Leaf and Steel

motherhood - growth - living

30 Day Motherhood Blogging Challenge

Today I’m sharing 30 writing prompts for mom blogs! If you’re feeling stuck and in need of inspiration when you sit down to write, make sure you check out the ideas below!

Willpower and Motivation

Have you ever heard the idea that “willpower is a finite resource”? If you haven’t, then listen up. 

You will run out of willpower. 

You will not feel motivated every day. 

You will procrastinate because it feels good in the moment.

If you’ve ever tried to do anything consistently (work out, get up early, WRITE), then you know what I’m talking about.

See this quote from Verywell:

Willpower is a limited resource.The idea behind this theory is that willpower is like a muscle in that it can be both strengthened and fatigued. For example, if you exhaust yourself doing sprints, you will be less able to perform other physical tasks.

Kendra Cherry, Verywell, “What is Ego Depletion?”

Habits

So, it’s not just you.

It can be frustrating to have a goal but be unable to reach it due to a lack of willpower or energy.

The good news is there’s a way to hack it.

The answer lies in habits.

Creating small, daily habits will improve your blog. There’s no doubt that writing every day will add more content to your site. Creating a number of Pins for Pinterest or connecting with a few other bloggers on Instagram will bring in more traffic.

There’s no better way to build up your blog than to practice consistency.

In 2021, I found myself in a place with lots of time to blog and not a lot of direction. In the beginning of the year I was sporadically posting and I didn’t feel like I was getting anything out of it.

How I Get Over Writer’s Block

I created some new habits.

I started getting up early so that I could write, uninterrupted.

I learned how to shut out distractions and how to do writing sprints.

I stopped waiting for inspiration to hit.

I stopped waiting for the motivation to come.

I leaned into my habits and the results that I got were invaluable. Not only did I add dozens of articles to my site, but I got into a writing rhythm. Writing every single day made me a better writer.

I got better at transferring my thoughts and formatting my articles.

Having those habits made me more efficient and creative.

Now, writing and working on my blog is as natural as making my bed or feeding the cat.

Here’s my favorite way to build new habits. The Harvard Business Review refers to it as “Piggybacking on a daily task”.

The benefit of micro habits is that you should be able to perform it with minimal effort every day. It’s important to execute on a new ritual daily so it becomes second nature, and if it’s small enough, you won’t be as tempted to defer your task from one day to the next. However, no matter the size of the task, it’s easy to get distracted, make excuses, or forget. Perform your new action at the same time as (or right before) an action you do without thinking. Need to read a paragraph each night? You can do that while brushing your teeth. Meditating for 30 seconds each day? Check that off your list while waiting for your coffee to brew.

Sabrina Nawaz, Harvard Business Review, “To Achieve Big Goals, Start with Small Habits”

Blogging Challenges

A blogging challenge is an excellent way to create a writing rhythm.

In my experience, writing every day is what works best for me. Whether it’s an hour or just ten minutes, writing everyday enforces that habit.

Blogtober was my first writing challenge. To this day, October 2021 serves as my statistical inspiration for blogging. I added 31 new posts and I saw my traffic almost double. I loved having a challenge to keep me consistent, with a finish line in sight.

5 Blogging Lessons I Learned in 2021

You can choose an online blogging challenge or create your own! I love using prompts when I’m feeling “stuck” or uninspired.

I compiled 30 writing prompts for motherhood/early childhood blogs. If writing a whole post every day is too much right now, try keeping the posts short or spread them out over two months.

Another way to do this challenge is to set a word count objective and to tailor each post to meet that goal.

You can move these around or alter them to fit your blog’s niche.

These prompts are also excellent for Instagram pages, if you aren’t a fan of long form content.

30 Day Motherhood Blogging Challenge

  1. About Me
  2. What’s in My Diaper Bag
  3. My Thoughts on…(sleep training/cloth diapering/BLW, etc)
  4. 10 Things I Can’t Live Without
  5. Favorite Outdoor Family Activities
  6. Summer Bucket List
  7. 10 Things About Me
  8. How I Practice Self Care as a New Mom
  9. My Baby’s Birth Story
  10. The Best Baby Books
  11. My Baby’s Favorite Toys
  12. Baby Clothes We Can’t Live Without
  13. How to Stay Energized as a New Mom
  14. My Postpartum Experience
  15. How My Relationships Changed After Kids
  16. A Letter to My Baby
  17. My Thoughts on Screen Time
  18. Overrated Baby Advice
  19. How to Road Trip with a Baby
  20. What I Wish I Knew Before Having Kids
  21. What’s in My Labor & Delivery Bag
  22. How to Keep Your Marriage Strong After Kids
  23. Day in the Life of a SAHM or Working Mom
  24. 10 Baby Items You Didn’t End Up Using
  25. My Top Parenting Hacks
  26. 5 Facts About Me
  27. How to Find the Time to Blog
  28. DIY Baby Toys
  29. Apps that Help Me Parent
  30. Favorite Baby/Toddler Meals

Have you ever done a blogging challenge? Have you written about any of the topics on this list?

Let me know below!

O.

More from Leaf and Steel:

If you are interested in guest posting on Leaf and Steel, please check out our Guest Post page for guidelines!

How I Get Over Writer’s Block

I haven’t posted consistently in quite a long time.

I have the time.

I have the tools.

I have the ideas.

And I have writer’s block.

My Writer’s Block

When I’m on a roll with creating posts here, working on my WIP, or journaling, I can’t even remember what it feels like to have writer’s block.

These days, it is hard to imagine a time when I was pumping out a blog post every day, or writing 1000+ words on my WIP before I went to bed. I know I’ll get back to that place eventually!.

For right now, I need to use some of my old tricks to keep things moving in my writing life.

Writing has always been an outlet for me. Taking time each day to write makes me happy. Plain and simple. That makes me a better mom, wife, friend and member of society. Waking up early or staying up late to prioritize that half hour/hours to write is very important to me.

Why You Should Try Blogtober

It all started a few weeks ago, when everyone in my house got sick. I was (obviously) prioritizing sleep to recover, grabbing an extra twenty minutes of shut eye anywhere I could. I stopped writing every day.

Another big change was we decided to make a major change in our life (soon to be revealed), so I have spent many of my daughter’s nap times researching that. 

I miss writing! I miss the flow of it. I can’t wait to use some of these tricks to get back into the swing of things.

How to Take Care of Your Baby When You’re Sick

How to Get Over Writer’s Block

Here are the ways I try to get over writer’s block!

Get Inspired

Pinterest is my favorite place to go for inspiration! It’s a great place to find ideas for blog posts and writing topics. I have several boards that I used to save inspiration for my personal life, too.

You can find me on Pinterest here.

Set a Clear Goal

Setting a clear goal can be extremely helpful if you set your own schedule and deadlines. I use Google Calendar to set my writing goals for the month. This helps keep on a posting schedule and gets all of my ideas out of my head and into a condensed, easy-to-access space. 

Break it Down

When you’re struggling with a goal as broad as “work on my novel” or “write a blog post”, it can be beneficial to break that down even further. It’s much more conducive to set small goals like “write 500 words” or “write just one page”. Another great way to do this is writing sprints…

Do a Writing Sprint

A writing sprint is when you set a timer and just pound the keyboard for a set amount of time. 15 minute writing sprints work best for me. There is no editing, no wasting time trying to find the perfect word, no distractions – just writing!

Change the Scenery

Sometimes you just need to change the scenery! Going to the local library or coffee shop can inspire a newfound level of productivity. There’s something about being in a semi-public space that keeps me focused. I guess I don’t want someone to look over at my screen and think “that lady came to the library just to scroll on Zillow”.

Use a Different Tool

I always write on my computer. Actually, I always write in a Google Drive document, Comic Sans font, size 11 pt.

Writing on paper, using talk-to-text in my Notes app, or recording myself gets the creative juices flowing. There’s something magical that happens when I walk around my kitchen, talking into my talk-to-text app. I can speak much faster than I can type, right? 

It allows me to be more fluid with my ideas, and I’m temporarily relieved of the burden of typos and formatting.

Those are the ways I can ease writer’s block!

Do you get writer’s block? Do any of these tips work for you?

Let me know below!

O.

More from Leaf and Steel:

“For Women Who Are ‘Difficult’ to Love”

“you are a horse running alone
and he tries to tame you
compares you to an impossible highway
to a burning house
says you are blinding him
that he could never leave you
forget you
want anything but you
you dizzy him, you are unbearable
every woman before or after you
is doused in your name
you fill his mouth
his teeth ache with memory of taste
his body just a long shadow seeking yours
but you are always too intense
frightening in the way you want him
unashamed and sacrificial
he tells you that no man can live up to the one who
lives in your head
and you tried to change didn’t you?
closed your mouth more
tried to be softer
prettier
less volatile, less awake
but even when sleeping you could feel
him traveling away from you in his dreams
so what did you want to do love
split his head open?
you can’t make homes out of human beings
someone should have already told you that
and if he wants to leave
then let him leave
you are terrifying
and strange and beautiful
something not everyone knows how to love.”
-Warsan Shire