a custom search for your favorite sites, or the Yakezie custom search?  It makes finding links easier.   When I'm feeling rushed, this gets neglected.

What can you cut?  Mr. Pareto knows you are getting 80% of your benefit from 20% of your labor, so cut whatever isn't contributing to the 80%.

Here are a few tips that have helped me… usually, sometimes I slip

-Sit down and make a list of your major tasks (daily and weekly)- for example: posting to your blog, commenting on other people's blogs, social networking, following up on leads, working on projects, etc.

-Now, take a look at your week and create a schedule, allocating a block of time and a day for each task- for example: Mondays and Wednesdays in the morning write a post for your site and respond to comments in the afternoon; Tuesdays and Thursdays in the morning comment on the blogs of others, spend the rest of the morning and afternoon working with clients; Fridays- tie up loose ends.

-You MUST have some system in place to measure the ROI on your online activities so that you can cut out anything that you are doing that is not giving you enough return for you effort

-Make sure you take breaks, have down time, go out for a walk, hang out with friends and family- especially if you are working from home.

-Get support, encouragement, and advice from those who have "made it."

-@Sustainable PF I understand you don't want to compromise on the quality and pace of your site's content, but can you outsource some of your duties? Maybe hire someone to take on some of the editing or even the write-ups

-And, please everyone keep in mind that just because there is Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, this social network and that social network, it doesn't mean that you need to be involved in everythingto be successful online. Pick your initiatives and your networks carefully! It is better to be fully involved in a few online places than half involved in many of them… and imo it's better to leave a few quality comments than many that say basically nothing.

Hope this helps.  Good luck!

Adam Gottlieb

The Frugal Entrepreneur

@frugalentrepren

Hang in there buddy!  Very big of you to admit it to everyone and yourself.  I totally understand where you're coming from.  Blogging is great, but can be addicting, which can take its toll, too.  I've struggled a bit myself.  Had to mentally scale back.  Still keeping my post schedule, but I was almost burning out on the other stuff, commenting, reading, promoting, guest posting, learning, improving, knocking down Alexa, lots of stuff...

Plus, didn't you go through a terrible break in?  Give yourself a break.  Plus, your posting 10 times a week, is a little insane .  You've netted the fruits of your labor, but at a very high cost.  I think you might have to scale back.  Burning yourself out isn't worth it.  This is a marathon, not a sprint.

Hang in there.  Rooting for ya guys!

Buck

I am a blogger, and i'm burnt out.

Weird for someone as young as our site to say ...

Thing is, we're posting 10 times a week ...

I am responsible for all things cosmetic and back ground for the site ...

I deal with all guest posters and advertisers and affiliate programs ...

I am burnt out I think, and I need help from this network.

Given i'm an IT guy by trade, I fix up Mrs. SPFs posts (adding GOOD images, SEO, links we like to our tips  (this takes about 60 mins PER tip - so 5-7 hrs per week)

Plus our weekend round up, which SO many appreciate i'd hate to turn into a cow's meal of posts .... I really like to discuss why I picked each and every post - but the weekly reading takes 3-4 hrs.

Thing is, we're TWO.  But Mrs. SPF only has enough time to write 5 tips a week and 1 post every 2 weeks.  So I end up shouldered with everything other than the production of her writing these pieces ...

Help?

I've thought about giving up recently.  We are so "addicted" to success that I feel I cannot stop my activeness (here, other forums, posting on sites I love, reading, learning, etc etc etc )

UGH

I experienced burnout first hand. But you probably know it... I burned out, deleted the site, sat on it for a week,  came back.... It was the best thing I ever did. I mean coming back. What I did was quite extreme but I don't regret it at all. Opened my eyes to a lot of things. I would not recommend this move to anyone. I wouldn't do again. I just could have given myself a break.  If you need help, ask for it and don't do anything drastic. Take a break and come back when you are ready. Talking on Yakezie forums also helps. Good Luck!