'You gotta have sppaace!'. This is a family catch cry - Dad's favourite. It comes from this gorgeous video clip about a lion in a zoo, missing real food 'proper for wild animals' and the space of Brazil where he had SPAACCCCE. I was always a bit confused about the clip because I didn't think Brazil had lions - is it a puma? I don't know, and I'm not sure it **really** matters - the point is, the lion's trapped in this seemingly great space, full of good tech and so on, but is missing the wilds, the grasslands, the things that call to his beautiful animal heart.

The lion says:

We need space to live. We need to feel we are part of the world and not living our life in a box.

This is the danger of Steemit - don't get me wrong, I love it here (otherwise I wouldn't be busy on this platform running two accounts, curating and commenting, and hanging out on Discord!) BUT most of us know there needs to be balance between screen time and high tech, and being part of the world - real life world, with all it's colours and scents and freeeedom. You are more than just a Steemdude. You are so, so much more - go out and be that, too, and do it well.

I'm know I'm a busy Steemian - and I work part time, and surf, and do yoga, and garden, read, am part of a family, a community - and do all the things that make for a full life. Perhaps I should switch that sentence around - the identifying "I am" began with 'I'm a busy Steemian', and it's this that bothers me a lot. So most of the time, I'm trying to make spaaaaaccceee - for Steem, which is important to me, but all those other things too.

So I thought I'd share with you some tips for spending less time on the platform whilst still being an effective contributor to this beautiful, magnificant, amazing Steem blockchain.

1. Set The Clock

This time, I've set myself half an hour to write this post. I already have an idea about what I want to write, and I'm just going to write as fast as I can and try not to think about it too much. If I can write the content fast, and the clock strikes the half hour mark, I can come back and edit later, adding images, doing proof-reading, and any last minute formatting. Don't re-read as you go - it takes too long. Save that for proofreading.

2. Writing Lists

I avoided this for a long time, because ironically, I was too busy for a list. However, list making is one of the most important strategies for not only getting things done, but feeling like you are getting things done! It's a great way to calm anxiety. As I run two accounts, it's imperative I do so - and I map mine in a rough calender so I know what is coming out on what dates.

3. Learn some basic, quick mark-up codes.

There's very basic codes that can make your post purty AS you write rather than going and figuring out the formatting later. Two I use are the hashes for headings - for example, this list heading has just one hash # but ...

***this one has SIX, plus three asterixs *** *** on either side of the text to make it italicised and bold at the same time, AND I used a little side arrow thingie like this > to make it indent with a line on the side for a quote.

Because I know these simple formatting tricks, it's super easy to format as I go and takes less time.

It's also useful to have a post it note on your PC so you can copy and paste more complicated codes to place your images.

3. Add images last - or first?

I always have a basic idea of what images I will put in my posts and where they'll fit. However if you wait for the images to load, you're twiddling your thumbs waiting for that to happen. Thus, sometimes I just write: IMAGE HERE and the quick code, and I'll put them all in last and have another tab open as I work on another project and wait for them to load.

Saying that, sometimes I'll put all the images in FIRST and write the text last - either way, I never do them both at once as it's too time consuming and every second counts if you want SPAAAAAAAAAAAACE!

4. Scheduling Posts

Oh. My. Giddy. Aunt.

If you're not on Steempeak, you're crazy. Get on it. There's a function that allows you to auto post when you're not even tied to your computer. No more "Excuse me everyone, but I have to post this link" or freaking out you don't have wifi and are on a trip away and can't post!

There's two reasons you might want to do this.

a.) you are actually going on away into one of those blissful no connection zones, finding real spaaaaaaaaace, or maybe you're forcing yourself to have a digital detox for a whole 12 hours, like I did once...
b.) ...or you want to catch specific time zones to increase the chances you'll be seen in someone's feed and can't post as you need 12 hours sleep, like I did once.

5. Discord is A Friend and an Enemy

I love Discord and to be honest Steemit isn't Steemit without it. I love my connections there and hang out a lot in @freedomtribe, @earthtribe, @tribesteemup, @ecotrain and @smg, amongst others. And of course the best account of all, @naturalmedicine. Let alone the little micro convos I have going on with close friends here.

But if you want to get a post written, DO NOT, and I repeat, DO NOT listen to your Discord alerts or even go there. It'll survive without you.

I'm trying to set aside time for Discord and separate it from my Steemit time - and this is hard, I tell you! Yet I get a lot more done if I stick to this rule.

6. Everything is Steem Inspiration - Write it Down

Anyone notice you're still steeming even if you're away from your computer? J. laughs that I only do half the things I do so I can steem about it. Whilst this isn't entirely true, I do often have ideas on the go. But our mind tends to go over and over those things until they are DEALT with, and we worry we'll forget. So, jot it down on your list, and be done with it. Create spaaaaace in your mind for other things to happen.

7. Compartmentalise: We Are Bad at Multi-tasking.

Multitasking is an ABSOLUTE myth. Our brain only EVER concentrates on one thing at once. The switch from one task to another takes our brains time - say, moving from chatting to a two year old to cooking tea to answering the phone to thinking about work. What this means is that we often do things badly - we burn the soup, don't listen properly to our partners and wire our brains with anxiety over things not quite dealt with.

By giving mindful attention to each thing, we're actually doing a far better job. Make a time for writing when you're not busy with other things. Right now, I have given myself half an hour to write this post before I get out of bed and that's nice - once I'm up, and the post is scheduled, I'll be on with my day. I'm not sure I'll have time to throw some images in, but I know that around lunchtime whilst I'm having my cuppa I can spend ten minutes doing just that. Why waste time now when the day is so gorgeously SPRING out there and I wanna go catch that low tide and get some waves? Find some spaaaaaace out there in the big wide ocean and crisp blue skies?

8. Templates

Steempeak not only has a section for drafts and scheduled posts, but for templates too. You can create a template for, say, the curation you post every week, or a basic format for image mark-up and your banners, and then all you need to do is then save that template as a draft and off you go writing. Too easy!

9. The Refresh Button is Your Enemy

Once you post, be done with it. People will comment or they won't. They'll upvote or they wont. Sitting there waiting for the kettle to boil takes longer, doesn't it? Go live your life. Find some freeeeeedom away from the screen. Then it'll be a pleasant suprise when you come back to find that you have some interaction and a few upvotes and you can set the clock and spend 5 or 10 minutes answering people

10. Set Time Aside for other Important Tasks - More Comparmentalising

a) Being part of a community is essential for a good Steem experience. Set time aside for that. This could be every second day for a good hour, or every day for half an hour. However you break it up, set the clock and set your limits. It's super important that you go and talk to people - don't be so self absorbed in your own posting that you don't participate elsewhere.

b) Choose a time in each week for other important housekeeping. Again, this is when lists and calendars come in handy - and it's important to stick to them. I have a Steemfriend who sets time aside each Monday to review her delegation and dedicate a few small moments to send a delegation to her favoured accounts. It's those kind of things that are essential tasks if you're serious about steeming, but they don't want to take daily time or consume your thoughts.

Well, I have seven minute to get some images in this post, add my banners, and schedule this to post in a day or so - so I'll love you and leave you.

I hope this post has some value for you, and that it'll allow you to have some spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace.

How time consuming do you find Steem? What tricks do you use to find a little more space in your life?

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