Do you read blogs? Obviously you do because you are are reading this right now. I do a lot of reading but when it comes to reading blogs, I prefer the ones that are brief, practical, and teach me new things. I simply don’t want to read a book when I sit down to read blogs. I like to read fast, archive what is helpful, and apply what is practical.
That’s why I write a lot of list posts (they can be scanned quickly) and how to’s (practical). Here’s how I would recommend you read blogs:
SCHEDULE YOUR BLOG READING
While the internet has revolutionized our lives in numerous ways, if we don’t plan how we use it we won’t get anything done. I make it a point to not read blogs throughout the day. It keeps me from doing the work I’m supposed to do. So schedule it. It depends on the day, but I’ll either scan blogs early in the morning or late afternoon. Don’t allow the internet to keep you from contributing rather than consuming.
USE A BLOG READER
I personally use Google Reader. But there are scores of others. Rather than visiting individual sites or even clicking links from Twitter, subscribe to your favorite blogs. Then you can set a dedicated time where you read. This has helped me be more productive and focus. Twitter becomes more of a scan and less of a link jumping exercise.
CREATE FOLDERS WITHIN YOUR BLOG READER
It has been incredibly helpful to group my blogs in folders. My current folders are Blogging, Business, Christian, Finance, Leadership, Productivity, Technology, Worship, and Young Adult Ministry. I have all my blogs listed in their proper folder. This helps me read blogs based on the mood I’m in. I can select precisely what I want to read.
SAVE POSTS YOU WANT TO READ LATER
Like I said, I prefer to read blogs fast. But sometimes there’s a power packed post with content I can’t resist. Use something like Instapaper or Evernote to save posts for later and revisit them when you have a day off (I prefer Instapaper for its simplicity here).
APPLY SOMETHING YOU’VE LEARNED
The power of blogs are in their practicality. When I come across a post that is incredibly helpful, I’ll save it in Instapaper, revisit it later, and add an action step to my task list. Otherwise ideas get lost. Life gets too busy. When you read something you’d like to do, write it down and make it happen.
COMMENT ON POSTS
Another perk of reading blogs is how it engages you in a community. Bloggers love it when you comment on their blogs. They want to interact with you. They want to learn from you. They may even want to highlight what you are doing. It will also help grow your blog, if you have one. This could take a really long time, so be careful here. Find the best blogs and comment. Add value.
I hope this blog has been a source of encouragement to you. As I’m setting some goals for 2011, I’d like to continue blogging and writing content that is of interest and benefit to you. In my blogging I seek to be engaging and helpful.
So, will you help me?
What issues are you facing that you’d like me to address?
What are some more things I should write about?
Thanks for the feedback.
