"Where do you get the time to write another blog? I wish I had as much time as you do." - These are common responses when I share my posts with my friends.
In fact, blogging saves me time. This is why I proactively block one hour a day dedicated for blogging. Totally 5 hours a week. 25 hours a month of planned investment. What is the return on the investment? Following are few examples [and counting...]
Myself. It is matter of simple reuse. I journal what’s helpful and then use it again and again until it becomes a habit. To make sure I reuse the same techniques over the time I need to write it down somewhere. Blog is the best place to do it . I save time on searching these techniques. It serves me as my personal del.isio.us. I can spend 2 to 15 minutes searching for specific topic. I might doing it 2-3 times a day. 2 to 20 hours a month of saved time if blogging.
My customers. A customer called me another day and told me he has a technical problem. I manage technical blog where I journal my tech nuggets and insights I got from customers interactions while resolving technical issues. I sent him a link to a relevant blog entry and in few hours he replied that the issue was resolved based on the technique described in the blog. I saved 2 hours on traveling and earned more trust. I might have 1 to 3 such cases monthly. 2 to 6 hours saved monthly if blogging.
My friends and the family. Over the time my best friends and the family got scattered geographically, some of us are now even in different time zones. Blogging helps me sharing what I am at today. Emails are great but less durable than blog. For example, I could send this recipe via email to my mom, but in few weeks my friend would like me to share it too. Searching email would take time or I could even delete it. When it is on the blog it is fast to find and share. Hard to estimate here… Let’s assume I’d spend 10 minutes each day to send my updates to my private social circle. It would roll up to hour a week and 5 monthly hours.
My colleagues. I specialize in specific professional area. I would say I have expertise in that area. I like sharing my knowledge either reactively [on demand] or proactively [spamming :D]. I had a colleague asking me to meet and explain specific topic. Sending relevant blog entry saved us both time on setting a meeting at least. I may have 4 such monthly request on average. The meeting may take half an hour. Assuming I ignore context switching time, it rolls up to 2 monthly hours.
Totally monthly saved time - from 11 to 33 hours. 22 hours on average. 3 hours left uncovered….
Blogging gives me huge joy of satisfaction. 3 hours a month for satisfaction is an acceptable price I am ready to pay.
“I like to do all the talking myself. It saves time, and prevents arguments.” - Oscar Wilde
9 comments ↓
One of the reasons I turned to blogging more was because I was having to repeat myself in various flavors of mails and conversations. A reusable post that I could share with more people is just what the doctor ordered.
So I do not care about it - i enjoy the journey.
“Life’s a journey not a destination ” - Aerosmith
I’m also prone to sharing my knowledge proactively at times. Hehe.
I didn’t have to read very far to change my mind.
I have a collection of “canned” emails which serve the same purpose you have characterized here. However, the nature of a blog is so-o-o much more powerful, available for all the world to see, & once it’s posted, many will find it without any intervention on your part owing to its availability via third party search. And even for customers & others who may ask, sending a link is more elegant than customizing an email.
You have convinced me to step up my blogging a notch. (My blog could use some motivation!)
I have so much more to share w/you wrt this. Here are few talking points:
- I’ve been reached through the blog by many developers asking for help. I’ve sent the links that SOLVED their problems or gave a direction to it.
- I’ve been reached through the blog with positions offering - is not it cool?
- I’ve been restoring my demos directly from my MSDN blog when my demo machine completely died few hours before the presentation.
- This one is THE coolest. What would you feel when you step into the customer’s office you notice printouts of your posts (instead MSDN articles) as an agenda for discussion?
I have so much more to share w/you - hope to meet in august.
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