writing Archives - Leaf and Steel

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

About Me

What’s in My Diaper Bag
My Thoughts on…(sleep training/cloth diapering/BLW, etc)
10 Things I Can’t Live Without

Favorite Outdoor Family Activities
Summer Bucket List
10 Things About Me

How I Practice Self Care as a New Mom
My Baby’s Birth Story
The Best Baby Books

My Baby’s Favorite Toys
Baby Clothes We Can’t Live Without
How to Stay Energized as a New Mom

My Postpartum Experience
How My Relationships Changed After Kids
A Letter to My Baby

My Thoughts on Screen Time
Overrated Baby Advice
How to Road Trip with a Baby

What I Wish I Knew Before Having Kids
What’s in My Labor & Delivery Bag
How to Keep Your Marriage Strong After Kids

Day in the Life of a SAHM or Working Mom
10 Baby Items You Didn’t End Up Using
My Top Parenting Hacks

5 Facts About Me
How to Find the Time to Blog
DIY Baby Toys

Apps that Help Me Parent
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!

The Not-Great:

I fell off of the early morning train. Oh, how I’m looking for the willingness to be willing to wake up at 5:30am again. I miss my quiet mornings!
I didn’t write as much as I wanted to. I would love to say that this is a direct result of missing my early morning writing window, but the truth is that I have numerous pockets of free time during the day. Writing consistently was a habit. Like most habits, once I stopped for a week it was difficult to get back into it. Restarting now!

The Good:

I’m continuing my Instagram break. It really does feel pointless once you step away. I check now and again, but I’m not interested in posting anything or seeing what’s going on in the lives of peers I haven’t spoken to in 10 years. Pass.
I read a book. I stuck with my girl Liane Moriarty and read The Husband’s Secret. Highly recommend if you like mysteries stuck in suburbia.
I lost weight. I started using My Fitness Pal and was in shock to see how many calories I needed (like, double the amount my body needs, triple on the weekends). By simply making better choices, my pre-pregnancy pants began to fit!

I went into puppy prep mode. I feel like I’m having a baby! All month I’ve been getting ready for our little guy’s arrival. We have the huge crate, the harness, the Chuck It, etc. Knowing that we’re pretty much going to have another toddler running around here has given me motivation to wrap up some home projects that I may have started when I was pregnant (like, 2 years ago…).

March Hopes

Survival mode. Freezer meals, takeout, paper plates, babysitters, and Netflix. That’s my March plan. House training a puppy is pretty close to breastfeeding. Let me tell you, I am not looking forward to dragging myself out of bed every 3 hours to wander into the depths of my dark backyard with a puppy. At least with the baby, I never had to leave my warm room or put on pants…
Turn the lights off. I want to get into the habit of turning out the light when I leave a room. I also want to be more conscious of how many lights I keep on when I leave the house.

How was your February?

Did you check anything big off your list? Learn anything new?

What are your hopes for March?

Let me know below!