This idea just rocked my world! One night recently, as I bemoaned the fact that I have NO TIME to read all of these new posts in my Google reader inbox, or spend some time on Twitter or even FINISH a blog post (I have two posts from the last few days sitting half finished in my draft box), it occurred to me that I could re-organize my inbox to make it a lot more efficient.
My old system involved labeling people based on relationships. For example, there was a category for family and a category for 7days. I had a category for “real life” friends. You get the idea. It wasn’t very efficient because, let’s face it, not everyone has the same writing ability. And not to be rude or anything, but I just don’t have time to read or even SKIM all of the 216 posts that come through my Google inbox everyday. (Yes, I follow a gazillion blogs. That’s the whole point of Google Reader, isn’t it? If you haven’t already started an account, then you definitely should. Hop over here to read more about it. And no, they’re not paying me to say this. I wish.)
I noticed that I’d started to prioritize which posts I read based on my preferences. So I took advantage of this fact and redistributed my feeds based on a letter grade scale. I now have a group called A+ and it moves down from there. My favorite blogs land in the A+ category. Ones that I tend to skip over are moved farther down. It’s all completely subjective. Best of all, I don’t have to read everything all the time. The D group is the first to get skipped over. (If a blog “fails” my reader test then I simply unsubscribe. So there are no F’s.)
You’re already familiar with most of my favorite blogs, but I thought I’d share a few recent additions to my A+ category. You may not have visited these people yet, and I love to read their posts. Enjoy!
1. Annie Blogs for you about becoming a writer, and about her crazy life and about her Jesus. Who happens to be my Jesus too.
2. Katie happens to be a school teacher as well. Holla! And can I just say she has a really invigorating way of writing about life? She’s fun!
3. Millie’s photography blog has absolutely amazing pictures. I’ve spent hours just scrolling through and each one makes me want to be a photographer when I grow up.
4. Mylestones explores medicine through the eyes of the wife of a doctor and the family that they’ve built. She’s an AMAZING writer and I love to see a new post next to her name!
5. Last but not least is Laura, a newbie to blogging who takes compelling photos and has great anecdotes to go along with them. Her current job as a flight attendant allows her to travel throughout North America the way I travel around town and she’s studying to be a pilot. It’s quite an adventure to read her posts.
Filed under: blog reviews, blogging about blogging, i have the best friends, more than you wanted to know
Hey, thanks so much! I enjoy reading about your life and seeing all the pics of your beautiful daughter. And I don’t really use google reader all that much, but I think I’m gonna start using it more. It sounds like getting a system of organization would make surfing the blogs I love a lot easier. Thanks for the tip as well!
I’m with Katie- Thanks SO much! How sweet. I love getting As.
And pre-writer life, I was a teacher too!!
This made my day. I’m really grateful.
Sincerely,
Annie
Hurray for Link Love! You are TOO kind. And your grading system for google reader? BRILLIANT! Especially since you gave me an A+. heheh.
It’s funny–my reader is set up in your old method (“People I don’t know IRL, but wish I did…”). I think I’m gonna have to switch to the classic grading method, so as to more efficiently manage my blog reading time. Did I just use “efficiently” and “blog reading” in the same sentence? If that’s not an oxymoron I don’t know what is!
Thanks again!!
Thank you, my dear. As a newbie I’d be lying if I said I didn’t look at your blog often not only for my reading enjoyment but continuing ideas. You were the initial inspiration I had for starting a blog!