I know what you’re thinking: “A post titled ‘What Winston Churchill can teach us about blogging’ sounds much too hip and trendy to be of any real, tangible value to us bloggers.”
That is where you would be wrong, my friend.
Winston Churchill’s story has practical insight for bloggers (or anyone else) looking to develop a daily schedule that works for them.
Breakfast in bed? Yes please
To say Churchill took it easy during the mornings would be quite an understatement.
Beginning between 7:30 and 8:00 in the morning, Churchill would eat breakfast, answer letters people had sent him, dictate to his secretaries, and sometimes have meetings.
All this while he was still in bed.
After he got out of bed, Churchill went about this day. But that didn’t mean he was finished with his dear bed. No siree, Bob.
In the afternoon, Churchill would take a two-hour nap. Then he would get up and get back to work.
Did he have a Tempur-pedic bed or something?
A night owl, Churchill believed this schedule allowed him to get twice as much work done each day.
Given all he was able to accomplish while working into his 80s, it’s hard to argue with him.
“Wonderful, Kevin. But what does a man who liked to sleep a lot have to do with blogging? How can his story help me?”
Glad you asked.
Blogging inspiration and motivation
Here is what we bloggers can learn from Winston Churchill:
1. Find a schedule that works for you.
Churchill was a night owl.
He scheduled his entire day around the knowledge he worked best during the evening.
So, he slept in. He took naps. He took relaxing baths.
Churchill accomplished so much, in part, because he worked when he was at his best.
You? You might be a morning person. You might be at your very best early in the morning, before many have had their first cup of coffee.
If so, that is a wonderful time to write.
Or, maybe you are like Churchill. Maybe you are at your peak during the evening. If that’s the case, blogging earlier in the day — when you aren’t at your best — is counterproductive.
Knowing when you’re at your best, and scheduling your writing accordingly, is a wonderful lesson for all bloggers.
2. It’s okay to be unconventional.
Churchill’s habit of conducting business in bed must have seemed weird to many.
His daily, two-hour naps probably seemed odd, too.
“What do you mean he is taking a nap? He didn’t get out of bed until lunch time!”
It worked for Churchill.
And being unconventional could also work for you and your blog.
Maybe everyone you know only promotes their content on Twitter and Facebook. You could try concentrating on Pinterest.
Maybe other blogs in your niche write short posts that are less than 500 words. You could write longer posts that dive more deeply into the topic.
Maybe your blog’s primary color could be purple, orange or some other infrequently used (but still user friendly) color.
Churchill made unconventional work for him.
Maybe you can make unconventional work for you, too.
3. You work better when you’re rested.
On his blog, author Michael Hyatt recently wrote about how people are more productive when they sleep more.
In his closing, Hyatt wrote:
“Instead of thinking of sleep as self-indulgence, we need to think of it as self-improvement.”
Churchill definitely viewed sleep as self-improvement.
Why?
Because he knew you’re more lucid when you are well rested.
Ideas come to you easier when you are well rested.
You are a better version of you when you are well rested.
Churchill’s daily routine ensured he was the better version of himself when he rolled up his sleeves and got down to business.
Want to be a better blogger? Be like Winston Churchill and make sure you’re getting enough sleep.
What do you think? Can Winston Churchill’s routine help you with your blog?
Flickr Creative Commons Images via OliBac (adapted) and Seth Anderson.
