<img src="https://itxdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/40575362_s-300x200.jpg" alt="Blog on Vacation" width="300" height="200" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-10656" />Taking a vacation from life can be the perfect way to relax and refresh your mind from being overwhelmed with work. Coming back to a fresh slate can rejuvenate your workflow and your motivation to improve your business going forward. For those that blog, you may feel that leaving for a vacation is impossible since your subscribers expect your regular posts and updates. 

How do you take time away for yourself away from the workload, but also keep your subscribers happy and loyal? You deserve a rest and your blog can continue to grow while you’re away if you take some steps before leaving for the trip. Don’t allow yourself to blog while on vacation because you won’t come back as refreshed and full of creative juices as you would with the time completely blog-free. Take a look at some of the ways that you can grow your blog while you’re taking that much-needed vacation. 

<h2>Go for a hiatus</h2>

For some, the blog can keep running while away from the office, but for others, a hiatus makes much more sense. If you choose to go with an open hiatus for your blog, you can basically treat the blog as a temporary hold with suspended activity until you return. 

<img src="https://itxdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/41328405_s-300x235.jpg" alt="Blogging" width="300" height="235" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-10657" />You won’t have to stress about hackers and spammers, or comments that you haven’t responded to in a timely manner. You can just put up an announcement to let your subscribers know how long to expect activity to be on hold and when you will return. Your users can still read your content and engage, but they’ll see the announcement that clarifies why you aren’t there to respond. There is no pressure to create new content since everyone knows you are away right now. 

For some bloggers, it would make sense to have someone handle your blog’s social media accounts while you’re away. A social media manger could stay on top of your blog, channels, and reader feedback on your behalf. You won’t have to worry about expectations for new content, but social media engagement can stay on track. Your readers will feel that you’ve taken the time to care for their interactions even while you’re on that tropical island vacation. 

<h2>Scheduling content</h2>

If you don’t feel an open hiatus is the way to go, you may prefer to prepare your content in advance and have it scheduled out for while you’re on vacation. It may be some extra work while you’re packing for your trip, but you won’t have to worry about disappointing subscribers or even letting them know you’re away. 

You can go on your trip and your blog will keep growing while you take a break from all of that typing. Simply schedule time to have your blog posts ready to go for the time away and have them go live when you normally would have scheduled them. 

You may still want to let readers know that you won’t be able to reply to emails and comments until a certain date because you are busy, in order to avoid upsetting those who have taken the time to message you. 

Otherwise, your readers’ point of view won’t change in that blog posts will still be posted and they will still get their weekly read from you. Consider the social media manager more seriously for this option since people will wonder why you are not responding to comments and social media posts. You can either have your social media manager respond for you or send you the comments for a response. 

<h2>Hire a blogger and editor</h2>

<img src="https://itxdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/39330487_s-300x200.jpg" alt="Editor" width="300" height="200" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-10655" />Another option is to just hire someone for the time you’re on vacation. For those that don’t have the time to create extra content before their trip, hiring an editor and blogger can help keep your blogging on schedule and allow you a break from the job. 

You would either have to introducer your subscribers to these hired people and let them know they will be the people to talk to while you’re away, or you can have them be ghost writers and editors for you. You’ll have to consider the cost to do this and risk confusing readers if they ghost write for you. 

If none of those options work for you, consider having a “throwback” week where you share old favorites from your blog collection, hire guest bloggers to post onto your blog while you’re gone, or let everyone know you’re on vacation and share updates from your trip. Whatever you decide, being clear on your decision with your readers is a smart way to avoid losing followers and to continue growing the business. Your trip doesn’t have to mean your blog suffers; take the proper precautions to make sure your blog is handled while you take some time away. 


