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Hello Blog! It’s been a while

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I haven’t written anything on this blog since September 2018.  Why?  Nothing exciting  has happened just work, kids, life in general.  So like everyone else, I’m now sitting here in Covid-19 Lock-down (week 3) with a lot of time on my hands.  I’m lucky to still have a job work but it’s Easter hols at the moment.  House is spotless, the garden is almost weedless, the dog has never been walked so much, I’ve embarked on the occasional run, practised the art of social-distancing and taken part in numerous Zoom video calls including a Bootcamp.  Just like everyone else I suppose, keeping busy and staying at home.

Being a list-writer, I’ve always set out what I need to achieve each day but up till now it’s all been a little mundane the usual life-admin consisting of shopping, work-stuff, jobs to do in the house.  The other day I read a brilliant quote that appeared on Instagram ‘This is a Pandemic not a productivity test’ (@thegoodquote, @BryannAndrea) and it really resonated with me.  Whilst its been amazing and inspiring seeing all the things that other people have done I have felt at times a little overwhelming.  However, when we all come out of this and go back to normal life (whatever that will look like) I do want to be able to look back and say that in some way I made the most of this time.  So I have made a list of what I would like to accomplish, nothing major or life affirming (yet).  On the list was to revisit my blog and maybe write some content.  So here’s me dipping my toe back in the water of blog-dom yet again.  For me this is will be my therapy, my online diary, something I can look back on when I’m back at work looking forward to the weekend or getting stressed to hell something unimportant like forgetting to book a supermarket delivery slot!

I’ve forgotten how to do all the flashy stuff that you do to get more reach in terms of readers but to be honest I’m not that bothered about that.  Can’t remember how to add a fancy font or a professional looking title.  It’s nice just to write, reflect and maybe give me more focus in terms of making the most of all this spare time.  We could be in lock down for a few weeks, months, who knows.  It’s a difficult time for everyone at the moment so maybe this will play some part in helping me cope with it all.

Helen x

(Gosh just noticed the ancient About Me Picture ……. that will need to get changed at some point)!

 

My May Goals for 2018

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May Goals

My May Goals

I haven’t published a blog since last October!  Can you believe it? I suppose work, family and life just took over as these things tend to have a habit of doing and I got out of the habit of posting articles. The towel nearly got thrown in a few weeks ago and the plug pulled but I thought back to when I started my blog, what I loved about it and concluded that all I did was fall out of the habit like we all can do with a lot of things.  So here goes, I’m starting things off with my May Goals ……..

  • Commit to posting some content onto this site on a more regular basis
  • Crack on with sorting the house out; this includes fun stuff like redecorating my bedroom and the rather expensive and boring stuff like rebuilding a porch and re-leading a bay.
  • Update my CV; we should all do this regardless of whether we are happy in our jobs or not!
  • Run at least two times a week with youngest son
  • Revamp my Gym workout for May; got stuck in a rut recently doing the same old thing so putting a stop to that right now!
  • Get baking again!
  • Make time for my lovely friends including those that I don’t see very often – you know who you are!
  • Look to change the look of my blog; maybe it’s time to makeover my website.
#blogshare My May Goals #motivation Click To Tweet

There all done!  It’s made me realise that I have let a lot of things in my personal life slide so this has been the perfect chance to reflect on things and pull my finger out when it comes to getting things done and making time to enjoy the things that I love doing!  Actually I’ve missed this.  Sitting down and taking the time to write this, being creative in my own way; so maybe I’ll not be throwing in the towel just yet!

 

Helen x

 

 

My June Monthly Goals

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monthly goals

My June Monthly Goals

A little late but here are my June Goals!  Website problems; it’s still a learning curve for me.  I’ve kind of taken my foot off the gas in terms of this blog, maybe lost a little focus along the way but I still love my blog just feel that other things are taking priority.  Work, family; it’s easy to lose focus and get out of the habit of setting time aside to the things you love.

New monthly goals; Summer's here, get outdoors, socialise more but remember to include something that makes you happy Click To Tweet

Since making a conscious effort at the beginning of the year set myself monthly goals instead of a list of New Year Resolutions I find I’m actually getting more stuff done and also focusing on allowing a little more time for what I actually want to do.

  1. Put together a new 15 Minute Full Body Workout
  2. Make Nutella Cupcakes  – Cupcake Jemma is my latest YouTube crush!
  3. Paint the Garden Fence – oh the glamour!
  4. Entertain more; whether it’s a BBQ with mates or just drinks Summer is the perfect time
  5. Run more!  No excuses!  I need to running motivation
  6. Switch off from work a bit more; stop checking emails late at night!
  7. Go meat-free at least twice a week; going to try Basil Avocado Pasta from Nourishyourglow.com
  8. Get back into a regular blogging routine; read 10 Habits of Successful Blogging by Blog Beautifully
  9. Start planning California Road Trip 2019; if I don’t plan this trip it won’t happen.  I’ve set up a Pinterest Board to keep me motivated.
  10. Be kind to myself a bit more often; I think most of us fail to do this or don’t consider it a priority

 

So what are you wanting to achieve this month?  If you are in the habit of setting goals each month, remember to include something that you want to achieve as a personal goal.

My February Goals

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monthly goals

My February Goals

Ok we’ve got through January, it’s noticeably lighter and spring is on it’s way!  January surprisingly didn’t drag as much for me as normal.  Ok so I still had no money, other friends were feeling the pinch so no socialising to get rid of the January blues.  Setting my own January Goals helped me to focus on things and be more pro-active about getting things done instead of mopping around the house.  I consciously made a plan and effort to achieve each of the goals that I set, 10 in total.  Some were easy, some were harder and took a while to complete.  It’s given me the motivation to carry on setting monthly goals and see what I’ve managed to achieved at the end of the year.

New month, new monthly goals. Getting things done one small step at a time #blogshare Click To Tweet

So here are my new monthly goals:

  1. New Fitness Challenge for the month – Abs and Squats Challenge
  2. Repost one of my very first workouts (ideal for a beginner), I’ve got loads so why not share?
  3. Freezer Meal Prep Session – check out these ideas that you can through into your Slow Cooker from livingrichwithcoupons.com and more ideas from smartschoolhouse.com
  4. Put together a meal plan for my children’s suppers and use it! I’m using a printable meal planner from shesaved.com found on Pinterest.
  5. Re-think my fitness goals and put a new plan of action in place
  6. Organise a cinema trip with my daughter and a couple of her mates to see ‘Sing!’
  7. De-clutter the Living Room (phase 2 of my whole house de-clutter)
  8. Go Sugar free for February, read this infographic if it all looks a little daunting!
  9. Revamp some of the images on my Busyfitmama blog
  10. Create a Photo Gallery for my Kitchen

Looking back to the goals I set for January (read my blog post My January Goals) I’ve noticed that they generally focus on fitness, health, blogging, family and my messy house!  I suppose it’s what I’m all about but here’s to hoping the messy house will be a goal I achieve sooner rather than later!

Do you set goals each month?  What are your February Goals?

My January Goals

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january goals

My January Goals

 

Welcome to 2017!  A brand spanking, new year!  No more resolutions, instead I’m going to concentrate on monthly goal setting.  It might give the opportunity to focus instead of just feeling overwhelmed by what needs doing or what I would like to achieve.  My January goals are a mixture of blogging, fitness and home life  So let’s just see how it goes!

Setting monthly goals gives a clearer focus, helping you create a more manageable plan to help achieve them. Click To Tweet
  1. Post a new Gym Workout on my Blog
  2. January Press Up Challenge; 30 a day
  3. Completely de-clutter, deep clean my kitchen – boy it needs it!
  4. Get back into a proper sleep routine; if you too are struggling check out this useful Infographic
  5. Put a new Workout Music Playlist for the Gym; need inspiration checkout my Pinterest Workout Playlist Board
  6. Begin to look at re-designing my blog; staring with the theme so back to WordPress for some inspiration!
  7. Re-vamp, update and repost one of my older blog posts
  8. Get outdoors and take some photos
  9. Set aside a day to do some baking with my daughter
  10. Add a new healthy dish to my children’s meal plan; such as these Salmon and Sweet Potato Fishcakes (Charlottes Lively Kitchen) or One-Pan Pesto Chicken & Veggies (Julia’s Album)

What are your goals for January?

25 Blogpost Ideas

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blog post ideas

25 Blogpost Ideas

It can be a bit of a struggle coming up with fresh content for your blog.  Sometimes we are all in need of a little inspiration when coming up with Blog Post Ideas, I am no exception to this.  Ironically, when I’m not sat at my laptop the ideas come thick and fast.  Annoying isn’t it?  When this happens I tend to scribble down these flashes of blog genius on whatever piece of paper I have to hand (usually the back of an envelope) or add it as a note on my phone.

Finding fresh blog content can at times be a struggle, but if you love what you blog about half the battle is won Click To Tweet

So if you are hitting a brick wall of the blogging variety and need to get the creativity flowing then here are 25 Blog Post Ideas to help you out.

  1. Your Fitness Routine

  2. 10 Healthy Habits

  3. Favourite Phone Apps

  4. 5 Facts about Yourself

  5. Favourite Bloggers at the moment

  6. Share a Workout Playlist

  7. Share your Favourite Recipe

  8. 10 best things about where you live

  9. Blogging lessons learnt

  10. Review a product

  11. The last book you read

  12. Round up of the last month’s blog posts

  13. Your favourite Inspirational Quote and why

  14. Follow-up an old blog post

  15. 5 Favourite Pinterest Projects

  16. What’s in your handbag

  17. Things that make you smile

  18. A hard choice you have had to make

  19. Must-have beauty items for this season

  20. The meaning behind your blog name

  21. How to start a blog

  22. The beginners guide to …

  23. How do you unwind?

  24. Curate content in your niche

  25. Favourite photo of the week

Hope you find some inspiration from these blog post ideas.  How do you find inspiration when the dreaded bloggers block shows it’s face?  If you love what you blog about half the battle is won and the ideas will start flowing, just be ready with pen and paper when they do!

Helen x

My daughter’s Second Blog Post

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Imogen Online

My Daughter’s Second Blog Post

Ok, so it’s been a while but life’s busy when you are 10!  Anywhoo, my daughter decided to post a Pizza Pinwheel recipe on her blog today.  My contribution apart from taking pics was of course the washing up.  Still it was nice to see her doing something she loved, being creative and away the ipad for a whole Saturday afternoon.

So from Imogen Online,  enjoy the second installment; Easy n Cheesy Pizza Pinwheels Recipe.  Easy to make, better to share!

blog post

Second blog post and recipe from my daughter; Easy N Cheesy Pizza Pinwheels. Yum! Click To Tweet

My Blogging Journey

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blogging tips

My Blogging Journey, 12 Months On

12 months ago I published my very first blog post; yikes reading it still makes me cringe but it marked the start of creative process that I have (for most of the time) enjoyed.  So after 12 months of blogging I think it’s a good time to reflect, don’t you think?  Am I still passionate about the reasons why I started this blog in the first place?  So I guess these are the blogging tips I have picked up along the way.

 What’s worked?

Linking back to older posts has allowed me to share older content that new visitors would not have seen as not all visitors will dig down to older posts previously published.  I’ve also discovered a great plugin called Revive Old Post, fab for retweeting old posts and I can set my own parameters for what gets re-tweeted.

Revamped my site by changing the theme.  My new theme, Kerli, is more me, easy to customise, easy to navigate and it’s design is responsive so easy to read on tablet, desktop or smartphone.  I recommend you read this great article, whether a newbie blogger or looking to change your blog theme.

Appreciating the importance of Blog maintenance, it’s also a great way of updating content and source of inspiration if you get a touch of bloggers block.  Read my blog post on Blog Maintenance for tips and advice.

Upgraded my Canva account to Canva Work; this has helped me to organise my designs more efficiency and the ‘magic resize, option saves time as well as providing design consistency when adapting blog designs across the different social media platforms.

Engaged more with Pinterest; I absolutely love this social media platform and found that I have got more visitors coming to my blog via Pinterest than Twitter, Facebook or via online search.

Following other bloggers has inspired me to present my content differently, take a different approach to how I design my graphics but most importantly to ALWAYS be myself when I write!  Some of my favourite bloggers include White Oak Creative, Wonderlass, byRegina.com, Carly Rowena and Kayla Itsines.

What do I need to work on?

My photography skills still need major room for improvement but I’ve not quite thrown on the towel.  It’s all about getting as much practice as possible and being more organised.  Pinterest, as always has been a great source of inspiration and advice.

I’ve taken onboard  advice from some fab bloggers, these articles have been particulary useful:

5 Time Saving Tips for Blog Photography – great tips from itspinkpot.com

10 Photography Tips for (not only) Bloggers – practical advice and source of inspiration from Thirteen Thoughts

Using different blog post formats; I think I tend to be very samey with the format of my blog posts so I need to work on publishing content in different formats especially those that potentially attract more readers.  These include Lists, How To Guides, Curated content, Tips and Advice.  This blog post from A Girl Obsessed offers fab ideas for different types of Blog Posts that gets loads of views.

Engaging more with fellow bloggers.  I guess I’m a bit shy when it comes to commenting on other bloggers blog posts but I know from having read the advice from other blogs that commenting on posts can help to grow readership on your own blog posts.  So I guess I need to overcome the shyness and engage more!

What are my blogging goals for the future?

I suppose it’s really to keep blogging and not worry about the frequency of publishing posts.  I know most blog advice recommends consistency and a regular schedule when you post which I do agree with if you want to engage and grow readership but I’m not going to beat myself up if I still fall short on this.

Do I still have that passion to continue to blog?

Honestly?  The passion for my blog has at times dwindled.  Partly because there has been a lot this year to contend with on a personal basis but I have enjoyed the paths that  blogging has taken me down.  I’ve discovered new interests, read more, flexed my brain in different ways and have totally loved the whole process of being creative.  The original goals of why I started this blog still remain but I’ve struggled to committing the time I’ve needed to grow readership.  But you know what?  I’m perfectly happy with that.  I will continue to blog but I’m not stressing over how often I will try and publish or obsess over stats. I intend to enjoy the blogging process and see where this blog takes me in the next 12 months!

Thank you for reading this.  Do you blog?  What are the positives you have taken from blogging?  Have you any blogging tips or advice for the newbie blogger?

 

My daughters first blog post

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Imogen Online

My daughters first blog post

Yesterday my 9 year old daughter, Imogen, asked if I could help set up her own blog.  So Imogen Online was created using wordpress.org.

I forget how tech savvy kids are and she quickly picked up how to set up the blog, what name to give it and what her first blog post was going to be about.  I also don’t appreciate how much influence bloggers and vloggers have especially with children and teenagers.  So it was nice to do something that Imogen already had a real interest in and it also showed how much I have learnt from when I published my first blog post.

My 9 year old is more tech savvy than I am! She's set up her own blog, published her first #blog post! Click To Tweet

So we spent the afternoon, making Mars Bar Crispy Squares, taking photos along the way, writing up the recipe, formatting images and posting online.  It was lovely spending an afternoon with Imogen doing something creative, having fun together and of course eating a lot of chocolate!

So if you fancy making Mars Bar Crispy Squares feel free to use Imogen’s Mars Bar Crispy Squares Recipe!

Blog Post

My Summer Holiday to do List

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Summer

My (very own) Summer Holiday List

The School Summer Holidays are nearly upon us.  I am lucky to work term-time.  Two of my kids are in their early teens so whilst I try and get them to do stuff with me 90% of the time they’ve made other arrangements! Normally I tend just to worry about how I’m going to get through the 6 weeks that the kids are off school but now as they are slightly older they don’t need me as much to entertain them.  But I tend to forget that it’s my holiday time to, my school-run free time, my own break from the routine.  So this year, whilst as normal I will plan the usual stuff for my kids I’m going to make a conscious effort to use this time to accomplish some of the things I’ve been wanting to do but keep putting off because other priorities take over.

One thing blogging has taught me is a good starting point is to write things down, set some goals; what do I want to accomplish and then I’ve got something to focus on achieving.  So here goes!  Note to self; cleaning out the kitchen cupboards or painting my son’s bedroom is not on my Summer Holiday to do list. This is purely an all about me list!  My getting my stuff done list!

Setting Goals helps you get things done, listing your own personal goals should be no exception. Click To Tweet

So I’m aiming to:

 

Attend at least one Metafit Class a week at my local Gym

 

Make the most of being  free of the light mornings and put in some early morning runs

 

Revisit and maybe rehash some of my Gym programmes; use this as an opportunity to revaluate my fitness goals

 

Revamp the graphics on this blog and carry out some blog maintenance such as updating older blog posts

 

Look to maybe change my WordPress Theme; still not 100% sure about the look of my blog so it’ll be good to see what’s available

 

Brush up on my photography skills.  I read a fab blog called 16 Photography Projects by LaShawn at Everyday Eyecandy and it’s inspired me not only for my blog but because I hardly take any photos anymore.

 

Have a go at making Raspberry Gin

 

Do some baking with my daughter; we’ve been adding loads of fab recipes to our Pinterest Boards in preparation for this already!  She’s the cook, I am Kitchen Porter and Chief Taster.

Past summer holidays I’ve spent most of it entertaining my kids and wishing the rainy days away.  This time I hope to get something out of this time off myself.   Yes this list is all about me, but I think we are all a little guilty of neglecting our own personal goals and needs, so maybe it is time for to readdress the imbalance a little.  I suppose writing it down is a starting point!

What do you think?  When you have downtime do you sit and chill or aim to get stuff done?

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