I am an extremely (obsessively) organized person.

I am completely dependent on my planner. I have two separate versions of a calendar, which I update constantly. I keep track of every single article, essay and blog post I write every week. I count words. I set and achieve goals because, honestly, I’m a little bit addicted.

I do not, however, use any of these methods when posting to this blog.

Aside from making sure blogging remains part of my (obsessive) list of daily tasks, there is no planning. There is not always as much strategy between posts as their should be.

And that is how I have managed to blog every day of the week, every single week, since June 2015.

Hold on. Let me explain.

It turns out too much structure is a bad thing

When you start doing the same thing every single day, or try to do the same task the same way every single time you do it, you lock yourself into a routine you hate but can’t get out of. At least that’s what happened when I started trying to over-structure the way I managed my blog.

A little spontaneity is good for your mental health, and when you’re feeling mentally good, it’s a lot easier to sit down and write a ton of words other people are going to read, analyze and probably criticize.

It took me almost seven years to get here

This month I’ve hit two major blogging milestones: 1,000 blog posts and seven total years of blogging. (Keep in mind that this blog has gone through many transformations over the years, which is why the numbers are so high even though Novelty Revisions isn’t quite a year old yet).

I used to have a really hard time blogging even once a month. But once I started Novelty Revisions, established my niche, found my voice, started learning what I liked to write about and what others enjoyed reading, I fell into a rhythm. It took years to figure this out. So if you can’t blog as often as you want to right away – be patient. It takes time. (I know that’s not what you want to hear, but I’m here to write the truth, not spew fluff just to get you to like me more).

I am constantly stopping in the middle of other tasks to jot down ideas

When I get an idea for a blog post, it goes right into WordPress as a draft. I may never write it, I may change the title, I might sit down and write the whole thing right then or leave it sitting there for weeks (okay … sometimes months). But I don’t wait. I don’t second-guess myself.

Saving ideas for later comes in handy when you have some extra time but don’t know what to write about. It gives you an outlet for your brain rush when you want, need to write something but are having a hard time coming up with a new idea (which, oddly, does happen).

Here’s how you can do it too:

• Make sure it’s something that will actually benefit you and your readers. It’s a lot of work, and a little silly to do it if it isn’t necessary.
• Make sure you really want to do it. Because if you don’t, you won’t last long. You will burn yourself out, and it’s very hard to recover from that.
• Keep a running list of blog post ideas in your drafts folder. When you sit down to write, choose one that’s really resonating with you at the moment.
• Write when you’re feeling great to get a few days ahead. If there’s ever a day you can’t write, this will give you a safe buffer.
• Post strategically when you can. Dedicate a specific day of the week to a specific type of post so your readers know what to expect.
• Don’t forget to have fun. If you’re not enjoying what you’re writing, your audience won’t enjoy reading it.

Posting daily has its downsides from an audience perspective too. Some readers don’t want to look at posts from the same blog on a daily basis. Some feel it’s too repetitive or their feeds are being flooded with too many posts. I’m not sure how many of my Facebook friends and followers have un-followed me because of my daily article shares, but it’s probably a lot.

Honestly? Don’t worry about them. Those who want to read will come, and those who don’t – you don’t want them around anyway. Party poopers.

You do you. If it’s something you want to challenge yourself to do, I SUPPORT YOU! Comment with a link to your blog and I’ll stop by for a visit. I mean it. I’m interested in reading your words. I owe you that.

Love&hugs, Meg<3

Image courtesy of Dafne Cholet/flickr.com.

Meg is the managing editor at College Lifestyles magazine, a guest contributor with Lifehack and a guest blogger for Food & Nutrition Magazine. She is an eight-time NaNoWriMo winner and has also written for Teen Ink and USA TODAY College. Follow Meg on Twitter.