A wee break

Hello all!

I've made the decision to take this week away from the blog. The reason being I am so behind schedule and it's beginning to feel a bit stressed. If you've been reading this blog for a little while that I like to be about two weeks, if not a month, ahead with ideas for blog posts. At the moment I have nothing planned ahead and it's not doing me any favours because I'm writing blog posts on the day of posting which means they're very last minute, un planned and therefore not as good as they could be.

I'll be back on Monday and back to normal with top notch posts and actual ideas. 

Until then,

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Let's be honest, I failed

Blogging is a hobby for me and that's all it is. I don't get any form of payment for anything I write, I don't have an sponsorship deals and views really aren't that important to me. However, that doesn't mean I don't want to create the best blog I possibly can and it doesn't mean that I want posts to be irregular, without thought and lazy. Recently I've felt like I've been putting up posts and content that are exactly that.

I made a promise at the beginning of this year to be more regular with posts but that really hasn't happen and I can't even describe how frustrating that is for me and how much it makes me stress out when another week goes by and I haven't even written one blog post even though I've got a heap of post ideas written down in my notebook. 

Ever since I took a break to get ideas together and re-focus I've felt unmotivated to blog and in the last week I felt like I'd been away for too long and didn't know where to go next. Should I go straight back into blogging normal posts or should I write an explanatory post. I didn't want to do either. The first would seem odd after such a long break and the second feels like that's all I've been posting recently. What did this mean? More stressed about something that's meant to be a hobby. 

Of course I want the blog to be successful, I want people to read and enjoy which blogger doesn't? But when it comes down to it I have to enjoy blogging because apart from anything else this is a really cool way I can look back on some awesome things I've done. 

I want to create content that people want to read and share and will ultimately feel inspired by but at the same time I don't want to feel stressed out when I don't post.

So I've made a big decision. It's really not that big at all but one that I want to share. 

From now on, well at least while I'm travelling, there will be at least one weekly post. On a Sunday I will post a #TravelDiaries post. This will be a weekly round up of whatever I've done that week on my travels. I did this when I first started travelling at they seem to be the posts that people enjoyed most, I enjoyed most and also posts that consistently get views even now. So I figured why ignore the stats and my feelings? Let's go back to that. 

Additionally I'll post all the other things I like to post - bookish things, recipes, resolution reviews and all the other lifestyle things I post (after all this is a lifestyle blog). However, these will be posted when and if I have anything for such a post. I'm gonna quit this posting something just because I feel something needs to be posted. I'll also do feature posts on things that I've done on my travels that I've particularly enjoyed, a restaurant, a place anything. 

So I think that's it. One regular weekly post and other little lifestyle posts if and when. I hope you're all looking forward to this much more laid back blogging as I am. Hopefully it will result in better reading for and less crappy posts and also a less stressed version of me. I also want to point out that this format won't be forever, as travelling around Australia won't be forever but that doesn't matter now. 

As always I'd like to hear from you lovely readers what you'd like to see more of and what you like me to post most of all. Also let me know if there's anything you'd like to see over here on this little corner of the internet. You can comment below and as always tweet me or comment on the facebook page.

So until next time,

What I learnt in my week off

Photo credit

Hello all and welcome to a brand new week. I hope it's getting off spiffingly for you. I can't believe we're in the last week of February already, time really does go too fast. Well, I'm back for my week off from blogging and I'm feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and way more inspired than I was at the beginning of last week. If you're wondering what on earth I'm talking about when I say my week off from blogging check out my last post to fill you in. 

For me blogging is a hobby and I don't want it to be a stressful thing and it was feeling a little like that last week. I felt stuck for posts, I had no inspiration to write anything at all and I any creativity had died somewhere. So I knew I needed a week off and it's done me the world off good because I'm back with five blog posts for you this week, that's one every week day, that I'm really excited to share with you so I hope you like them.

Today's post isn't something super exciting but a little one about the things I learned, or reminded myself of, in my week off and the things I need to remember every now and again all the time I'm doing this weird blogging thing. 

Numero Uno. A break is good for creativity. 

Sometimes a good, well earned break is all you need to get those creative juices going. Set the thing to one side, don't look at it and don't think about it too hard and it will come to you. 

Two. Planning posts is key.

When I first started the blog I planned every post I wrote at the beginning of each week so that whether I scheduled ahead by five days or wrote a post the night before I had a clear plan for what I wanted to say and didn't forget any important points. Some posts are better written then and there but I find just jotting down a few points I want to make helps me create a much better post. 

Trois. Being inspired by other blogs isn't copying. 

I read other blogs every day and follow my favourites on bloglovin. Sometimes I'll think oh that's a really good idea I'd like to do something like that. Obviously I'm not going to copy the blog post exactly but taking something away from another blogger's post and using it to inspire your own isn't a bad thing. Linking the original into your own post and letting the blogger know is also a great way to make connections, everyone loves to see their posts inspiring others.

Four. A lifestyle blog is anything and everything you want it to be.

Everyone's lifestyle is different so every lifestyle blog is going to be different. And it doesn't have to be about expensive candles, your latest trip to Paris or a recipe featuring ridiculously healthy ingredients to be successful (although we all love those posts). Write about your lifestyle, if you try to be something other than you it won't work.

And finally Five. Views are not what it's about.

Although every blogger loves getting more views with every post, and new followers on bloglovin for me that's not the be all and end all. It's great don't get me wrong and of course I want as many people as possible to read what I'm writing and feel inspired by it like I do with my favourite bloggers but I started this as a hobby and so I want to keep it fun and carry on posting what I want to and not what I think will get me more views or more followers. Again being you is what makes a blog succesful, trying to be succesful won't work.

So that's it a few little lessons I've learnt recently and will continue to remind myself of. Hopefully you'll get something from this too. 

What lessons have you learnt and like to remind yourself of?

Until tomorrow

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A blogging break

You can now follow me on Pinterest to see all the things I'm loving and lusting

If you like my page on Facebook you will know that this week I am taking a break from blogging. This week is a little hectic and so was last week. Jack and I have got a lot of things due (insurance, van stuff all those good things) and we've been tied up in trying to sort all those things out alongside trying to find new jobs. With all this going on, although I've got heaps of exciting posts and ideas at the moment, I just haven't had the time to sit down and write them and get them scheduled to go up. 

So this week is a bit of admin week for us, and me and the blog. I've given myself a week to get back to being super organised with blog posts and scheduling and promoting so hopefully I won't need another random, unscheduled break for a while. 

Sometimes you just need a week off to chill away from the blogging world and at first it kinda feels like you might be letting readers down. But in the long run that's definitely not the case. If a week away is what you need to be a better blogger - reorganise, re-think and just to get back into the swing of things then that is what you have to do.

This week I've been planning so many blog posts for the next few weeks and even some exciting collaborations that I'm so excited for you guys to see. Don't forget you can follow me on heaps of social medias to keep up with what I'm up to when I'm away from the blogosphere this week (links in the side bar and the end of this post). 

Until next Monday, 

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An absolute fail

So it's New Year's Eve, that's come around quickly. I'm currently in a very cheap and daggy motel room on the outskirts of Sydney preparing to celebrate at midnight.

Blogmas was a bit of a fail wasn't it? I think I blogged all of 5 days. I just don't know how I used to blog daily, it was a lot harder than I remember and I didn't even have the excuse of a full time course. 

But on the up side I've got plans to be a lot more consistent and regular with blog posts and keeping the travel stuff at the top of the 'to blog' list as it seems that's what you guys like the most. Of course they'll be other stuff in there too. 

I'm writing this on my phone and can't put links in but don't forget to follow me on Instagram @emilymariejarvis, for photos of my adventures until I start properly blogging again in the new year. I'm sure they'll be heaps of photos up there from Sydney. Also all my social media links are in the right hand side bar so you can like and follow me anytime. 

I hope you all have a safe, happy and fun New Years Eve. Thanks for being here in 2014 and here's to an even better 2015. 

Blogmas day one | Lemon Pea does Blogmas

Jack just came home with a One Direction advent calender so kids, it's Christmas! How exciting? Though terrifying at the same time, this time last year we were two days from Jack leaving for Australia, I hadn't even created a blog let alone daily blogging and I had just started a crappy Christmas temp job to pay for my ticket out to Australia. How times change, right?

What's blogmas? I hear you cry.

Well my lovely readers, blogmas is daily blogging until Christmas. I don't know if blogmas is actually a thing, probably should have checked that first, but vlogmas is. Everyday until Christmas you'll find your favourite vloggers uploading a new vlog. Very stressul and since I'm not a YouTuber and have limited video editing skills I've opted for something I know - blogging.

I've daily blogged before, that's how this whole blogging thing started but this feels different. So let's see how it goes.

But on the theme of Christmas, don't forget to check out MadeIt for some lovely, unique gifts for your loved ones and also my blog post all about my favourite items from the site.

Merry blogmas everyone!

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I love Bloglovin'

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I love Bloglovin'. It's one of my favourite apps on my phone, one of the first things I go to in the morning when I'm seeing what's gone on in the world whilst I was sleeping. I get to follow all my favourite bloggers and their blogs in one place.

I get a feed of posts from all the blogs I follow without having to go to each individual blog. Click on the post on the feed and there it is, on my screen without having to type in every single web address. 

Any posts that I particularly like, I hit the like button and I can go back to them at any time to read them again and feel inspired as they save in my 'liked posts'.

The app is really easy to use and practical that I would advice grabbing on your phone to follow all your favourite blogs including mine. 

Reconstruction | This doesn't have a sub-heading

It’s been eight months since I created ‘emilyjdoesthings’ and started posting daily - or nearly daily anyway. I know eight months has gone quickly, I can’t believe it’s been that long. When I started the blog I was in a  very different headspace to the one I’m in now, positivity, happiness and healthiness has taken over and I’m quite enjoying it. I think it’s safe to say I’ve had a bit of a lifestyle change since starting the blog.

So after coming to that conclusion one night lying awake in the van, unable to sleep due to being convinced there was a possum on the roof attempting to get in, I’ve decided the blog needs a bit of a change and an update to keep up with me and my lifestyle.

I’ve worked out the type of blog I want to be writing and creating and as such the blog will be undergoing a bit of  a makeover. We’re going to be like this, lack of posting that is, until September. I want the blog to look the best it can and I’m giving myself ample time to do that - with Jack’s solid advice of course.

I’ve got lots of fun and exciting posts planned once everything back in place and the blog is looking all freshly primped and primed so hopefully they’ll be coming thick and fast come September. Not quite daily though, mainly due to limited internet access, but more frequently than once a month - fingers crossed.

So, until September.

Know Your Audience | Thursday Talks

Know your audience has been the key piece of advice I've picked up from the variety of guest speakers that have been into journalist works so far. They haven't all explicitly said 'know your audience' but I've always got the gist of it. Sometimes it's as simple as look at the people in the room and deciding the angle you're going to take with what you're going to say. I.e. in a room that's 90% female don't start throwing around sexist comments - yes I'm still talking about that three weeks later.

However it's been said, or in some cases not said or even considered, I've come to the understanding that knowing your audience is the key to successful journalist. However,  the paper you're working for is very likely to have already figured out who they're audience is and therefore that will limit what you can write to some extent. For example it's highly unlikely that the Daily Mail will let you print an opinion piece of why immigration is so great, for example.

The whole idea of knowing your audience and creating something for that target audience is quite restrictive in journalism, taking my example for example (last time I'll use the word I swear). However, with blogging I don't feel it has to be that way despite what guest speakers, with more experience have said. If you stick to the idea that knowing your audience is key to a successful blog then you're, in the same was as journalism, restricting what you write. If you believe your audience is forty-five year old librarians than it's unlikely, though not impossible, that a blog post about your love for One Direction is going to satisfy why they're reading your blog.

I blog about something different everyday, although everyday has a theme, it allows me to write about whatever I feel best. I don't restrict myself by calling it a lifestyle blog, a book blog or travel blog. To me my blog is all those things because I write about those things and therefore open myself up to more audiences.

The power of a hashtag, or tag, or label, depending on the surface you are using to reach people, vastly increases the audience you might get. Don't be restrictive with the tags. What you've written about is likely to cover a large variety of things so tag all those things and open yourself up to larger reading numbers and don't be scared to tweet or facebook your blog link. Publish your link on as many different platforms as necessary.

Obviously it is important to know your audience to a certain extent. My blogger stats help me find which posts people most enjoy reading, where they come from and what link they're following to get here. Therefore I can, although not limit myself to, but do more posts similar to the ones that are enjoyed the most, I can target them to specific places and I can also know where to focus my promotional efforts.

So although the advice you might here when you start blogging is know your audience, get to know them before you restrict yourself and don't be limited by your audience.

New Year, New Start

Firstly, merry Christmas to you all (sorry it's a bit late)!

Now we've done with the standard annual greeting that occurs when we've eaten too much food and begin to plan diets that will inevitably fail due to the large amount of left over Christmas food because once again we over estimated how much we'd eat, I'll get into the nitty gritty, and reassure that you're not going mad by explaining why all my old blog posts have mysteriously disappeared.

Well towards throughout the last month it hasn't been a secret that I wasn't feeling exactly myself. I was miserable 80% of the time and spent 99.9% moping around feeling sorry for myself pretending like I was feeling fine. It all boils down to coping with a long distance relationship, and coming to terms with that. However, being miserable isn't who I naturally am and it was actually becoming more of a struggle to dwell on how miserable I was then it was to perk up and get on. So when I was reading over the last couple of months blog posts and realising that my miserable attitude was reflected in boring, mundane and repetitive blog posts I realised I needed to snap out of it and start fresh.

I.e. delete all blog posts and start from scratch. Possibly a bit of a rash decision but, determined to make this a better blog, and more enjoyable, both for me to write and for you to read, I feel it was the right one at this time. On the note of rash decisions I also deleted the Australian blog. I decided I didn't need a whole blog dedicated to that small part of my life, I will post on here about all things Aus-related and once I'm out there the blog will probably become dominated by it as I will probably have very little time to blog about anything else.

Apart from the absence of boring, repetitive posts the blog will be largely the same. From tomorrow (Monday 30th) it will continue as a daily blog (again until I go to Australia when blogging will depend on wifi availability) largely with themed days. Monday, Wednesday and Friday will continue as they have done (motivational, reads, wrap-up) but Tuesday will change to become Tuesday Travels, and Thursday will become Thursday Talks. This will be to ensure I continue to blog about Australia and other travels that come after Australia for those who are interested and also so that we don't lose the time when I can just ramble about something I want to, and also so you guys can interact with me and let me know what you want to hear from me about. I have also decided to keep it less formal, so if I decide that I don't want to be motivational one Monday but would rather post a DIY video, or on a Wednesday I'd rather blog about my favourite new lipstick over the book I'm currently reading then I will do so. But it will be daily. Promise. With a pinky.

I hope you continue to enjoy the blog and I look forward to making sure this is as much of an exciting read for you as it can be.

Until tomorrow, keep smiling, Emily :)