TUT: Reader Overload

TUT

A Google search of ‘Tune Up’ revealed the following definition:
An Adjustment for Better Functioning
A search of ‘Adjustment’ revealed the following:
A Small Change, A Minor Correction, A Modification

What is Tune-Up Tuesday? Find out more HERE!

I enjoy reading blogs, commenting on blogs and corresponding with the readers I have here at Beautiful Calling. Within the blogging community we mommies have such a great support network whether we are out in the workforce or at home. We are able to encourage each other, share recipes, craft ideas and child-rearing advice. We are also able to glean from ‘older’ women who have gone before us. There are lots of product reviews by mommies to help us figure out whether the product would work for us and meet our needs, there are lots of giveaway sites, things to read to entertain us…the possibilities are endless. I am blessed to have many wonderful online friends like Brianna.

But with the vast amount of wonderfully encouraging, challenging, uplifting blogs out there, how do you set limits? How do you decide which to read? How do you pare down?

Until February of 2009, I only read one blog: Biblical Womanhood by Crystal. She no longer blogs there but still writes at Money Saving Mom.  Since February, I have discovered many, many wonderful blogs. This week’s tune-up for me is downsizing my list in reader. This is going to be tough for me but it is a necessity. With the daily tasks in my home, along with the additional income-earning tasks I have taken on, and of course writing here, it just can not all be done (well at least). I read a post the other day on a blog that I do not usually read. I am sorry I can’t remember whose it was but something that stuck with me from it was “Select to Neglect”. (If it was your blog, please send me the link to the post and I will add it here). The point was that we choose what we do each day and we should also make a point to choose what we will not do as well. Though everything in my reader is there for good reason, in this particular season, I need to adjust the time allotment for reading and adjust my list to fit into that time allotment.

Reflection Questions:

  • How often do I read the full post in reader?
  • How often do I click through to leave a comment?
  • Does it help me become a better wife, mother etc? Give me ideas, encourage/motivate me?
  • Does it encourage me in my walk with the Lord?
  • Does it re-enforce values that I believe to be important?
  • Do I read it simply for entertainment?

Perhaps I will share my progress this week but I have some questions for you. Any answers are appreciated.

  • Do you feel you have too many blogs on your reading list?
  • Do you bookmark sites and visit when you can or do you prefer a reader email subscription? Why did you choose that method?
  • How to you decide which blogs to read? What is your biggest deciding factor? How many blogs do you follow?
  • Do you have any Google Reader organizational tips?
  • How long do you spend reading blogs each day?

Do you have a tune-up you are working on or completed? Link up (directly to your post) or share a comment! If you could mention TUT and link back so others can join in too, that would be appreciated!

Tags

Related Posts

7 Comments

  1. I spent the first part of this week "trimming" my reader down. It's much more manageable. I actually have time to READ all of them now.

  3. I am SO with you on this. At first as my blog was growing I felt I had to try and keep up with most who were reading and commenting and linking up. It is out of control now and just keeps growing. I am in the process of emptying out my Feedly Reader (Firefox ad-on I love for blogs). It does help me because I have categorized my blogs there into folders:

    Daily Check-In
    IRL Friends
    Giveaway/Reviews
    Tot School Moms
    Homeschooling Moms
    Baby
    Green/Natural Living
    Cloth Diapering

    And a few more. That way I can decide what I feel like reading, and will just browse through anything that's not in my "Daily Check-In" Folder, which are the blogs I keep up with and read almost daily word for word. The others, I file into a category and then browse through when I feel like it. If it has been awhile, I will often just go and delete them all and start over. 😉

    Thanks for a great post!
    Carisa

  4. Actually, I enjoy having lots of options. I organize my reader though- I have a section at the top of MUST reads and those are the ones I visit daily. Then I have a section of blogs I like to drop in on from time to time. Then I have a "if I have an extra few minutes" section and I just read through the titles and if one looks interesting I click through. I also have a separate section for family and real-life friends' blogs as well… but most of those only post once in awhile! I also email subscribe to my favs.

    I use Google Reader and love it.

    I think the main thing for me was throwing out the I-don't-have-time-to-read-it-all guilt. No one does and that is ok. I certainly don't expect everyone to read every post of mine! When I am overwhelmed I simply "mark all as read" and start fresh.

  5. I keep my reading list small intentionally. I know that if I get involved with too many blogs, it will turn my focus from what is more important. I also know that once I feel "connected" to another blog, it is hard to stop reading so I am careful with what I chose to start reading! That being said, I do keep a small list of blogs (about 9-10) that I read any time there are new updates. I "follow" them through my blogspot account so I am notified when they add more material and I don't feel compelled to constantly check in. I do have a few other blogs that I check in with occasionally, maybe once or twice a week, only if I have time.

  6. Thanks for all the comments. I am going to organize my reader (would you beleive I didn't know you could do that?!?) and start there.

    After writing this, I suddenly wondered if my subscriber list would drop in numbers LOL

    🙂

Comments are closed.