Secret Way to Get More Done in a Day
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Homeschool moms are busy people. We all want to get more done in a day.
My days are jam packed and I’m going to guess yours are too. There is just so much to do – teaching multiple grade levels, cooking all of the meals, folding laundry, mopping up spills, grocery shopping, etc. The list goes on and on.
We all wake up with the best of intentions, but it is easy to get sidetracked.
Does this sound familiar?
You mean to get all of the school work done early in the day, but get distracted. You spend a little longer drinking coffee and checking Facebook, email, Instagram, and the news. The morning doesn’t go as planned. School takes longer than you expected and is stressful so you sit down with a book for a few minutes. Time flies by and before you know it, you are late running errands and getting dinner on the table seems impossible.
Been there. Done that.
When we first started homeschooling 7 years ago, everyone told me that one of the best parts of being a homeschool mom was that you could stay in pajamas all day. We tried it for a while, but I noticed that I was not nearly as productive on the days I didn’t really get dressed.
After some time noting how my actions influenced my day I came up with a secret way to get more done in a day.
Secret Way to Get More Done in a Day
Get dressed, every day, in real clothes. Do this shortly after you get out of bed.
It sounds so simple! It really is such an easy thing to do, but it helps keep me focused.
Real clothes have structure, zippers, or buttons.
Now, I’m not saying you need to wear a fancy dress and heels everyday (unless that makes you happy). You probably even have plenty of real clothes already in your closet. Jeans and a sweater. A simple dress paired with a cardigan. Go crazy and add a necklace or a pair of earrings. It doesn’t need to be difficult or take a long time. Just dress with intention.
I know what you are thinking. You are too busy to fool with getting dressed in actual outfits. Besides, the kids don’t care what you wear. You just want to be comfortable and start tackling your to-do list.
The thing is, intentionally getting dressed sets the tone for the day. It lets everyone around you know that you are rocking this homeschool mom thing.
You LOOK like you have it all together so you start to FEEL like you have it all together. When you feel like you have it all together, you start to feel empowered and able to get it all done. You stay focused and busy and tackle your to do list with ease.
Think of it as a professional wardrobe.
You are a professional mom and a professional homeschool teacher. It doesn’t pay well, but it IS what you are devoting your life to, so that makes you a professional in my opinion.
A few years ago, I was on a panel of speakers talking about my journey to homeschooling. Afterwards, a mom came up to me and told me that she really liked my outfit (jeans and a sweater with ballet flats- nothing fancy). She said, “You just look like you know what you are doing !” Yep. Dress for the job you want. That saying applies even in the homeschool world.
There is a stereotype that says homeschool moms live in yoga pants or pajamas. Prove that stereotype wrong! Yoga pants are great when exercising or scrubbing bath tubs, but they are not necessarily a great choice for tackling a to-do list that includes teaching and running errands.
Right about now you are probably thinking that I don’t know what I’m talking about. You like your yoga pants.
If you are already accomplishing everything that you want to do in a day, then ignore me. Your way is working for you. That is great!
However, I encourage you to try dressing in ‘real’ clothes for one week. See if it helps you feel more ‘together’. I bet, you will get more done in a day!
Don’t keep this secret to yourself! Share it with your friends!
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