I am going to be upfront and say that this post, The Best Blogging Apps and Tips for becoming a Productive Blogger in 2019 is for fellow bloggers or those interested in seeing how we all work behind the scenes! 

Being organised is not my forte. I am a career procrastinator. If it can be put off until another day, I will put it off. A real last-minute Lucy, I applied this to every part of my life. Needless to say, I was a mess. Me personally, my life, my house, my parenting everything!

For 2019 (and yes I am aware we are now entering Feb) I aimed to be more productive with the blog and in my life in general. Not a big one you may think, but for someone who works the best with a deadline and has become accustomed to living in a mess physically and metaphorically, this was a big task. Mostly though, I really needed to start putting some effort into the blog and writing posts other than reviews or on topics I had been paid to write.

But where do I start looking for the best blogging apps and where was the best place to put this into action. Truthfully, I started by giving my home a good 4-hour sort out and going for a walk one Sunday in early January. By getting that part of my life organised, I could start to organise my work and blog schedule. But how was I going to be able to do this?

How I am Organising My Blog Schedule.

This is what I plan to do to make sure I was a more productive blogger in 2019!

• Plan my diary and working days as far ahead as possible.
• Enter reviews and sponsored posts into set/agreed days
• Separate my days, so I work on different things on set days, e.g. Tuesdays, for scheduling VA work.
• Have a set working space and keep it clear.
• Set ‘working hours’ to separate home and work when working from my desk.
• Make a list of all the tasks I need to complete when writing blog posts.
• Source the best blogging apps to help make blogging easier, for example, webtexttool for SEO which I now swear by!

But this isn’t enough; I need some more tips to help me out. I thought I would ask some of my fellow bloggers for their top tips, tricks and best blogging apps.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BsFpgJ8FpTR/

The Best Blogging Apps and Tips for becoming a Productive Blogger in 2019.

• I try and turn off all email and social media notifications as it’s too big a distraction, especially when I’m in the flow of writing. It’s simply too much of a draw and so better to not have it on. Focus on one task at a time. Scandi Mummy
• I write a new to-do list each evening for the next day. I make sure it’s achievable, so I don’t feel overwhelmed or like I’ll never get it finished. If I do get it all finished, I have a list of other things that could do with being done but not urgent. Me Him the Dog and A Baby
• Batch same tasks. Dedicate a day for photography (take a change of clothes if you like), writing a few blog posts or work on making pins for Pinterest. You’ll be more motivated as you will be in the right mindset for what you’re doing and also be much more focused rather than going from task to task, from app to app. Cosmo Mum
• When I have an idea for a post, I create a new post on my blog and type the title and hit save draft. I find I am more likely to follow through on those ideas if they already kind of exist! Mummy and Moose
• I use Keysearch for every post I write. It is a brilliant resource for learning what people are searching for at search engines. It pays to google about offers first as I got a discount code when I signed up. It’s also great for spying on your competition. I also love my monthless diary as it has plenty of space to write things down and I can miss out weeks if needs be without wasting paper Our Bucket List Lives.
• Go out to work in a coffee shop or library, so you are not distracted by things in the house like tv, housework etc. Anklebiter’s Adventures.
• How to be less busy, which totally leads to more productivity by cutting the stuff you don’t need to do A Beautiful Space.
• Scheduling is my new friend. I still post naturally when I need to and engage in real-time, but the blog promo stuff is scheduled and not taking up space in my mind. Married Meeples
• I have set hours for blogging whilst the kids are at school and then a few evenings a week. Having dedicated time to blog definitely helps me to focus on the task at hand. Here are some more tips too: Lylia Rose
• I write an immediate to-do list for that day and then a broader one of the things that I need to do for the blog but aren’t urgent. Then I work through my day’s to-do list, and if I have time left, I will tackle one or two things from my bigger list. If This Then That has been a beneficial website for setting up automatic sharing between my social media accounts. Pink Pear Bear
• I use Momentum Planner sheets which help me block the month, week and day into manageable chunks then help me keep on track of my time. You can download free each month or purchase the full year for about £10. All About A Mummy
• I listen to https://brain.fm/app when I really need to knuckle down and focus. I don’t know if it’s the placebo effect, but it really seems to help me concentrate. Yorkshire Tots
• It may sound simple, but I use the Notes on my iPhone for loads of blogging tasks. If a post idea strikes, then I quickly draft it out on my phone before I forget. I can then copy and paste the next time I’m at my computer. I also write to-do lists and lists of hashtags for IG for, in notes, I like having everything in one place rather than spread over lots of different apps. – Naptime Natter
• I write a to-do list for work and blog work at the start of each day/week. I used to do it online but found this brilliant pad in TK Maxx, which is so much better. So simple but has really helped me be more accountable. Also going for more walks as can think clearer when I’m outside. Edinburgh Mummy
•  I’ve realised that I’m notably more productive when I take breaks. I’ve set my Fitbit to tell me when I haven’t done more than 250 steps in an hour, and every time the buzzer goes off on my watch, I get up and do something. That might mean hanging out the washing, making a cup of tea or walking the dog around the blog. But whatever I do, I get back to my desk with a fresh perspective, ready to work rather than procrastinate. Plutonium Sox
• I do all my keyword research for the month in bulk so I have all the keywords I want to get written in one places and then can concentrate on writing Wandermust Family.
• I use tube buddy for my vlog, and I also listen to podcasts when I’m out running, which helps to focus me. I only ever run from meeting to meeting or after the school run, so this keeps me fit and saves me time. Yorkshire Families
• I set my timer on Alexa and give myself a 40-minute slot to get a job done then I have a little break and then set it again for the next job. It keeps me on my toes and focused Baby Budgeting.
•  To-do lists. Daily! I also find this tool super handy when it comes to writing engaging headlines, for the blog and Pinterest https://coschedule.com/headline-analyzer Me and B Make Tea.

Do you have any suggestions for the best blogging apps and tips for being a productive blogger? I would love to hear them.