Substack Maintenance: My 1-Hour Daily System for Consistency, Creativity, and Engagement
A Step-by-Step Breakdown of My Daily 1-Hour Routine for Posting, Engaging, and Boosting Creativity on Substac
Hey Guys!
Recently, I’ve been reflecting on my daily Substack habits, especially my note-writing system, and I realized how much it has improved my creativity and engagement.
Since I started on Substack in September, I’ve been experimenting with different strategies to make the most out of this platform—and I’d love to share my current approach with you!
In this issue, I’ll share the strategies that have driven 60% of my Substack’s growth—beyond just writing.
A little side note: Another thing that pushed me to write this article is the feedback I received on my previous post from my friends and respected writers here on Substack, Mack Collier and Bryan Tilos. They both gave me valuable insights, particularly about my note-taking system.
I highly recommend checking out their Substacks as they share some amazing content.
This really highlights the importance of thoughtful feedback. It’s not just about the likes—though those are appreciated too—but thoughtful comments are truly invaluable.
Even if the feedback doesn’t fully align with the writer’s ideas, it often points them in the right direction, helping them grow and make progress faster.
So, if you have a moment, sharing your thoughts when you read something can make a big difference for writers.
It’s one of the most meaningful ways to support them and an opportunity to learn as well!
Substack Maintenance: A 1-Hour Daily System
To make sure I’m consistent and connected, I dedicate 1 hour daily to what I call "Substack Maintenance." This includes:
1.My Notes System (20 minutes)
Morning, noon, and night posts: Posting three notes spaced throughout the day.
How I always have notes ready to post: I maintain my own “notes bank” and repurpose old posts to boost visibility. It’s a simple system that keeps content flowing consistently.
2. Engagement habits (30 minutes)
Reading 5 articles (5 minutes each, average post = 25 minutes).
Interacting with 10 posts (comments, restacks, and likes). This takes up the remaining 5 minutes.
3. Connecting with Creators and Readers Daily (10 minutes)
Message one fellow writer, follower, or subscriber: Building connections and opening doors for future collaborations.
Reply to all engagements: Responding to comments, likes, and questions in two sessions—during lunch and in the evening. This keeps the community engaged and strengthens relationships.
How My Notes System Work
I aim to post three notes daily, and each comes from one of two sources:
1. Repurposed Content from Past Articles
One of my daily notes is a distilled version of a past article—a simplified idea, excerpt, or even just the key takeaway.
Since I’ve only been on Substack for three months, many of my earlier posts didn’t get much visibility, as they were limited to my OG subscribers.
Sharing these older ideas through notes gives them a second life, helping them reach a broader audience.
To choose an article for the day that will inspire my notes, I use a random wheel. I enter all my articles into it, and when I spin the wheel, it randomly selects one.
This adds an element of fun and challenge to the process, which is one of the reasons I look forward to creating notes from my past articles.
This is also why writing every day for 60 days was so beneficial—it gave me a vast library of content to draw note ideas from.
2. My Notes Bank: A Well of Inspiration
The other two notes come from my "notes bank," essentially my phone’s notes app. Throughout the day, I jot down random ideas or observations.
By storing 2-3 refined ideas in advance, I ensure I always have content ready to post.
On good days, I can come up with more than 3 note ideas, usually just short phrases that I later expand on.
Why this works:
Writing down ideas tells your brain they’re important, encouraging it to generate even more.
Over time, this habit has supercharged my creativity, making idea generation feel natural and consistent.
This habit also reinforces the idea that inspiration comes from living life, not just sitting in front of a computer.
I've noticed that on days when I'm particularly busy with other activities, a surge of ideas and creativity follows.
When do I post these notes
I aim to post one note in the morning around 9 AM, another in the afternoon around 1 PM, and the final one in the evening around 8 PM.
I've found that posting at different times helps each note gain more visibility.
When I’ve posted all three at once—typically on busier days—only one tends to get significant engagement, while the others often get overlooked.
Spreading posts out:
Avoids spamming followers’ feeds.
Maximizes visibility and engagement.
Now, let’s dive into my engagement habits.
Interact with 10 People a Day - That’s my goal
At least 3 comments
2 restacks
Likes
On particularly chill days when I’m not as busy, I can have all 10 interactions as comments and re stacks with notes. But if I'm short on time, a simple like will do.
But for minimum this is what I aim:
Reading and Engaging
I make sure to read and to have engaged in at least 5 articles a day
Most articles are under 5 minutes, so it’s manageable within my schedule as it only adds up to about 30 minutes
The Benefits I’ve Noticed
More Engagement: Consistent interaction with others has led to my work being noticed more as well.
Learning and Growth: Since my goal is to engage with at least 5 posts daily, I’m naturally pushed to read more content. I can’t engage without reading, so the more I engage, the more I read—and in turn, I learn a lot from others.
Building Connections: This habit has helped me make new friends and grow my network. If you haven’t noticed yet, the writer community here on Substack is truly amazing.
One of the best ways to thrive and grow is by engaging in supportive, like-minded communities.
Subscriber Growth: Surprisingly, my subscriber count has increased as a result of this engagement pattern.
This could also be due to the increased visibility of my work. Personally, when I read insightful comments, I’m more likely to check out the person’s Substack. If I enjoy their content, I might end up subscribing too.
Responding to Engagement
Replying to comments, likes, and questions is non-negotiable for me. I batch this into two sessions:
During lunch: A quick check-in while I eat.
In the evening: A final review of the day’s interactions.
This ensures no message goes unanswered while keeping my workflow manageable.
Connecting with Creators and Readers Daily
One of my goals is to message one creator or reader every day. This practice has opened up many opportunities to connect with talented writers and creatives. Here's why I think it's essential:
Learn and Make Friends: Engaging with others helps you broaden your perspectives and build meaningful relationships.
Improve Your Connection to the Platform: Regular interaction increases your visibility and encourages better engagement, making your presence on Substack stronger.
Secure Future Collaboration: Building connections now paves the way for future collaborations, whether it’s co-writing, guest posts, or other projects.
Longevity: Networking is crucial for long-term success. The relationships you form today can fuel your growth on the platform for years to come. Building relationships on these platforms keeps you relevant.
Finally, I make it a point to reply to all engagements daily. I usually do this in two batches:
During lunch: A quick check-in while I eat.
In the evening: A final review of the day’s interactions.
In summary
Overall, the "Substack Maintenance" routine has provided me with several benefits:
Continuous Creativity: The goal of consistently posting notes has led me to store ideas in a notes bank, providing a constant stream of content and training my brain to generate more ideas effortlessly.
Repurpose and Reimagine: Reposting older ideas through notes helps me reach new audiences while giving my work lasting impact.
Build Longevity: Daily engagement and networking allow my presence to grow steadily, establishing a foundation for long-term success.
Manageable: By dedicating just one hour a day, I can maintain consistency, build connections, and keep my creativity flowing.
If you’re looking for a way to stay active on Substack without feeling overwhelmed, I highly recommend giving this system a try.
Of course, you can always adjust it to suit your pace—whether that means scaling it up or down.
The key to building any system or habit is sustainability, which looks different for everyone. Find your own sweet spot.
What matters most for maintaining your Substack is simple: Connect, Engage, and Share something every day.
Let me know how you manage your Substack workflow—or if you’d like to brainstorm together!
All my content is currently free, but if you’d like to support my work, you can buy me a coffee on Ko-Fi! ☕✨ Every bit helps me keep creating. Thank you! 💛
Thanks for reading, and see you in the comments. 😊
Thank you so much for the restack @Ibrahim Oga I really appreciate it, and I'm glad you find my work valuable!
Thank you for sharing that Frey! It's a very valuable, practical, action-plan that EVERYONE can use, even when they have a busy schedule! Subscribed ;)