Productive Pixie: February 2021

The 24th of February was my third blogging anniversary! I am really happy that I managed to reach this milestone, and I have learned a lot along the way (especially this past year). Today, I wanted to share with you some of what I have learned just in case you are thinking of starting a blog and you don't know what to expect or how much time it is going to take.

Side Note - This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you buy something from one of these links, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. For more information, you can read my privacy policy. Thank you for supporting my blog. :)

Updated for 2024

I'm definitely not an expert and I still have a lot to learn, but I have come a very long way from when I first started blogging so I wanted to share this information with you!

I have two other posts on blogging as well, and you can read those below to hear about other parts of my blogging journey.

Before we get into what I have learned from these past three years of blogging, I wanted to highlight a few of my milestones because blogging is by no means easy, and it can be time-consuming even though it doesn't have to be if you just want it to be a hobby blog.

Blogging Milestones from This Past Year

Plus, a big thank you to all of you who read my blog regularly! My articles have been read more than 210,000 times and I am able to reach more than 500,000 people across my social media platforms monthly!

These numbers have more than doubled since last year, so I am excited to see what the next year has to bring!

My most popular posts of all time...

Now it's time to get into what I have learned from these 3 years of blogging. The stuff you've been waiting for, am I right?

What I've Learned from Blogging for 3 Years

1. Consistency is Everything

It sounds cliche, but it definitely works. Find a schedule for your blog and then stick to it. This year, I focused on being consistent on Pinterest and it paid off, as I am now able to reach more than 500,000 people a month.

With that being said, you don't want to try and be consistent with everything at the beginning because it will be too much, and you will end up being burnt out. Just pick one or two things (For example, posting on the blog weekly and doing Pinterest daily), and then be consistent with them.

Also, that doesn't mean that you just need to do those one or two platforms exclusively. I still have an email list, but it is all automated, so I don't have to worry about it. You might also pick for yourself another social media platform or two, but it is okay if you aren't as consistent with those other platforms.

Taking a day off every once in a while, is okay, but if you find yourself taking breaks every other week, then it is a good idea to take a step back and assess where you are so you can figure out what is working.

Blogging is not just slapping a few photos on a page with a bunch of words. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes and a lot of people don't realize this. It is a LOT of work and being consistent is tough, but it pays off in the long run.

If you get anything out of this post, hopefully, it is to be consistent.

2. Photography is Important

You need photography in your posts to keep people on the page. Coming to a blog post and seeing huge chunks of text with no images is a huge turn-off for me. People like to have something else to see on the page to break up the monotony of black and white words.

On another note - I started out blogging using stock photography, but I don't recommend using stock photography unless you are paying for it.

I have seen enough free stock photography that I can recognize when a blogger is using free stock photography, and it makes the information on the page seem a little less valuable.

When you use free stock photography, it's from a number of different photographers, so they do not match, and it takes away from your brand. To be direct, it looks less professional. Stick with paid stock photography or take your own!

When people see your social media graphics, they will decide whether they want to click over to read your articles, and if your photos don't look professional, they will be less likely to click over to read them.

I started taking my own flat lay photography, and my skills have gotten better in just a short time. It doesn't have to be expensive. I have only spent a few dollars on props, and I use my phone!

A Few Tips for Taking Your Own Flat Lay Photography

Have a clean background for your photos. I usually use foam board.
Use props that match your brand. The props I use in my photos are mainly black or pink. Arrange them flat on the board, and then look at it from a few different angles and arrange the props until you like how it looks.
Use consistent editing. I use Lightroom which is a free app, and it's pretty easy to learn how to use. Once you make a preset, which is basically a pro filter, you can use it on all of your photos to make them look cohesive.
Use natural lighting.

So, what about the photos I am in?

I do not take these photos even though it is possible to take your own photos using a tripod, and a handheld remote. I want to give a special shout-out to my photographer! I know that you read all of my posts so you will see this. Thank you so much for all you do!

Having cohesive photos ties into having a cohesive brand, which is another important aspect of blogging.

3. Figure Out Your Brand

This is crucial to having a put-together business and looking professional. I started this blog on a shoestring budget, but that doesn't mean that all of you need to be able to tell that. :)

I learned HTML/JavaScript so I could customize and make my site look professional. You may not need to do that, but it is a good idea to have a favicon, professional-looking images, and brand colors.

Along with that, you should have all of the important blogging pages including an about me page, legal pages such as a privacy policy, terms and conditions, and a contact page.

Next, you should try and find your blogging voice. It takes some time, but you want to be able to convey information to your readers in an easy-to-read format and it should be like talking to a friend.

All of this is important to having a clear-cut professional brand.

People always say not to judge a book by its cover, but when you go to a website, you can immediately tell what sort of a company it is and if they take their website seriously or if it is just a hobby.

3 Years Blogging + What I Have Learned

Ultimately, if you are thinking of starting a blog, I would suggest that you should just go for it! It is a huge learning experience and even though it is a lot of work, it is also a lot of fun! It definitely changed my life for the better. Just remember your work doesn't need to be perfect, as it will improve over time with practice.

If you liked this post, you can read these ones too.

Do you have any questions? I would be happy to answer them, so just leave a comment down below and I would be happy to answer your questions!

Thank you for supporting my business by sharing this pin!

February 27, 2021 No comments

Don't we all wish we were a little (or maybe a lot) more organized? Sometimes, it can feel like nothing ever gets done. You feel like you are going in a circle trying to get everything done, and you end up being stuck in a never-ending loop. It can be extremely tiring and discouraging, so here are 10 layouts you can add to your bullet journal that will instantly help you to be more organized!

10 Layouts That Will Instantly Help You to be More Organized

Updated for 2024

If you don't know what a bullet journal is and how it can help you to organize your life, you can read Bullet Journaling: What is It? to get started.

And without further ado, let's get right into the 10 bullet journal layouts that will instantly help you to be more organized.

10 Layouts That Will Instantly Help You to be More Organized

1. A Brain Dump

"What is a brain dump?", you might be asking yourself. A brain dump is a simple layout. Just turn to a new page in your bullet journal and start writing down everything that is in your brain. Literally, just dump it on the page.

After, you do that you can start organizing everything into sections on a different page. To-do lists, things you want to do, things you want to remember, etc. This should help you to feel more organized and focused.

2. Recipes, Recipes to Make, Meal Planner

Your recipes might be all over the place, or your eating habits might be all over the place. Now is the time to get all of that stuff organized!

You might want to create a meal planner or a list of recipes that you regularly make. In the image above, you can see I have a list of recipes made because in 2021 I am working on trying new recipes so when I make a new recipe, I write it down on the list.

3. Daily Routine

Maybe you are feeling unorganized and unproductive because you don't have an organized day. You can do this in two ways.

1. You could make an ideal/dream daily routine. (The daily routine you aspire to have.)

2. You could make a daily routine of what your current routine looks like so you can see what you are doing wrong.

You can read How to Start a Daily Routine You Will Actually Stick to, to get tips and ideas on how to create an organized daily routine using your bullet journal!

4. Weekly Schedule

Going along with a daily routine, if each of the days of the week looks different for you, then you may need to have a weekly schedule to stay organized.

I usually make a weekly schedule at the beginning of the school year, just so I can remember when all of my classes are, etc. and I don't forget anything.

5. A Daily To-Do List

A daily, weekly, or monthly to-do list might be just what you need. Just turn to a new page in your bullet journal and start writing down everything you need to do for the day, week, month and you can start feeling more organized. :)

If you are someone who hates making to-do lists, you can use a sticky note for every day and maybe just write down the top three things you want to get done for the day and if you get those three things done, then it was a productive day.

6. A Done List

Maybe you get things done every day, but you just feel like there is too much to do. In that case, you should try out making a done list. At the end of the day, when you feel like you didn't get anything done, you can make your list and see that you actually did get things done!

I do this sometimes, and it helps me to see that I actually did quite a bit done, and it just feels like I didn't because my to-do list was so long.

7. Wardrobe Layout

When was the last time you organized your closet? Yep, I knew it was something you haven't done in a while!

In the picture above, you can see that I use a capsule wardrobe, and you might choose to do something different, but your bullet journal can be a great help with organizing your closet.

Plus, the next time you feel like you don't have anything to wear, you can look at your layout and realize that you actually do have something to wear!

You might want to check out How to Plan Your Capsule Wardrobe in a Bullet Journal to get started.

8. Year at a Glance/Future Log

Being organized for the future will help you to be less stressed and more in control of your life. So plan ahead! Whether you use a year at a glance, a future log, or a monthly log, it will help you to be more organized.

9. Goals for the Year

Just sitting down and analyzing what your goals for the year are can help you be more organized and focused.

If you already have your goals for the year planned out, then you can check-in and see how they are going. It is a good idea to do this at least monthly so you can see your progress and adjust them if needed.

10. Exercise Planner

Everyone should exercise and it might be hard to keep on a schedule. So make a layout that will help you to keep track of what you do each day. This will help you to be more motivated to exercise and it will help you to stay organized with your exercise habits.

You can see my fitness and healthy eating bullet journal layouts in the post Healthy Eating + Fitness Tracking in My Bullet Journal.

10 Layouts That Will Instantly Help You to be More Organized

Becoming organized isn't going to happen in a day, but with the help of these layouts, you can become more organized bit by bit!

If you liked this post, you can check out these ones too.

Thank you so much for reading this post! Have a productive week!

Make sure you save this pin for later. Thank you! :)

February 20, 2021 No comments

February 13, 2021 2 comments

Creating habits is really hard. You know you have a lot of motivation in the beginning so the first day is easy, and the second, and then the third day comes... and you start putting it off, and then the fourth day comes, and you put off doing it, and then you miss a day, and then you stop doing it entirely. Is this relatable?

Updated for 2024

If it is, you have come to the right place! I have felt the same way after trying to create habits. They are seriously so hard to start and sometimes trying to get yourself to do the habit you are trying to create can be really tough.

I read a bunch of books about creating habits, and I have been working on finding reliable methods that actually work and are effective so today I wanted to share my favorite tips for creating habits that you can actually stick to!

First, I want to recommend two books that have very helpful methods in them.

I also wrote a post a while ago called How to Create Habits in Six Simple Steps, that you might want to check out after you read this post. :)

And now without further ado, let's get straight into the tips.

7 Ways to Effectively Create Habits

1. Start Small

This tip cannot be stressed enough. Going to the gym and working out every day for an hour and a half would be a great goal, but it is going to be horrendously hard to keep up with.

It's better to start off with a smaller habit you are trying to create. Such as doing 15 minutes of cardio when you wake up in the morning.

After you create the habit, you can start building on it. For example, doing 15 minutes of cardio every day for a month and then doing 20 minutes of cardio every day, the month afterward and then going from there and adding a few minutes every month as long as you were able to keep up with the month before.

Plus, try to make your habit something you actually want to do!

It's really hard to try and force yourself to do something you don't want to do. So if you are trying to exercise more, but you don't like going running, then try dancing or weightlifting. There are tons of different forms of exercise.

2. Schedule Your New Habit into Your Day

Decide what habit you are going to try and create and then schedule it into your day. For example, if you want to read part of a book every day, you might choose to read it during breakfast while you eat because you are already sitting down at the table.

Even if you only read a page out of the book, or even a few sentences, it still counts towards your habit because you did it, and you want your habits to start out small anyway.

Using the prompt of sitting down to eat breakfast will remind you to read your book and you can even keep your book somewhere nearby or even on the table to help you remember.

3. Use a Habit Tracker

If you use a bullet journal or a planner, you can use your system to help you create your new habit. Simply having a box to check off in your bullet journal or planner, might help you to remember to do it.

You probably check your bullet journal or planner at least once a day, so this will remind you to do it and you can check it off your list!

But don't be discouraged if you miss a day. You should be more focused on trying to get back on track today, than being worried about missing yesterday.

4. Use a Prompt

Your bullet journal or planner can be a prompt for you to do a certain habit, but there are also many other types of prompts. When you see your bed, what do you think about?

You probably immediately think about sleeping.

You want to try and think of a prompt that will immediately get you to think of your habit. Here are some ways you can do just that.

Do the habit right after you do something else.

You eat breakfast and then you wash the dishes.

Have your habit in plain sight.

The book you are reading lying on the table.

Not having other prompts in the same place.

Not doing your homework on your bed or at the kitchen table.

One of the habits I am creating this year is to write down something I am grateful for every day, right before I go to bed. It's the last thing I do before I get into bed each night and it's easy to remember to do (most of the time) because I have my bullet journal on my desk in my room next to my bed. It is also an easy habit because I only have to write down one word. It only takes a few seconds of my day.

5. Don't Worry About Missing a Day

If you miss one day, that's entirely fine. If you miss a few days in a row, then it might be time to go back to the drawing board, so you can figure out why your habit isn't working for you and then you can modify it and try again.

Not every habit is going to work for you, and that is how it should be. Plus, you might try out a new habit and after you do it once, you realize that it is too much to do every day. Instead of trying to do it, and then failing after a few days, just modify the habit and try again.

6. It Doesn't Have to Be an Everyday Habit

Maybe you want to create a habit, but you only want to do it once a week. Since you don't need to do it every day, it won't automatically start becoming part of your daily routine.

You will want to use a reminder to help you remember to do it. So adding a habit tracker to your to-do list in your bullet journal or planner should help.

7. Don't Procrastinate

I have a whole post on how to stop procrastinating and be more productive, which you might want to read.

You don't want to procrastinate your habit. If you aren't excited at all about doing your habit, then something about your habit needs to be changed.

If you don't want to do it. Period. Then you aren't ever going to be able to turn it into a habit.

7 Ways to Effectively Create Habits

Creating habits takes time, so don't be disappointed if you are having trouble with creating your habits. When you feel like giving up on your habit, it's time to go back to the drawing board and make some changes. Then you can try it again!

I hope you found these tips helpful. If you did, here are some other posts you might like to read too.

Have a productive week!

Save this post for later so you can read it again!

February 06, 2021 No comments

Blogging Milestones from This Past Year

What I've Learned from Blogging for 3 Years

1. Consistency is Everything

2. Photography is Important

3. Figure Out Your Brand

3 Years Blogging + What I Have Learned

10 Layouts That Will Instantly Help You to be More Organized

1. A Brain Dump

2. Recipes, Recipes to Make, Meal Planner

3. Daily Routine

4. Weekly Schedule

5. A Daily To-Do List

6. A Done List

7. Wardrobe Layout

8. Year at a Glance/Future Log

9. Goals for the Year

10. Exercise Planner

10 Layouts That Will Instantly Help You to be More Organized

The Ultimate List of Bullet Journal Blogs for Inspiration

The Ultimate List of Bullet Journal Blogs for Inspiration

7 Ways to Effectively Create Habits

1. Start Small

2. Schedule Your New Habit into Your Day

3. Use a Habit Tracker

4. Use a Prompt

5. Don't Worry About Missing a Day

6. It Doesn't Have to Be an Everyday Habit

7. Don't Procrastinate

7 Ways to Effectively Create Habits

About Me

Categories

Blog Archive

Blogging Milestones from This Past Year

What I've Learned from Blogging for 3 Years

1. Consistency is Everything

2. Photography is Important

3. Figure Out Your Brand

3 Years Blogging + What I Have Learned

10 Layouts That Will Instantly Help You to be More Organized

1. A Brain Dump

2. Recipes, Recipes to Make, Meal Planner

3. Daily Routine

4. Weekly Schedule

5. A Daily To-Do List

6. A Done List

7. Wardrobe Layout

8. Year at a Glance/Future Log

9. Goals for the Year

10. Exercise Planner

10 Layouts That Will Instantly Help You to be More Organized

The Ultimate List of Bullet Journal Blogs for Inspiration

The Ultimate List of Bullet Journal Blogs for Inspiration

7 Ways to Effectively Create Habits

1. Start Small

2. Schedule Your New Habit into Your Day

3. Use a Habit Tracker

4. Use a Prompt

5. Don't Worry About Missing a Day

6. It Doesn't Have to Be an Everyday Habit

7. Don't Procrastinate

7 Ways to Effectively Create Habits

About Me

Categories

Blog Archive

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