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Blogging is hard. I mention this in almost every single one of my posts, we know this by now. But running a blog with a full-time job? That’s a whole other level of difficulty.

Today I’ll be going over the challenges I faced when blogging with a full-time job and I’ll go over ways that I overcame those challenges as well to help you out!

First, the challenges;

1. YOUR FULL-TIME JOB COMES FIRST

Your full-time job obviously comes first. In the beginning, blogging will not be making you any money. It may take up to 6 months to see any amount of income at all (unless you set up your blog right like I did here!). So, for the time being, almost all of your focus has to be on that 9-5.

It’s unlikely you’ll be able to cut your work hours back to make more room for a blog that doesn’t make money. How else will you pay your bills?

You’re likely working 30-40 hours a week like I am. That means that you have a lot less time throughout your week to blog. Plus, there’s dinner to make, you may have school or kids to take care of… who knows what else you’ve got going on.

There are ways you can find the time, however (if you’re dedicated enough!) which I’ll go over later.

2. IT’S HARD TO GET MOTIVATED

Having the motivation to work on a blog with a full-time job is hard to come by if work physically and mentally drains you as mine does. Customer service is not easy. No job really is.

So it’s common that when you come home, all you want to do it put your feet up, watch some tv and relax. That’s not the case when you have a blog!

Having a blog is like having a newborn baby (I imagine, I don’t have any kids). You have to tend to a blog and work on it every day, especially in the beginning.

When I get home from work the last thing I want to do is more work. But, days like this you have to push through the tired to get where you want to go!

I’m so tired when I get home from work, but I know I have to work on my blog. Some days I’ll take a small break and have to force my way up the stairs to my office so I can work. It doesn’t matter if I’m tired. I need to work hard on this blog so I can quit my job.

Those are the two biggest struggles of mine when it comes to running a blog with a full-time job. There are likely many more, but I wanted to move on to how I deal with all the challenges!

Now, the advantages;

1. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY MOMENT

EDITORS NOTE: Now, I have offically gone full-time blogger, but this is what it used to look like for me!

So for me personally, I take advantage of every free moment I have.

For example, you might think that I’m writing this post now sitting in a comfy desk chair at home or sitting in a cozy coffee house or bookstore. That would make sense right?

You have no idea how badly I wish you were right. However, I’m actually currently walking through the airport on the way to my 9-5. And I’ll be editing this post on my break.

Since I work at the airport, my commute is pretty long. I only actually live 10 minutes from my work parking lot, but getting into the building is not as quick or easy.

Here’s what a typical workday looks like for me:

• I drive to my work parking lot (no writing time there obviously)
• A shuttle comes and takes workers up to the door (There’s some time I can spend writing). 10-ish minutes
• Then I have to walk to the opposite end of the airport. 5-ish minutes of writing time.
• The 30-minute lunch break (Plenty of time!)
• My walk back to the bus, and the bus ride back. Another 15-ish minutes.
• My fiance (who works with me) ends up driving up home so that’s 10 more writing minutes!

That’s like an hour and a half of writing! And I work 4 times a week. If I do a little bit every day that’s a lot of blogging time!

While you might not have a schedule like me, if you manage your time well, you’ll start to see. You actually do have time throughout your day if you make time. They may be little gaps of time, but you have to make time in the beginning. Every moment counts.

Sure I may be tired at work but I’d rather be slightly more tired and hard-working now if that means I can get any steps closer to quitting this job that drains way more of my energy than my blog ever has.

2. YOU HAVE TO WANT THIS MORE THAN ANYTHING

As you can tell, I want to work on my blog more than anything. I want to quit my job so bad. So, I’m willing to write anywhere so that I can get another post up.

You have to have a passion for your blog. Passion will give you the motivation to keep going even when you have none.

Blogging itself is a very hard job. But when you blog with a full-time job, there are even more challenges that you have to overcome.

However, with hard work, passion, and determination, you can turn your blog into your full-time business!