Starting a new blog is exciting, especially for those who willing to put in the time and effort necessary to turn them into cash generating brands. If you already know what you want to write about, you are well on your way to creating a successful blog.
However, as you are probably well aware, making money from blogging takes time. It took Jon Morrow five years to make his very first dollar, and eight to reach a six-figure monthly income.
If you have a talent for communicating insight and enough time to spare, you can do the same – but what about the rest of your time? Where will that insight come from?
As with any creative skill, successful blogging requires a life-work balance suited to your lifestyle. You shouldn’t expect to spend the next eight years only writing – if you try, you may find that the creative juices quickly cease to flow. Having some blog-friendly hobbies is the best way to remain consistently creative so that you not only meet your weekly content target, but fill it with quality content.
3 Hobbies That Help Blogging Creativity
Most of the best hobbies for bloggers rely on critical thinking and decision-making. The ability to make intuitive value judgements is one of the key skills to making a successful career out of blogging – in many cases, you won’t know that a certain piece of content isn’t appropriate for your website, but you’ll feel it through intuition.
The best hobbies for new bloggers then, are ones that tax your intuitive abilities while improving the decision-making process. Consider any of the following options:
1. Music
An artistic hobby that improves critical thinking and decision-making, there are few choices better than learning to play a musical instrument. You may never be able play the violin like Joshua Bell, but you can develop your own sense of creative style by learning songs and repeating them as closely as possible – either on piano, guitar, or even a browser-based electronic LaunchPad.
2. Online Poker
Online poker can be a powerful tool for improving critical thinking and decision-making. Often considered the consummate “gambler’s game,” poker relies more on skill than pure chance. Poker gives players the opportunity to make judgements based on unknown variables and imperfect information.
Trying to guess your opponents’ hands while bluffing your own involves a level of tact and psychology that serves the would-be blogger well – if you can get in your online poker partners’ minds, you can get into the mindset of your blog’s audience.
3. Video Games
Video games are not just for kids. There is a clear connection between gaming and strategic planning, multi-tasking, and reflex coordination. Building a successful blog is very much a strategic exercise, and it involves plenty of multi-tasking. In order to benefit most, focus on strategy or puzzle titles – first-person shooters may improve your reflexes, but they probably won’t help your blog unless you are writing a blog specifically about them.
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