How do you run a home, work from home, be a good wife and still be a productive homeschool mom?
I know this is a question many of you are asking or have asked in the past. How do I know? Because it’s a question I have asked myself so many times.
And the answer always boils down to one thing. Want to know what that is? It’s simple. My attitude and mindset.
How do I feel about wearing all these different hats?
How do I feel about my different roles (i.e mom, wife, homeschool teacher, homemaker etc.)?
Because let’s be real. There’s no way you can be a productive homeschool mom if you feel negative about wearing so many hats.
I am the first person to admit that homeschooling is hard, but I noticed things are harder when I have a negative attitude or mindset.
I go through periods when everything just seems so hard, and during those periods, I complain more than usual and I am not as joyful. This is usually when I’m overwhelmed or discouraged about a few things.
But when I approach homeschooling with a positive attitude and mindset, everything just seems so easy. I become more productive. The kids are happier and homeschooling is more fun.
I know there are so many parts to homeschooling and you need a lot of things to work well for your homeschool to thrive, but I believe a positive attitude and mindset is the first step.
It doesn’t matter how many planners you use or how many routines you create.If your heart isn’t in it, you will struggle to make homechooling a success. So today I want to encourage you to adopt a positive attitude.
Being a homeschool mom is hard, but you can make it easier with a bit of positivity.
For some of you, maybe you aren’t homeschooling by choice. Or maybe you’re dealing with health, financial or other issues which makes homeschooling harder than it should be. But I really believe that changing your attitude will make you more productive.
And when you’re more productive, you’ll achieve your goals and be happier.
So if you’re struggling with negativity or you think you need to improve your attitude, here are some things that have worked for me.
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HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR ATTITUDE SO YOU CAN BE PRODUCTIVE
1. Count your blessings
I am naturally a glass-empty kinda gal and it sucks. That’s why I have to make a conscious effort to count my blessings every day.
There are so many good things in my life that it’s crazy to focus on the negatives. I am sure it’s the same for you.
Sure, I could do with some more money or time for myself. I wish one of my kids was more enthusiastic about math. Also, I wish I didn’t have to deal with family members who can’t seem to understand why we homeschool.
But I don’t have or need to focus on those things when I can focus on my blessings.
Something I have found really helpful is to write down 3-5 things I am grateful for every day. I really recommend this daily practice because it will force you to focus on the positives and not the negatives.
I usually do this when I wake up in the morning before things get crazy, but you can do it anytime you like.
You can use a gratitude journal like this one to help you focus on being thankful.
You don’t need to overthink this. Nothing is too small or inconsequential to be grateful for. The goal here is to move away from a negative attitude/mindset to a positive one.
Here are some examples of things I have written down to give you an idea:
- Thankful that my kids are good readers and love to learn.
- Thankful that I have the opportunity to influence my kids everyday.
- I am grateful that I have the skills and resources to look for solutions to most challenges we face.
And the list goes on.
So the next time you are feeling negative and struggling to get things done, try focusing on the positives in your life so you can become a more productive homeschool mom.
2. Make someone else feel better
Do you know focusing on other people’s needs is one of the best ways to feel better?
Doing something nice and making someone else happy always lifts my mood. Whenever I want to improve my attitude, I try to come up with some things I can do for someone else.
For example, I can send an email or make a phone call. While I am not very good at talking on the phone,going out of my way to call a friend or family member to encourage them never fails to make me happy.
I usually finish those calls feeling motivated, happy and inspired.
Next time you find yourself needing a pick-me-up or struggling to complete some tasks, take a break and focus on someone else for a few minutes. Trust me, you will feel happier and more productive afterwards.
3. Take a break
There are times when you hit a brick wall and the only solution is to take break. As a homeschool mom, it’s all too easy to take on too much and get overwhelmed.
And when you’re overwhelmed, you can’t be productive.
Those dishes, closets, meals etc will still be there after your break so just step away and enjoy some downtime.
Taking a break will allow you to reset and refresh your mind. It doesn’t have to be one long break. You can schedule short breaks throughout the day to help you refocus.
4. Get active
First let me just say I am no fitness buff or anything like that. But a little physical activity doesn’t hurt and is quite beneficial.
I wish I had the time (and motivation ) to work out everyday but I don’t.
That doesn’t stop me from going on power/speed walks sometimes or the occasional run.
There are so many ways for you to get active without investing a lot of time or money. If you have a treadmill or can afford one, that’s a good way to get active. You could also invest in some work out DVDs or use some free YouTube videos.
So the next time you want to boost your mood, try getting active and working up a sweat.
You can also check out the articles below to find out how physical activity can boost your mood.
More Evidence That Exercise Can Boost Your Mood
5. Find humor in tough situations
Do you have those moments when things get so bad that all you can do is laugh?
Laughter really is good medicine for the soul.
One way to improve your mood so you can become a productive homeschool mom is to learn to find humor in bad situations.
I think this advice is especially important if you’re a first time homeschool mom.
When you’re new to homeschooling, you tend to take things too seriously because you’re working hard to balance everything and you don’t want to fail.
My advice to you is to relax, breathe, don’t take yourself too seriously and try to find the humor in tough situations.
One way to do this is to be more relaxed. You can always find something to laugh about in most situations. It may not be immediately, but when you look back at a lot of situations, you find you can probably make a good story out of them.
There are so many other things you can do to improve your attitude and change your mindset including: watching a movie, praying, surrounding yourself with positive people and focusing on the present.
So what are some other things you can do to help you become a productive homeschool mom? Let me share some tips that will help you rock homeschooling.
HOW TO BE A PRODUCTIVE HOMESCHOOL MOM
1. Focus on one thing at a time
As a homechool mom, it’s easy to lose focus when you’re pulled in so many directions. It’s easy to get distracted and leave a lot of tasks unfinished.
The best thing you can do is to focus on one thing at a time. I know multi-tasking is pretty much a requirement for us moms, but sometimes the only way to get things done is to focus on one thing at a time.
2. Prioritize your tasks
With so many things clamoring for your attention, you need to learn how to prioritize.
Start each day by completing the most important tasks. When you make this a habit, you’ll discover that you have fewer urgent tasks to deal with.
Of course, emergencies may happen every now and then, but when you prioritize your activities, you can stay on top of things and prevent some things (like deadlines) from creeping up on you.
3. Minimize procrastination
Notice I didn’t say eliminate procrastination? It’s because I haven’t found a way to do that just yet. When I do, I promise you guys would be the first to know ha!
Having said that, when you indulge in excessive procrastination, you let things pile up. And when things pile up you can easily get overwhelmed.
Since an overwhelmed homeschool mom isn’t a fun homeschool mom, it’s important to minimize procrastination.
One way to do this is to break tasks down so they become easier and quicker to complete.
4. Have a plan for the little ones
I started homeschooling my kids just before their 8th and 5th birthdays.
My youngest has never been to school but she taught herself to read when she was four, and she’s a pretty strong reader.
When we started homeschooling, I knew I needed a plan for my younger child so I could focus on doing lessons with the older one.
I had to do this because for us homeschooling kindergarten was mostly about reading lots of books, playing,spending time outdoors (when the weather permitted) and doing small chores around the house. We didn’t do any formal academics.
I am more of a “better late than early” mama. For example, I didn’t potty train my oldest until he was three, but then it only took us a week.
Anyway, I digress.
Though my youngest wasn’t a baby or a toddler,I still had to come up with a plan to avoid distractions.
If you have a baby or toddler at home, I imagine this is even more essential for your productivity.
Find ways to keep your little ones safe and occupied during lessons. If possible, plan some lessons during nap times to avoid interruptions.
Little kids just like the big kids want to learn and be involved so find some quiet activities they can enjoy on their own.
Some suggestions include:
Simple puzzles they can put together themselves
5. Track your time
Track your time so you can understand your habits and how you spend your days.
Are you spending too much time on a particular activity or task?
Are you spending enough time on the activities that will yield better results for your homeschool?
Tracking your time will help you to identify problem areas and timesucks in your day.
If you’re spending most of your day on mundane tasks, social media or something else, that could be one of the reasons you’re less productive.
It’s so easy to waste precious time if you’re not diligent in tracking your time.
Try doing this for one week to see if something clicks. If possible, don’t alter your days or do anything differently since that won’t give you a correct picture.
At the end of the week, take a look at how you’ve spent your week and make the necessary adjustments.
HOMESCHOOLING IS HARD BUT IT IS POSSIBLE TO BECOME A PRODUCTIVE HOMESCHOOL MOM.
These tips should help you become more productive and successful.
When you approach homeschooling with a positive attitude and mindset, things become way easier. Challenges don’t look insurmountable and you have way more energy.
So the next time you feel like nothing is going right,remember that it isn’t true, and you have a whole lot to be thankful for.
Just focus on those things during the hard times and remember this too shall pass.
SOME OF OUR FAVORITE KINDERGARTEN BOOKS:
The Complete Tales of Winnie The Pooh
HOW DO YOU BECOME A PRODUCTIVE HOMESCHOOL MOM?
Related Homeschooling Articles:
How to Stay Sane While Homeschooling
How to Make Homeschooling Fun(and less of a struggle)
