How much is too much?
Blogging, that is.
A close friend of mine commented to me (twice!) about how frequently I have been posting lately. And it’s true! My blogging frequency has increased. I tried to explain to her that my blogging frequency is directly related to my happiness level, so the more I blog, the more happy I am. But I did not explain it very well to her.
Essentially, when I am feeling very upbeat, open, outgoing, excited, enthusiastic and overall happy, I post a lot. I tend to crave interaction when I am feeling that good, and blogging is a very good way for me to satisfy that craving. I’m feeling creative, and I am feeling like sharing my ideas, not matter how silly they are. You see lots of me.
If I am feeling down in the dumps, discouraged, upset and overall unhappy, I will blog much less. I will withdrawal online, and somewhat in real life too. I will probably mention that things are dumpy, but probably only go in to a minimal amount of detail. It will then take awhile for the blogging frequency to get back up. I’ll probably still comment on other people’s blogs, but I won’t feel like writing here. You’ll sense that something is up.
And…that is the pattern of blogging I have figured out about myself. I am not sure if it is common or unusual, but I know it to be true. I can go back in my archives, and remember the sh*tty stuff that was going on in my life, and see my absence. And I can recognize the good times too!
The funny thing is, I sometimes try to blog myself out of a slump, but it just doesn’t seem to work for me. It feels artificial.
Anyway, I have asked all of these questions before, but I always find the answers interesting!
Does your mood affect the frequency of your blogging?
Do you blog on any sort of set schedule? What is your style?
I almost always blog my Sunday training recap! The Friday Question is less frequent. And it is sporadic the rest of the week. I try to have posts ready at 5:23 am, when I board the train, but sometimes I don’t get to them until later in the day. Ideally, I would have them all ready the night before, but sometimes inspiration strikes at an inconvenient (or rather, unscheduled) time!
Themocracy
It makes my mood better that you have me entertained first thing in the morning.
Aww, thanks! 🙂
I think your graph is the same for me as well! lol. The first week of december I was busting out the posts every day. Now it’s every couple of days. I just have a lot going on and a lot of it doesn’t have anything to do with running/losing weight. eh.
Do you feel like you can only write about those two things?
No not really but I don’t have a lot of ideas right now! lol
I agree – when I am happy, and happy with my running, I tend to post more and have more inspirations for what to write. When I am angry or upset it is so much harder to write a post.
I try to stay to a Monday-Friday blogging schedule. I guess the only times my blogging dips is when life gets too busy. It’s not directly related to my moods. Sometimes, I think I write MORE when life is falling apart because it’s a place to release it all and a place where something is stable and true – my blog and its schedule.
That’s a whole lot of deep thinking for 8:20 in the morning, ha!
So we’re kind of the opposite! That is interesting!
I enjoy reading your posts so it doesn’t seem like too much to me. You tend to break things down into small posts where I’m more likely to just cram everything into a bulleted post.
I’m sure mood has a little to do with my blogging habits but mostly it’s finding time and something to write about. Writing doesn’t come naturally to me (I am a numbers girl).
I’m sure you’ve noticed, but I do not blog on any kind of schedule. I just post whenever I have time or something to say.
Thank you! I do try to have single-topic posts, but tomorrow’s IS bullets. Oops!
I have writer’s block a lot too. If I can even call it that. Blogger’s block?
I agree with you 100%! When my life is “working” and everything’s flowing along I blog a lot because I have time and because I am generally more happy! This week I have been posting on my way to and from work because I just got a mobile hot spot on my phone. I am loving it!
I’m on a schedule of once a day, usually 5-6 times a week. I’ve been slowing down on that, but it’s because I’ve been directing a lot of time elsewhere (ahem, job search), and other things have to suffer a little for it… whoops!
Ooo, I missed that you are searching for a new job! In the same field?
I love that graph, lol! I love when you blog frequently and now that I know it’s because you are happy that makes me happy!
I thought you might like the graph 🙂 🙂 🙂
interesting. When real life is happening I don’t tend to share it on my blog, however I do lurk around because you always learn something new and interesting.
I like that you’re blogging so much – and I like even more that you’re so happy!!
I might not be commenting all the time, but I’m definitely reading and keeping updated 🙂
As far as my blog…. well, I think I’m sort of the opposite, when I’m super happy I don’t post at all because I get so into other things. (I also don’t have that giant hole in my life that I need to fill any more – which is the best.) I always love updating people individually by email / chat / phone at these happy times 🙂
I’m the same way. When I’m feeling down, the last thing I want to see is everyone’s posts on Facebook bragging about how great their lives are (even if I see through most of them). And, as you’ve mentioned before, our blogs are filtered versions of our lives. I don’t put the really personal or negative or hard stuff out there for the entire world to see. So I just don’t blog since that’s all I would blog about.
I am reading a book that mentioned the theory “social comparison” – where we evaluate our own circumstances by comparing them with others. It said that is why own people get so down during the holidays – everyone is sharing their celebrations and they seem so much better than their own. Kind of off topic, but related to the filtered version thing. I will eventually write a post on that. When I can get my thoughts together!
I’m glad you are so happy! I am the same – if I feel down I don’t feel like sharing. Another thing that interferes with my blogging is stress – when life gets hectic blogging is one of the first things to go. But even if I’m not writing on my own blog I try to keep up with what my blog friends are doing, and try not to get behind in reading.
I’m the exact same way and looks like others are as well! If I’m happy and not under a great deal of stress, I like to blog. Same way with commenting too!!
I tend to blog only when I feel like I have something to say…and typically that’s when I’m busiest! I certainly don’t think you blog too much. I mean, it would be like saying you email or talk to people too much!
I like the fact that you’re blogging more – your posts make me happy!
Aww, thanks!
LMAO at the mood scale on the left axis of your graph 🙂
I am the same. When things are going well, I generally feel more talkative and inspired, and thus I write more. Like this week. I’ve been a writing fool! 🙂 I love your posts, and I hope you keep it up!! 🙂
Thank you 🙂 I am happy you’ve been feeling good and writing more!
I love your blog and IMO, I never think you blog too much!! Now that I know there is a correlation between how much you blog and how happy you are I hope you blog constantly!!
=^..^=
I have no real schedule. I probably blog about 3x a week now but back in the day I blogged at least 5x a week. I don’t think I blog more or less if I am happy or sad. Sometimes I just don’t feel like sharing or don’t feel like anything is worthy of a post and then other times I am just worried it’s been too long between posts so I throw up some drivel. I have no pattern, clearly. 🙂
I don’t have that “not worthy of a post” filter. I sometimes wonder if I should work on that. I always like your “drivel.”
I typically post every day (unless I have nothing to say – like today), and my mood doesn’t really change that. My mood does change what I post about though.
I agree with this wholeheartedly! I think that some of it has to do with the fact that when things are not going well, they sometimes are things that you can’t talk about online for various reasons…either it has to do with work, or a spouse, or a friend that reads the blog. The other piece is that I find is that I don’t want my Internet friends to worry too much about me too. Since most of the time I haven’t met them in person, i feel some responsibility for how my sadness comes across to them.
Ooo, very good point about what other people think about you! You don’t want to be all down all the time and have people think you are not in a healthy state of mind.
i’m the exact opposite! when i’m happy & have lots going on, i can’t seem to find time to blog. when i have something to COMPLAIN about, though, blogging = good venting! 🙂
When there’s more stress in my life I tend to blog less. I tend to blog after I put the baby to bed, which is literally the only time of day I get to myself.
Ha!! I just blog when I feel the need..and usually I have very little to say 🙂
I’m a daily blogger. Regardless of mood, I blog every day. Granted, this means most of the time my blog ends up being crap, but squeeze it hard enough and a diamond pops out every once in a while. Or not. But I do have monkeys on my blog, and that’s gotta count for something.
Monkeys are always good!
My blogging frequency is most definitely related to my overall state of happiness! When I’m in a funk, I tend not to blog because, really, who wants to read that? (See gap between July and October on my blog for proof. lol)
I find myself blogging more when I am in a better mood too. So I can relate to you there.
Love this post! I pretty much could agree with everything you wrote, and that graph is amazing!
My blogging frequency has less to do with mood and everything to do with schedule. Pre-child, I blogged pretty consistently, 4-5 times per week, never during the weekends. In the 14 months since I’ve had Gavin, I blog 1-2 times per week. I just don’t have the same amount of time to sit down and blog that I used to.
I love that you blog so much – I look forward to reading every day (even if I don’t always comment :)) so please don’t stop!
Aww, thank you! 🙂
My blogging frequency has more to do with how busy I am…go figure. And I don’t really blog on any sort of schedule. I would like to get into more of a posting habit and I’ve thought about ways I might do that. But I also don’t want to feel like I HAVE to post on a particular topic every Thursday or something like that.
Blogging frequency is mixed for me. Since my lack of making videos, my blogging has been irregular. I would like to blog more, but there’s a lot of other things in life that get in the way.
As for how often you blog, I don’t mind the amount of posts you produce. It just might take me longer to read and comment on each one.
I feel very similarly about this. I’ve been in a sort of funk (not my usual self) since I moved. And my blogging has been completely haywire. I know it’s because I’m not as busy or motivated as I was back home, and I’m rebuilding friendships, looking for a job, and still trying to settle in this new place. So when I feel sad or don’t have anything upbeat to say I almost rather not say anything on teh blog (so my parent’s back home don’t start freaking out) as i don’t want it to sound super emo. But I have found that sometimes i actually feel better once I blog my feelings too. I honestly love all your blog posts as you always bring a great perspective and we think a lot alike.
I am sad you are feeling that way! But I definitely think you should write about it if it makes you feel better. I’ve been having a poopy week but writing about it is helping. 🙂
I wish I could be your friend down in GA 🙂