Love, Em

AD - This post has been sponsored by my monthly advertisers!

As we come to the end of February, it's time to say hello to March's advertisers! February has been a strange month. I have seen snow, beautiful sun and some positive life changes. I've been working hard to update my blog and my life. This month, I have kept it small, and there are only two lovely bloggers to meet. I have decided to also halt advertising packages while I update them and improve my blog. There is more about that below. Let's get to this month's advertisers!

Star Advertiser | Jodie Paterson

Jodie is one of my favourite bloggers, and I have been enjoying her posts for a while now. Based in Edinburgh, this bubbly blogger covers lots of interesting topics. My favourite thing about Jodie's blog is the honesty and range within her posts. You will never get bored while exploring this blog! There are posts covering careers, mental health and relationships, many of which are bookmarked to help me through those tough times. I really enjoy Jodie's style of writing, one of the reasons why I'm so excited for her to be this month's star advertiser! If there is any blogger you should follow this month, make sure it's Jodie Paterson! Here are some top posts that you should add to your reading list!

Pixie Dust Words

Pixie Dust Words is a blogger that has only recently come onto my radar. Blogging since 1999, Hazel talks about Disney, food and lifestyle, amongst other things. Pixie Dust Words is a pretty and happy blog to indulge in. I think it's really sweet, and I am happy to have found such a positive place. Here are some blog posts you should check out!#

A Change In Advertising Plans

I have decided to stop advertising slots for a little while. I want to focus my time on personal and blog progression. There are a lot of changes I want to make to my blog. I am on a personal growth journey where I am finding my happiness. Lately, there have been a few things that have changed in my life. Blogging has had to take a step back while I find my feet and grow. I love blogging but haven't had a chance to put in the time I need. I am not stopping my blog. I will continue to write weekly posts and promote my content as usual, but without advertising slots.

I've stopped advertising slots as I wanted to make sure I could put my full time and effort into promoting bloggers. It would be unfair to pay for something and not get your money's worth. I have always fulfilled my packages, but I want to make them a little better. I want to be able to help increase domain authority and traffic by offering valuable packages. Currently, I am putting in effort for those who have their slots booked. But, I want to be able to give more, which I can't right now. I have exciting plans and announcements coming up, so I can't focus on everything.

If you wanted to book a slot for advertising, keep your eyes peeled. I will be bringing them back in the future. Every blogger and business has to update old things and make them better. My packages are something I really want to make special as I know how important they can be for some bloggers. I will be updating the advertising page with updates and what the new packages will include!

Well, those are my advertisers for this month! There may only be two, but you should definite spend some time reading their posts. Their content is worth the time, and you may find a new blogger to enjoy! Your support would mean so much to these content creators, even if you were to say hi! Thank you to everyone who has supported my advertising packages in the past, and hopefully you'll be seeing them soon!

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We must learn to switch off after work despite how passionate we may be about our jobs to protect our health and wellbeing as much as possible. Everyone has stressful elements to their jobs. Many people take those stresses and work home with them, now more than ever with homeworking. It can lead to a night of unpaid work filled with discredit. Here's why you should switch off after work and how you can separate your home life from work.

You Can Harm Your Mental Health

Mental health and the inability to switch off after work often go hand in hand. When we are stressed, we find ourselves thinking more and more about the thing that makes us stressed. If you don't develop a healthy balance between work and home life, you're going to hate what you do.

In one school I worked at, we had such a heavy workload that I would spend hours in the evenings and over weekends trying to chip away at my to-do list. After a few months of this, I began to develop work-related anxiety. This is in no way healthy. I found the moment I left that job and subsequently learnt to manage my workload a little better. I no longer felt such intense negative emotions. I'm not suggesting that switching off after work eradicates any mental health issues. However, putting your work in a box for the weekend can help you to ease the anxieties.

Related: How To Improve Your Wellbeing During Lockdown

It Can Affect Your Physical Health

Your mental health can impact your physical health too. Stress is known to cause many physical problems, including digestion issues, sexual issues, and pain. These symptoms don't include the general fatigue that overworking can cause. Your mental health is important, but so is your physical health. Overworking yourself can also lead to illness.

You might have heard the phrase burnout, where your body feels like it’s simply shutting down. People often experience this when they are overloaded with work or take on too many tasks. When people continue to work for long periods, they can be at risk of exhaustion, increased heart rate, over or under eating, and consuming excess alcohol. This exhaustion can also mean having to take time off work, affecting income and mental health further.

Related: Signs That Say You Should Try Yoga

Your Relationships May Change

Making the decision to switch off after work could do wonders for our relationships. There’s nothing worse than meeting up with friends or family, and all the other person does is talk shop. Keep work talk short and sweet to avoid it droning on. Nobody wants to hear a 3-hour rant about work. Working all hours of the day puts your social life at risk.

Keeping work at work means you spend more quality time with the people you care about. It could be friends, family, or even your children, improving your relationships with each of them. You can focus on them and their lives, without the dark cloud of work lingering over you.

Ways to switch off after work

Work impacts a lot of areas of life. Work takes up most of our day, so winding down afterwards can be difficult when you're struggling for ideas. There are so many ways to practise self-care and relax after a stressful day at work. Here are some ideas that you could try:

DIY Home Spa

After a stressful week, you could create a little DIY spa night. Start off with a foot bath using essential oils, or even apple cider vinegar. This helps to calm down any swelling in your feet. Then, run a bath with your favourite bubble bath, bath bomb, or oils, light a couple of candles, and switch on a podcast or playlist. You might even treat yourself to a glass of wine or fancy hot chocolate.
A DIY spa can be really easy to do, and affordable too. Most of the things you need are already around your home, so you don't have to go out after work to pick up bits. If you're wanting to try an at-home spa, here are some of my favourite things to do:

Watch your favourite film or tv series

Enjoy a meal and treat yourself to something different

Indulge in your favourite snacks and treats

Take a warm shower or bath

Treat yourself to some new beauty products or clothes

Moisturise your skin and take care of the things you sometimes neglect

Brush your hair and pin it up

Paint your nails with pretty designs

Try A New Hobby

Hobbies are easy to pick up and gives your mind time to relax while doing something you love. Perhaps, you want to start a hobby that would support your career, like learning sign language. Maybe painting or crafts is something on your list of activities to try. Hobbies give you mental stimulation without the looming shadow of it being work. Many activities release positive hormones, like endorphins which keep you happy. Some people feel that hobbies are a distraction, but they are also beneficial to your mental health. Here are some benefits of hobbies:

Hobbies give you time to relax and destress

Hobbies allow you to learn new skills and try different experiences

Some will give you a new source of income

You have the opportunity to meet some new people

They can help you to improve your confidence

Hobbies allow you to express your feelings and creativity

It's proven to help boost your memory

Keep work at work

The easiest way to switch off after work is by making sure you keep work at work. Turn off your work phone out of hours, uninstall your work email app from your phone, stay later in your workplace rather than lugging documents home to look at. Keep your working environment away from your home and comfort areas. With the lockdown, many people are working from home. I worked in my bedroom for a while, but this ended up affecting my mental health.

Keeping one area as a designated workspace allows you to maintain your home being a home, a place of love, comfort, and relaxation. You would advise your children or siblings against doing homework on their bed, so take your own advice! It's better to set up a small desk in the kitchen or create a home office than to taint an area of the house you associate with relaxation. For example, bedrooms and living rooms are places of comfort and enjoyment. Why would you work there?

The pandemic has made it increasingly hard to switch off after work. While we may want to finish that task or impress our boss, it's not worth impacting your mental health over. Winding down after work is beneficial to improving your mental health. There are so many other ways to improve your mental health. If you're looking for more ideas, here are over 50 ways to practise self-care! What are your favourite hobbies and relaxation activities? I'd love to hear what you do to switch off after work and how it helps you thrive!

About The Guest Writer:

Georgia, who runs the travel and lifestyle blog BritVoyage, is a full-time English teacher, and part-time blogger. She spends most of her time exploring the UK with her family and navigating life as a busy millennial woman. As a city girl by birth, her favourite places to visit are in the countryside, and she would do anything for a good cream tea.

Twitter: www.twitter.com/britvoyage
Instagram: www.instagram.com/britvoyage
Homepage: www.britvoyage.com

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Not everyone likes school, but it can be hard to find a job without some qualifications. Apprenticeships are brilliant routes for those looking to earn money and get a degree level qualification. From the 8th to 12th February is National Apprenticeship Week. You may be struggling to decide what you want to do after GCSEs or Sixth Form, so I'm here to show you an alternative route. In school, I found that apprenticeships weren't supported or spoken about a lot. Here are some things you should know about apprenticeships!

A Little Bit About Me

You may be wondering why I speak a lot about apprenticeships. Well, I am currently six months into an accounting apprenticeship, one of the best decisions I've ever made. I left sixth form and went straight into my job. I didn't even consider going to university. During my education, I struggled with an eating disorder, and I hated school. There are a lot of bad memories that I associate with school. I also didn't want to give up another four years of my life for a qualification that could I achieve while earning money. Obviously, not all jobs can be done through an apprenticeship, but you'd be surprised what you can do!

My boyfriend didn't even go to sixth form. He passed GCSEs and went into an accounting apprenticeship. He is now three years into a qualification, ahead of those going to university. I have nothing against going to university, but it definitely wasn't the route for me. University is the most common route, but know there are other options out there!

Related: How to manage a blog with a full-time job

What Is An Apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship is a job which usually comes with a qualification at the end of it. It is where you'll work as any adult would, but you also partake in studying and off the job training. It is like mixing university with a job but taking the good aspects from both. You make friends and get a qualification like at university, but you also make money.

There are different levels of apprenticeship, meaning you can get one at any age. I didn't realise there were different levels when I first started applying. You must sign up for the right one, so you don't fall behind where you thought you were!

Intermediate or Level 2 - Equivalent to GCSE

Advanced or Level 3 - Equivalent to A-Level

Higher or Level 4 & 5 - Equivalent to a foundation degree or higher

Degree or Level 6 & 7 - Equivalent to a bachelors or masters degree

Don't worry if you're doing a level three qualification after A-levels. It may seem like you're going back on yourself, but you need to look at the bigger picture. I am a doing a level 3 accounting apprenticeship, so I have the knowledge and experience for the higher exam. It's worth talking to the apprenticeship organiser or someone in your field to advice on the best level to start at. Personally, starting at level 3 for accounting is a great start.

Apprenticeships vary in length too. My qualification lasts around 3-4 years, but some will only last a year. Make sure you look into how long your apprenticeship lasts and if you're guaranteed a job afterwards. Some firms will automatically give you a place after your exams, so you're guaranteed a job and a qualification! Don't think that all apprenticeships are hands-on. While plumbing and engineering are the most stereotypical types, you can get an apprenticeship in most things. From marketing to design, catering to nursing, there is a role for everyone!

Why Should You Take An Apprenticeship

I was scared to take the leap and quit school forever. My sixth form gave little help for finding an apprenticeship and what it entails. I had to do a lot of research for myself. Here are some of the benefits of taking an apprenticeship, rather than going to higher education!

There is no debt at the end of it - all of your exams are paid for, and you don't have tuition to consider

You get paid to learn - most apprenticeships have a starting wage of £17,800 a year which is nearly the amount of debt you'd be in after studying at university.

You'll gain vital work experience - it's good to have qualifications, but future employers will highly regard any experience you have.

Many places will give you internal training, so you'll gain other CV worthy skills along the way.

You will gain a recognised qualification.

You'll may find yourself ahead - Many apprentices will finish their qualification at the same time as friends at university. The difference is you'll have a job as well as a degree.

Study & work stays in work time - I don't get homework or have to work late, so all of my free time is for me!

You will still get your student discounts - I still have student Amazon prime and an NUS card, so don't worry about not getting money off!

Related: How to improve your productivity with a busy schedule

Where You Can Find Apprenticeships

At first, I found it hard to find an apprenticeship. I didn't know where to look, as it's not like picking a university. You'd be surprised how many firms are looking for apprentices! Here's where I found most of my apprenticeship opportunities:

The careers fair - Yes, don't feel ashamed of attending the fair at your school! While most of them were looking for typical workers, it gave me an idea of what I wanted to do.

Get my first job - Get my first job is a lovely little website which shows a wide range of apprenticeships and trainee positions in your area. It's worth signing up for notifications too!

On company websites - If you have a firm in mind, look at their careers page. Some offer apprenticeships that aren't advertised on third party sites.

UCAS or the Gov website - Both UCAS and the Government's apprenticeship website have jobs listed for apprentices. UCAS isn't just for university students!

You have to be patient, especially with the pandemic. I was surprised that so many places were still hiring. Have a look around, and don't be afraid to look on Indeed for jobs too. I found myself typing in Apprenticeships near me a lot, and that's where I found my current job!

Related: How to survive your early morning classes

Things You Should Consider

You need to be disciplined - Apprenticeships are nothing like school education. You have your lessons and teacher support if you need it, but most of the study is self-guided. This means you need to be self-disciplined as while the teachers are there, they actually won't force you to do homework or other set tasks.

You typically book your own exams - I thought there were set days for exams. If you sit one course, you need to book your exam. This is great as you can choose how long you revise for before your exam! I wouldn't leave it too long after your last course date as you may be starting your next course before you sit your exam.

20% Of your work hours should be off the job training - I didn't know what this meant at first. You'll need to keep a timesheet of all the training you do during your work hours. Off the job training could be learning how to use a new program or study day, but must be within your working day. Make sure you track your learning from day one to avoid missing time!

Your apprenticeship may not guarantee you a job - I've been offered a job at the end of my study. Make sure you read your contract beforehand, so you know if you'll be getting a job. It's not the end of the world if your apprenticeship doesn't include employment, but it's nice to know as you need to start looking elsewhere!

You may be liable to pay back fees - You need to read your contract carefully. Some companies will require you to pay back your exam and education fees if you leave halfway through your apprenticeship. Understandably, they don't want to be paying for your exams if you're just going to leave. Some places may also require you to stay for a year after your last exam to make their investment in you worthwhile. Consider these before you jump into a job!

My apprenticeship has turned my life around. I hated school but have found a new passion for education, which is a great feeling. It's allowed me to save enough already, and I will be moving out with my boyfriend soon! I also can afford nice things which not all of my university friends can. While I am not against going to university, I think it's nice for people to know there is another route. Don't feel forced down the university route when you could be hands-on in a job you love! If you have any questions about apprenticeships, I'm happy to answer them! I'd love to hear your thoughts on apprenticeships in the comments!

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Are you planning on turning your blog into a business right from the very beginning? Or do you want to start a blog but monetise it later on? It is possible to do both with a little dedication. Starting a blog and growing your traffic requires a lot of trial and error. For example, not adding paragraphs to your blog post or finding the right voice for your blog. To save you the trouble, here are some of the most common mistakes beginner bloggers, and how you can avoid them!

Thinking It's A Quick Way To Make Money

You probably have seen these types of blog posts where they say you can make money quickly from the comfort of your home. Unless they show proof that their methods work for beginners, they are just trying to hook you in to earn themselves money. It takes a long time to make money from blogging unless you know where to start. I started making money in the first month of blogging, but I have lots of blogging experience. I have been blogging for over 4 years, so I knew where to start. The money I made is not enough to make blogging a full-time job, but a little hustle on the side.

With ads, you only earn a few pennies depending on your page views as a beginner. This is the case with Google AdSense. You can make a reasonable amount with affiliate marketing no matter your following and based on how you market those links. But as a beginner, getting affiliate links and promoting to an audience who trust you is hard. Sponsored posts are usually for those who have a high following as they're paid, so the brand wants more reach.

Related: How To Monetise Your Blog

You're Writing Every Niche Possible

Think about it if you want to grow your blog who do you want your readers to be? As a new blogger, you may want to consider who your audience is when writing about a topic. For example, will your recipe blog feature kid-friendly recipes for families, or budget meals for university students? Picking niches that fit together well can help you pick up collaborations because you've defined your blog.
I recently narrowed down on my niche as I wrote about too many topics, and I couldn't find my voice. I have found it easier to come up with blog post ideas and get collaborations for my blog. If you're writing about EVERYTHING, to could also be hard to have a dedicated following. Some people will be there for one niche, and others for another. It means you'll need to post regularly in all your topics to keep everyone happy. Your posts may not relate, so readers will leave your site after reading the post they came for.

You Don't Proofread Your Content

I made the mistake of not proofreading my earlier blog posts, and it was a big task to go back and edit everything. If you have grammatical or spelling errors in your work, it doesn't look professional to readers and brands. There are lots of ways to avoid making this mistake. There's no excuse to be having errors in your work!

Firstly, you can use a free tool called Grammarly that helps you fix your grammar and punctuation as you write. I write all of my blog posts in Grammarly and make changes as I go along. Grammarly is both an app and a Chrome extension. Once you've written your post, try and get rid of all the additional writing issues. I don't use the premium version, but you can quickly pick up where to make some changes. There is usually a little yellow line underneath premium errors, so I go through and change them as I go!

It's best to proofread out loud rather than inside your mind as I found I would miss out on A LOT of errors when I read in my head. You should do this at least once to make sure you have caught all of the issues. Sometimes, Grammarly will miss a spelling mistake because the word is spelt correctly, but you've used the wrong word. For example, if I wrote I load this gifted item, it wouldn't come up as an error. Load is spelt correctly, but I meant to write love. Make sure you check spellings, even if you have written a word correctly! Another tip is to proofread the next day so that you have a refreshed mind. If you keep reading the same text, you may miss critical errors! If you aren't a fan of reading, you could also use text to speech and listen to your work.

You Don't Split Your Post Into Paragraphs

Nobody enjoys reading large blocks of text without defined headings. This could lead to a high bounce rate, which isn't ideal, but it depends on your blog post or page. A bounce rate is how long a visitor clicks on your site, stays, interacts or leaves. Overall having a high bounce rate isn't something to aim for. So what are some helpful ways to lower your bounce rates?

Use headings in your posts. They also are a great SEO technique for ranking on Google if you add the right keywords. Heading 1 is typically the title of your blog post. I sometimes use H1 when I want to add the title with keywords to the main article. Heading 2 is the main headings on the paragraph topic to use in your post when you're writing a list. Heading 3 is typically the subheading whenever I go more in-depth on the topic (list type content).

My bounce rate has lowed ever since I added content tables. This is your headings put together for context before the actual content. It allows them to have the choice to find what they need when they click the heading link. I use the WordPress plugin (and it's free) "Easy Table of Contents" for creating my tables.

Separate your paragraphs into 3-4 sentences. If you check out Neil Patel's site (or an example of one of his posts), you can tell that his bounce rate is low due to his paragraph spacing along with him getting straight to the point.

Make your paragraphs easy to read. Getting straight to the point is what readers are looking for.

Add in photos or your opt-in page in the middle of each space. Adding pictures with alt-meta descriptions can help readers stay on your page as they don't have to just read the text.

You Don't Have The Topic Knowledge

Knowing about your niche is really important when writing blog posts. I talk a lot about sustainability or business. I put a lot of research into every blog, and cite statistics I use. One mistake that new bloggers make is not researching the topic enough, or not writing enough about it (under 800 words). An SEO technic to rank on Google search engines is to provide external links from resourceful and accredited sites. It can also help to boost your DA score. Google is more likely to move you to the top ranking page based on how knowledgeable you are about the topic and how helpful your post is to readers.

My advice is to be informative but also get straight to the point. When you're writing up your blog post, try and be in the position of a reader. Ask yourself if you've answered the question and backed up your points. People recommend 1000 and more words. My top most viewed posts on my site are usually 1500-2500 words. Keep in mind when writing up your next blog post is to not think about the word count. Sometimes you don't even realise you've written over 1500 words because you're so into writing and putting as much information into your post.

You Lack Individuality & Personality

You need to add a bit of personality to your writing as there are so many bloggers out there. You need to find your voice. Advice is to try to write the way you speak. If you need help, ask family or friends about what they think of you personality-wise. I was told that I had a humorous and sarcastic personality, so I try to add those little bits to my writing. It's also not a good idea to copy the style of other bloggers. People will realise and stop following your content.

Nowadays, people are more likely to trust and purchase from you based on how relatable you are with them. Don't be afraid to show behind the scenes of your blog. Blog posts about your struggles and how you overcame them are appreciated, as readers can connect with you. When I first started my blog, I was scared and afraid of being judged. When creating a blog, add your own personality to it because you'll find readers who will enjoy your post. You want people to like your blog for the real writer behind it!

You Blog For A Week & Disappear

It's understandable when you blog for a while, and you need to take a break for a while. If you're a new blogger, what is the point of starting a blog if you're just going to post one or two articles and leave your site? If you want to be a blogger, it takes a lot of time and dedication to grow. Rome wasn't built in a day. If you don't like it, that's fine. If you expected to be rich and famous overnight, maybe blogging wasn't for you either. It isn't a get rich quick scheme. Don't feel disheartened if you aren't getting followers instantly.

Your blog won't grow if you just stop posting all of a sudden. It also won't get better if you only have one blog post. You can grab great backlinks and grow your DA organically if you continue posting quality content. DA is a search engine ranking developed by Moz which shows a score. The higher your score is, the more likely your blog will be higher on Google search engine pages.

Try to post 1-3 blog posts a week. I typically do 1 post a week, but if I have a lot of time or a guest writer on my site, I post two blog posts. Posting too much can make you burned out, but posting less can turn your site into a deserted island. You should also be regularly updating your old content. Don't forget the posts from when you started! Refreshing them and giving them life can boost your traffic.

Your Blog Is Unappealing & Hard To Navigate

You need to have good content, but your website design is another huge factor! Your website design is the first impression your visitors comes too. A mistake that new bloggers make poor blog design, which leads to slow loading speeds. Unless the content is ground-breaking, people are more likely to click out and onto another website based on a few factors:

Too many pop-ups. You can do a pop-up for your opt-in page but leave it for a certain amount of period. For example, you can add the pop-up when your visitor scrolls through half of the page.

Ads scattered everywhere. Having ads block the ACTUAL post or click-baiting it in the first paragraph is a turn-off. Try to put at least a few ads separated throughout the text or in your sidebar.

Your page looks outdated. People are likely to bounce out and look for a site with a modern website theme. The first looks are everything. If your page looks old, I'm going to assume your content is outdated too.

It's not responsive. My top visitors use mobile rather than desktop or tablet. You can check how people are getting to your site by using Google Analytics. It's best to find a website theme that is responsive to every device.

Your site is slow. People are going to bounce out if your site doesn't load. You can check out your site speed through PageSpeed Insights.

You Don't Follow Trends or Seasons

I wished I knew this tip ages ago but follow up with what is trending! You can go on Pinterest trends or Google trends, search trending topics and create a blog post on that. Make sure it is in your niche, so your readers have consistency.

You can also do this by using an SEO keyword research tool. I use Ubersuggest or Answer The Public. It allows you to know what keywords people are searching for and how low the competition is. By finding the right keywords, you can add it to your blog posts.

Related: Fall & Blogtober Content Ideas!

You Aren't Promoting Your New Posts

Who will read your new blog post if you don't share it? When I first started my blog, I thought that people will suddenly find my blog. The truth is, unless you have the best SEO, no one will discover your blog without promotion.

You can create social media pages for your blog such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube. When you make a page, consider who you're trying to target. For example, women mostly use Pinterest, which is helpful for beauty or lifestyle bloggers. Food bloggers also thrive on Pinterest. You can also share your blog post on forums like Reddit or Quora. You can link to your blog post, but make sure you give a decent answer too. Don't say click here to find the answer, as that will impact your traffic negatively instead. It's almost spammy.

You're Stealing Content or Plagiarising

Just don't even consider it. Plagiarising or copying work is a horrible idea and can likely get you sued from the original owner. If you use blog post ideas from another blogger, credit them or ask permission. Don't take images that aren't yours and definitely don't copy and paste their work. If you want to learn more about the legal side of blogging, I did a whole post on it!

When taking a snip-it from another blog post, be sure to quote it with a link to the original post.

When using external information, you can add mention that it's based on research. Make sure you credit where you got your information from.

If you want to use a picture, ask the original photographer. If they say no, leave it.

When using a niche blog post idea, credit where you got the idea from. It's nice to be noticed for your content.

Blogging is a large learning curve, and making mistakes is easy. Bloggers can be really mean about your mistakes, so avoiding them can help you! Many things could go wrong as a new blogger, but keeping with it can lead to so many amazing things. Everyone makes mistakes! What tips would you give for new bloggers? I'd love to hear what blogging errors you've made, and how to overcome them!

Author Profile:

Ellen is the creator and writer of an Australian lifestyle blog called Zyrakuma. Her blog features posts on personal development, branding and blogging tips. When she's not blogging, she's either binge-watching YouTube videos or drawing. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest @zyrakuma.

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