As a business owner, you have a lot going on. It’s pretty easy for things to slide onto the back burner. Many of my clients have admitted that, most frequently, the aspect of their business that falls to the wayside is their blog.

I get it. Keeping a blog timely, relevant, and up-to-date can be a struggle. Figuring out content, keeping on top of creation, and knowing when to post are things that even seasoned business owners can find challenging.

Make it easier on yourself!

By following this 4-step process, you’ll have a much easier time sticking to a consistent, well-organized publishing schedule. (And as a special bonus for reading the list, I’ll share with you one of my favorite workflow management tools!)

Brainstorm.

If you have to go through the process of coming up with a topic each time you sit down to write a post, it can be all too easy to procrastinate or give up entirely. Instead, set aside an hour or so to come up with a list of relevant topics, then add to that list whenever you get inspired. Then, when you’re ready to write, you’ll already have a collection of topics to choose from.

Create a calendar.

The best way to keep yourself on schedule is to create a clear calendar outlining when you plan to publish. Posting at least once a week is a good pace to aim for. Decide which day you plan to post and mark it on your calendar. If there are specific, time-sensitive posts that you plan to publish (such as holiday or seasonal posts, or special offers), you can schedule them in advance during this step.

Plan out your writing process.

For this step to work, you need to be honest about your writing process. How long does it take you to write a post? Can you write multiple posts in one day? Are you able to write and edit on the same day, or do you need to sleep on it? How long does it usually take you to research? Do you need to write an outline first, or are you able to write easily start to finish without much prep? Write down each step that you need to take in order to complete one blog post, and approximately how long each step takes you. There is no wrong answer here and no one is judging!

Schedule each step.

This is the step where the magic happens. Once you’ve figured out the different steps that you need to take to write a blog post and how long each step takes, mark each step on the calendar. If you plan to publish on a Wednesday, you may need to start your research on Sunday or Monday in order to fit all of your steps in. This schedule is unique to you, and it can even be adjusted over time as you get more accustomed to the writing process.

Having your schedule clearly laid out is a great way to keep on top of publishing. If you need some extra help with organization, I recommend trying the Trello app. I find it to be a very helpful way of managing workflow and seeing the state of projects at-a-glance. As a bonus, it integrates well with Google.