Gain More Time

Gain More Time In Your Day

Want to gain more time in your day – don’t we all? It seems like the number one reason we struggle is that we don’t have enough time in the to get things completed. There isn’t enough time to get the household chores done, homeschooling, spending time with your spouse, with your kids, going to special events – such as field trips or lessons… and then, the holiday season rolls around.

So – we are going to first address our issue and then find a solution! First, the fact is most of us homeschool – which is a full-time job and on top of that we manage a home. Those are our absolutes. We have to eat, wear clothes (preferably clean), and school the kids. Now, many of us have a spouse and for those who manage all this on their own, a single parent – your efforts just doubled. Second, we have the addition of worship (Church), and events whether they are special holidays or birthdays.

Our calendars don’t lie and most of us have calendars that are marketed with things to do each and every day. I am always happiest when I look at my calendar and I find nothing I have to do that day! Other than regular chores and events we have holidays and special events we participate in, yearly. My calendar contains three major holidays that we celebrate: Easter (add Ash Wednesday and Good Friday), Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Now we can add minor holidays like Valentine’s Day and Independence Day. Now add birthdays (in my immediate family it is seven and nine additional ones with my married daughter and family). And that, my friends, is why we feel like we are on overload when these times of the years begin to creep in and we don’t have a plan.

Here is a quick list of helpful hints to jump-start your productivity and allow you to gain more time:

Take fifteen to thirty minutes alone and list all the things that rob you of time. If you don’t know what these are, then pray, the Lord will reveal them to you!
No devices – stay off of social media and your phone in general – not texting or checking emails or Facebook during school hours.
Set school hours – know when you will begin and end each day.
Schedule breaks or time to eat lunch. During lunch, you may want to increase the time to add laundry or place laundry in the dryer, etc.
Make something productive happen during different times of the day. I always read to my kids during meal time – breakfast time was a Bible reading or a book on a spiritual topic; lunch was a science or history book we were studying, after dinner, we read a fun family book. Reading times helps!
Multi-task. Ignore all the studies that say that multi-tasking is not productive. If you can do it – do it, if you can’t then focus on one item and get it done, quickly!
Perfectionism has no place in gaining time. Enough said.
Post a family wall calendar of the month so everyone knows what is happening. Be sure to keep it updated.
Plan meals for the week that are quick and ready to heat up or throw in the crock pot or my new favorite, my instant pot.
Get rid of squabbles. Many times as parents we are managing our kid’s behaviors which can really suck out chunks of our time. Do what you say and say what you mean. Kids are gamblers and they are gambling that when you threaten you will not follow through.

I have a Vintage Homeschool Moms radio show that deals with the topic of More Time For Mom that includes many helpful hints – in fact, I am so dedicated to gaining more time in my own day as well as helping you gain time in yours that I plan to record a series of podcasts not only on this subject but others that I feel are important. Which means you’ll be hearing two more shows from Vintage Homeschool Moms on top of the four already scheduled. Exciting stuff – I’ll be recording the extra shows to air on Saturday mornings, but if you follow the show, you will automatically get the feed. Be sure to follow on this website, go to the FAQ page for information on how.