Scheduling Sucks (Why I Hate It)


If you're like me and are addicted to how-to posts (there's just so many!) then you know that a common phrase worshiped among book bloggers is, "Have a schedule and post often." Now that may not be exactly how it goes, but I don't care enough to go look it up. It captures the essence of what I'm talking about.

That statement stated (lol) above is bullshit, and here's why. 

I'm a Rebel.

I've always been different. It's one of the many qualities that I am proud of. I always strive to go against the crowd because being normal is boring. I'm spontaneous and adventurous, and, one of my best qualities by far, rebellious. I never like to go with the crowd. I'm a dreamer and aspire to do so many things. Having a set schedule just doesn't work for my personality. 

See, I don't like being told what to do. I try to respect teachers (with the whole in charge of my grades and such), but you can ask my parents. Eventually, I'm bound to do the opposite of what I'm told. I don't know why; I've always been that way. 

When I have a set post schedule (which I tried in the month of November), I don't stick to it. With schedules, I feel as if I'm forced to do something or worse, being told to do something. I abandoned my schedule fairly quickly. I try to do all of this stuff that people say will make your blog the bomb-diggety yet it almost always clashes with my personality. 

Now don't mix up scheduling with planning. 

Scheduling is not the same thing as planning. It's really not in the same area, and I hate that they are so often confused and mixed. Scheduling is having certain blocks of time for a feature or post that you have to create on your own. It is starting from scratch. Planning is working with someone else to make a post that can be normally already written. You plan what you are going to do and then do it. 

That's how I see scheduling and planning. I get that it may be confusing, so here's an example. 

My nifty little blogging planner on the computer. I have another for paper.
Above is the online planner I use for blogging. I use this to plan when I have posts. I have a review planned for the 15th, which is already done. I have a Blitz ready to post on the 15th and another on the 16th. (Actually, I haven't scheduled those yet. Oops!) Everything that I am planning for is already done or has very little tweaks that need to be made. I'm not forcing myself to write these posts; they are already done. 

I support planning 110%. (That's so cheesy but accurate.)

Why?

Whenever I have a schedule, I feel as if I'm forcing myself to do something. I'm not getting my full worth by writing a scheduled post. It's going to be sucky because I'm just not that into it. 

You're not putting your best out there when you schedule. 

You aren't giving yourself room to be spontaneous which can sometimes be essential to a blog. See, I'm not forcing myself to write this post. I'm writing this post because I got the idea off the top of my head, and it's actually coming out pretty quickly. I'm not lollygagging because I actually want to write about this topic. 

This is what non-planning gives you. It lets your mind wander and think about stuff that wouldn't normally come to you on a scheduled post. 

Also, it's great for blog ratings. My readers never know when I'm going to make a new post. (Unless they subscribe to my RSS feed.) (Even then, you only get it on three days.) It keeps people guessing and checking back to see if I've written about something new. 

I cannot stick myself to a schedule, not even with weekly features. I've tried and failed multiple times. I don't like feeling as if I have to do something. I'll do it if I want to do it. 

What are your thoughts on scheduling? What are your definitions of scheduling and planning? Let me know in the comments!