It’s not easy trying to be a pro-blogger when you’re already a pro something else.

I have a full-time job; which means I have just a couple of hours (if that) to blog and do blog-related things, each day.

Trust me – I know that I’m in no way special. I’ll bet the majority of bloggers out there have jobs to go to in the morning.

But if you’re trying to grow your blog, it takes time, and effort. It doesn’t happen overnight, effortlessly.

When I first started The TechNobody, I actually wasn’t aware of how much time I you could use up blogging everyday.

I’ve suddenly found myself with a whole shopping list full of blogging things to do everyday.

For example; if I manage to wrangle an hour to work on my blog, here’s how I use it:

• Mega-mini brainstorm to figure out what to write about
• Write furiously, researching as I go, find articles to link out to
• Edit the post
• Put pictures in the post
• Tweet about the post
• Promote the post on DailyBooth or YouTube
• Respond to comments
• Respond to tweets and other messages

…and that’s without any other stuff like affiliate links, or negotiating advertising or crapola like that that bloggers a step ahead of me are dealing with everyday.

But I’m already finding that some days, I just don’t have the time.

Can I streamline my blogging or be more efficient? Is there a way I can have my job, my blog, and a life?

I turned to the pros (who I’m going to assume originally blogged around work before blogging in their PJs everyday) for some advice. I know I need it!

1. Keep a list of blog post ideas

As per this awesome guest post by Srinivas Rao, it’s important to spend time ahead of your blogging brainstorming and coming up with ideas for future posts. This gives you time to think on the topics, and it saves you time when it comes to writing. Note down your proposed beginning, middle and end for the post too – for extra efficiency!

2. Create surplus content

There will be days when you have no time, or no inspiration. That’s when a bunch of backup blog posts comes in handy. If you have extra time at the weekends, put in a couple of hours to stock up on draft posts, and have them ready to publish when you need them.

3. Don’t waste time

Ah, so very true. When I’m writing a post, I think I’m writing constantly. Checking Twitter, Facebook, my email or my traffic stats in between sentences is like second nature now, and it needs to stop! Identify the things that are distracting you and remove them until you’re done. Smart stuff from PuttingBlogsFirst.com.

4. Find your links after the fact

You can do some research before writing, but if the content is already in your head, write first, and find links second. You want to give your readers great resources, but if you go searching in the middle of a paragraph, you’ll lose your flow! Love that HubSpot blog!

5. Let it breathe

It’s ok to write a little and come back to it. I did that just today – started a blog post, wrote a little for ten minutes in my lunch break, then came back to it after work. It’s ok if you don’t achieve everything in one period of alloted time; it puts pressure on you to do it that way, and the idea is usually better formed if you give it some time.  I feel more relaxed too!

There are so many things you can do to blog more efficiently – it doesn’t have to rule your spare time, and you’ll probably have a better blog if you actually have a life!

How’s your blog/job/life balance?