Weekly Blogs, Brain Fogs, and Time Hogs...Oh My!

Many of the therapists that I have the honor of supporting in my coaching practice discuss the challenge of coming up with fresh material to write on each week.

The idea of sitting down and writing the suggested twice weekly blog post feels overwhelming for the busy clinician.

I get it, just like you, I juggle many roles! 

My coaching clients have shared, "Mari, I sit down to write my blog, and my brain fogs up...I feel blocked." or, "Writing a blog each week feels like a time hog - I have other things to focus on too!"

I feel you fellow therapists, I've been there (oh wait, I was just there this morning). So, let's kick the fogs and hogs to the curb today and get 'er done. We CAN blog like a boss, and it doesn't have to suck our energy dry. 

Here are my Super Speedy Top 4 Blog Tips to get out of the brain fogs and time hogs:

Blog Tip #1 is to, Write what you live, write what you know, and write what is on your mind and on your heart. An example of this is today's blog post from my counseling practice, "Think Therapists are Miracle Workers? You Might Want to Re-Think that Idea." During my walk I was reflecting on the great work some of my clients are doing in therapy with me, and I thought, "I'm going to write about what makes therapy successful for some clients." Didn't take long at all! Have a read if you would like to see a short, quicky quick blog that is working well. 

Blog Tip #2 is to, Give yourself a damn breaky break! Your blog doesn't have to be your manifesto, your best selling novel, or an award winning speech. It can simply be a tip or two, a list of "Top Five Whatevers", or an encouraging thought for the day. Get those fingers moving...you got this!

Blog Tip #3 is to: Do what you can in the time you have. In a hurry? Yep, me too. So, how about posting a link to a TED talk with a short sentence about why you find this TED talk to be beneficial. Oh, and here is an extra special secret sauce tip: Link the TED talk back to your social media page. This way you can let the blog reader know about your face book page or other social media platforms rather than simply directing them to another website. Readers like to be part of a community of support. I know I do!

Blog Tip #4 is to: Schedule with a tool like Buffer. This way you can can write several quick blogs or posts at one time, choose which social profiles to send them to, and then a platform like Buffer will spread them out throughout the week so that you don't have to be in front of your computer 24/7 to support your social media. Also, they have a fun analytics (which can be super ho hum for some of us) so they are able to provide more precise feedback on what is working and what isn't  vs. just posting to Twitter or Facebook directly. Having analytics is important because it helps you get a big picture idea of what your readers are responding to. It does cost a bit to do this (and nope, I don't get a dime from Buffer), so weigh out the time/money factor and make the best choice for your lifestyle and schedule. 

OK, this all sounds good Mari, but ugh...I don't know where to even begin. If you are feeling like you need a little extra support with this...no problem, I love helping other therapists get their blog mojo up and running. I am a writer at heart, have published a best selling book, a popular e-book, articles and materials and, more importantly, I am passionate about helping other professionals embrace their inner writer as well.

If you are feeling stuck, no need to flounder around all by yourself. Shoot me an email, let's schedule a couple of hours together, and we will get your blog set up, get your first couple of blogs written and posted, and before you know it...you too will be a blogging bad ass!

So friends, colleagues, fellow brave bloggers, how about it... are you ready to jump on the yellow brick road with me? Can I get an "I'm in!" below? When will you begin to blog like a boss? If so, tell me below one thing you will be willing to do to blog this week - you can post in the comments section below (see.. right down there). This is a community of support, and I'd love to hear about your first steps!

Kindly and in support,
Mari A. Lee, LMFT, CSAT-S
www.thecounselorscoach.com