Blogging is a happy medium and it's never too late to start

Blogging helps you grow and meet wonderful people all over the world

"What have I learned as a blogger?", a 79-year-old blogger counts the ways:

1. Blogging gives me a focus

2. Blogging helps me stay young

3. Blogging helps me meet wonderful people all over the world

4. Blogging gives me an opportunity to grow

5. Blogging has the potential to create an income

It doesn’t matter if anyone reads it

From an interview of Seth Godin and Tom Peters:

"Blogging is free. It doesn’t matter if anyone reads it. What matters is the humility that comes from writing it. What matters is the metacognition of thinking about what you’re going to say. No single thing in the last 15 years professionally has been more important to my life than blogging. It has changed my life, it has changed my perspective, it has changed my intellectual outlook, it’s changed my emotional outlook. And it’s free."



Doctor, you can be a Twitter superstar in two easy steps

Here is how to start a medical blog today: For doctors: How to start using social media. Indeed, you can be a Twitter superstar in two easy steps.

My advice for doctors who are interested in using social media for professional purposes is simple:

- Start on Twitter, expand to a blog as natural progression.

- Input your blog posts automatically to a Facebook like/fan page.

- Listen to the leading physicians, nurses and patients' voices on Twitter, and reply.

- Comment on blogs.

- Do not be afraid to share your expertise.

- Comply with HIPAA and common sense.

References

Is it Too Late to Start Blogging?

Why you should start blogging in 2011

Blogging is good for you - and for most people who read blogs

From The Economist:

"Academic papers cited by bloggers are far more likely to be downloaded. Blogging economists are regarded more highly than non-bloggers with the same publishing record.

The back-and-forth between bloggers resembles the informal chats, in university hallways and coffee rooms, that have always stimulated economic research, argues Paul Krugman, a Nobel-prize winning economist who blogs at the New York Times. But moving the conversation online means that far more people can take part.

Despite the low barriers to entry, blogs do impose some intellectual standards. Errors of fact or logic are spotted, ridiculed and corrected. Areas of disagreement are highlighted and sometimes even narrowed."

Similar dynamics are in work on many medical blogs authored by physicians.

WIN-WIN, as the author of the blog "The Happy Hospitalist" likes to say.

References:

Economics blogs. A less dismal debate. The Economist, 01/2011.

WSJ insights on wine blogs - and blogging in general

What makes bloggers keep on writing?

Most of the bloggers write for "personal satisfaction" since the possibility of making money is quite small - WSJ.

What makes bloggers quit?

There are 1,450 wine blogs but only 18% have been blogging for more than 6 years. A lack of profit potential isn't necessarily the biggest blogger obstacle; time is in even shorter supply.
How do you know if a blogger is any good?

What makes a blogger credible? "Reputation and awards. Design and writing style". Most of all, a blog has to "be about something"

Define a good blogger: Impassioned amateur with genuine curiosity and interesting point of view (and current posts).

83% of wine bloggers cited "passion" as a reason for keeping a blog.

References:

Five Wine Blogs I Really Click With | On Wine by Lettie Teague - WSJ http://on.wsj.com/14HmDxg
Image source: Wikipedia, public domain.

Why keep blogging on health topics?

Dr. Mike Cadogan, an ER physician and an award-winning medical blogger, in essence asked on Google Buzz: "Why keep blogging on health topics?" See his post and the comments below:

Dr. Mike Cadogan

Some days I worry about being so connected on the web. Some days I feel I should just treat the patient physically in front of me and concentrate the years of contextual learning on the individual consulting me for treatment.

Then I stumble across a pixellated torrent of self-diagnosing, non-contextual, copy-paste tripe (on some website)...

Question: "i am feeling so much…itching in my breast….that i have scratched it and it has converted into a wound….i hav used antiseptic cream also it cured my wound but again i feel itching…plz tell me some solution to get rid of it plz…..and i am so… confused…..plz help me…."


Informed Answer: "If you had breast cancer, you would see and feel a lump (cancerous tumor). You probably just got bit by a bug or something."

...and I feel justified for attempting to join with colleagues in providing open source medical information visually enhanced for contextual learning and iteration...

Ves Dimov, M.D.

Don't make web publishing feel like a job. Slow down. Relax. Enjoy. The work on the web as a physician is extremely important because it provides credible information.

Chris Nickson

I agree - the enormous accessibility of web resources almost makes it a moral imperative to put quality information out there - because, like it or not, people are turning to the web for their information needs.

How to overcome the fear of blogging or writing in public

You will get some ideas from the following conversation on Twitter:

@dreamingspires: I realised that a previous problem in my blog was that I was writing for people more qualified than me - instead of health professionals just starting out.

@DrVes: One of the best approaches to educational blogging is to write for yourself as you learn or write for beginners - which is basically the same thing.

@dreamingspires: good advice - as an(ex)publisher suddenly having to write myself as opposed to hiding behind someone else doing it is... a learning process.

@DrVes: Did Twitter help?

@dreamingspires: Twitter helped in the sense of connecting me into a community, I didn't 'micro-blog' though.

@DrVes: Twitter makes you more comfortable to write in public - you don't have to "micro-blog"... :)

@dreamingspires: This IS true and my experience - it reduced my stage fright!

@DrVes: Also, you may have micro-blogged on Twitter or somewhere else without even knowing it... I set up my blog posts to publish automatically in the future -- it may help with your "stage fright".

@dreamingspires: To be honest I am unsure what micro-blogging is -- specific tweets on a topic like you do, or a mini conversation? Yes, I also now autopublish via Twitter feed, and now using Stumble too. OK - microblog is an 'opinion'/link/statement.

@DrVes: Anything you post on Twitter is micro-blog as long it's not only replies... A comment on a comment is not a blog. I think you qualify as a fully-fledged blogger and microblogger now... :)

@dreamingspires: You mean I've MADE IT?! Newbie happiness.

@DrVes: It's official: You've made it. You're a blogger now. Expect you share of nasty comments and spam... :)

How to Exercise WHILE Blogging or Doing Other Computer Work

The exercises below have been adapted from a ProBlogger post. Most of the names have been modeled after popular social media services such as Twitter, RSS, Blogger, etc.

1. Cyber Squats. Set your chair aside for a few minutes and instead move to a semi-squat position with thighs parallel to the floor. Hold for 1 minute.

2. RSS Raises. As you’re sitting at your desk, straighten your knees and lift your legs out in front of you.

3. Ten Minute "Move it!" Break. Alternate jogging in place with jumping jacks – do a minute of each and repeat 5 times.

4. Twitter Tummy Tone. Tighten your abdominal muscles for 30 seconds and then release.

5. Social Squeezes. Tighten your gluteal muscles for 30 seconds and then release.

6. Ten Minute "Move it!" Break. Grab a step stool and climb up and down.

7. Inbox Incline. While you’re sitting with your feet on the floor, raise your heels so you are on the balls of your feet and lower them.

8. Ten Minute "Move it!" Break. Do walking lunges around the house. You can add some weights and do bicep curls at the same time.

9. Blogger Breather. Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Count to 10 as you slowly inhale through your nose, thinking positive thoughts. Exhale through your mouth, again counting to 10. Release all the tension and stress out of your body.

10. Sign Off Stretches. Shoulder shrugs – with your head at your chest, shrug your shoulders up and down. Neck Rolls – relax your shoulders and let your head roll forward. Slowly rotate your head in a circle. Repeat five times.

How to stay healthy while traveling: This is a mnemonic for exercises that can be done with just body weight: PLSS

P ushups
S itups
L unges
S quats


Exercises that can be done with just body weight: PLSS.

Exercise slows telomere shortening (and aging). Telomeres are the chromosome tips which shorten each time a cell divides, making them a possible marker of aging. A study of 2400 twins showed that physically active people had longer telomeres than sedentary people. According to the authors, this provides a powerful message that could be used by clinicians to promote the potentially antiaging effect of regular exercise.


Human chromosomes (grey) capped by telomeres (white). Image source: Wikipedia, public

domain.

If you need any more convincing, please see this "health promotion" video that clearly shows the benefits of exercise:

"Health Promotion" video: Benefits of exercise. References: 10 Ways to get Fit WHILE Blogging. ProBlogger, 2009. How to stay healthy while traveling

What's the best exercise for heart health? A combination of weight training and aerobic exercise http://goo.gl/h1YKD and bit.ly/on9sNn

Related reading: Minimum amount of physical activity for reduced mortality and extended life expectancy: 15 min a day or 90 min a week. Lancet, 2011.
3 Best Exercises & Why Exercise is the WORST Way to Lose Weight - YouTube http://bit.ly/19m4Jx7

"Blogging fame does not pay the bills"

From Social Media Examiner:

Wendy Piersall provides some insights into the "dark side" of being popular online:

- Fame does not pay the bills
- Being on the front page of Digg does not bring you success
- It takes lots of work to get internet fame and even more work to maintain the internet fame

See the video interview at Social Media Examiner.

References:
The Dark Side of Blogging Fame (a Wendy Piersall Interview). Social Media Examiner.

Image source: public domain.

Lessons from 12 Years of Blogging (from woodtang)

Spoken like a true blogger:

"I started this site 12 years ago. That’s longer than my marriage, longer than any job I’ve held, longer than I’ve lived anywhere since I was a kid. Even though I stopped a started blogging here too many times to count, that’s a long time. I feel like that counts for something on the web and I ought to give it some love.

My interest in blogging waned when I started using Twitter, but I’ve always felt something missing when I wanted to write a few paragraphs about something and be done with it."

Read the rest at woodtang.com http://bit.ly/VPuEaP

“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary”, said Pablo Picasso. Blogging is similar in a way but it also helps to collect important ideas, archive news items and create an educational portfolio that is easily shareable with students, colleagues and patients.

In my personal experience, blogging fits nicely in what I call the Cycle of Online Information and Physician Education (click here to enlarge the image).





Comments from Twitter:

Heidi Allen @dreamingspires: Lessons from 12 Years of Blogging (from woodtang) casesblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/lesson… impressive - and makes it sound simple

Why you should start blogging in 2011

Quotes from an interview with Seth Godin and Tom Peters:

"Blogging is free. It doesn’t matter if anyone reads it. What matters is the humility that comes from writing it. What matters is the metacognition of thinking about what you’re going to say.

No single thing in the last 15 years professionally has been more important to my life than blogging. It has changed my life, it has changed my perspective, it has changed my intellectual outlook, it’s changed my emotional outlook.

And it’s free."

Don't limit yourself to your blog - use Facebook and Twitter

Blogging can be great for personal growth but there is a lot more interaction on Twitter and Facebook nowadays as compared to blogs. If you have a blog, you must also have a Facebook "like" page (previously called "fan" page) and a Twitter account. These serve the dual purpose of distribution and commenting channels ("two-way street").

For example, Facebook pages get a lot more interaction than blogs for some medical journals - you can count the comments on the NEJM Facebook updates (the range is 9-180) vs. their blog (0). The blog has comments enabled, of course.

Facebook is the clear "winner" in terms of commenting activity, it is not even close:

NEJM Facebook page vs. NEJM blog

The risks of blogging and social media use in healthcare

One Misguided Post, Photo, or Comment Online Can End Your Healthcare Career, according to this About.com guide. It makes you think: Why would any doctor use social media? Some of the benefits are outlined above.

Twitter comments:

@cmeadvocate (Brian S. McGowan PhD): Look at commenting activity on NEJM's Facebook page (100's) vs. NEJM's blog (<10).>

@rsm2800 (Robert S. Miller, MD): Striking difference

@kevinmd (Kevin Pho, M.D.): That's because the NEJM fb page has 170,000+ fans. Blog doesn't generate nearly that much traffic.

@DrVes: One of the reasons, yes. However, the commenting activity on many blogs is down. To compensate, a lot of them started embedding Twitter re-tweets as a substitute for comments. I did it too with this post (you are reading the example).

@DrVes: Thanks for re-tweeting this post http://goo.gl/o9rRl - Blogging introduced me to some of the smartest and most generous people in healthcare. Give it a try. It doesn't matter if anybody reads your blog when you start. If it's useful to you, somebody somewhere will find it useful too.

References:

Seth Godin & Tom Peters on Blogging. 33 Charts.
Effective bloggers are lifelong learners. CopyBlogger.

Why Do I Blog?

Blogging can improve your attention span and focus - unlike social media sites which can be highly distracting http://goo.gl/K4O1V

Is having a blog useful in 2011? Scoble says yes... using Quora http://goo.gl/Gubor

Reasons to stop blogging

I know medical bloggers who stopped blogging or closed their Twitter accounts for similar reasons to those summarized below:

"He says in his final blog post that while he intended the personal blog to be a place where he could talk about ideas, his posts had started to “spark whole conversations that I never intended to start in the first place, conversations that leech precious time and energy while contributing precious little back.”

More related thoughts:

"So many things can go wrong (with social media) if you don’t do it right. You can get stampeded and lose the game. Playing on the sidelines is more appealing.

If you run a hospital and decide to establish a vast living presence on the Web, people will say bad things about your doctors, your nurses, your waiting times in the ER, your food. You’ll have to deal with HIPAA. There’s also a chance that you’ll say something you’ll regret. Playing on the sidelines is more appealing."

On the other hand, consider this:


Duty calls. Image source: Xkcd.com, Creative Commons license.

See a perfect example why you must read medical blogs in this post by a practicing electrophysiologist: The first 4 months of a new era - anticoagulation with dabigatran. You can't find this first-hand real-life experience in any textbook or medical journal.

References:

Twitter Staffer Stops Blogging After Backlash. GigaOM, 2010.

Better to Play It Safe. Phil Baumann, 2010.

How To: Keep Your Family On-Board for Your Blogging Journey

Some tips from ProBlogger:

- Create Healthy Boundaries. For example, I have established a “no computer time” rule for myself where I don’t use the laptop (or my smart phone) between the time I get home from work and when we get the kids to bed. By setting up this boundary, I free my time and my mind to enjoy my children, play outside or help my wife out with dinner each evening.

- Communicate Your Reasons for Blogging. Why are you investing all this time and effort into blogging anyway? Take the time to tell your loved ones why your blog is important to you and how you see it as a benefit for your family.

- Sacrifice Personal Time, Not Family Time

- Seek Their Input

References:

7 Tips to Keep Your Family On-Board for Your Blogging Journey. ProBlogger.
Image source: public domain.