As a stay at home mom and homeschool mom, my days can feel very stressful and overwhelming. As soon as I wake up, I am up and running at full speed from the get-go. The kids get up and I am getting breakfast on the table, juggling home management, getting school started for my kids, and trying not to fall behind in anything while managing all the things.
Honestly, it's not as easy as it seems. It's easy for everything to quickly feel chaotic before the day even begins. And we long for simplified days. Can you relate?
When I feel stressed out and overwhelmed it's because I have too much going on in my life. I feel like my to-do list is a mile long and I can't possibly get it all done that day, let alone week! Do you ever feel this way? Do you ever feel like everybody needs you and you are only 1 person? I get that! Because I too feel this way a lot.
There are ways to alleviate stress, overwhelm, and simplify your life. You need to find different things in your life that you can simplify while better managing your resources.
Since I've been doing these 5 things for some time now, they are things that just happen and I don't have to think about them. My days are so much calmer with these 5 things going on throughout them! Some will find them boring, but for me, they are lifesavers, mind savers, and I don't have to think quite as hard. They just happen.
Here are 5 different habits that I have incorporated throughout my day that help me simplify life and keep my day to day life running smoothly. Try them and see how they work for you.
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- Plan in Advance
You need to start planning in advance - your day, your week, your month, the upcoming 3-4 months, maybe even your year. I know that planning out several months or even the year in advance can seem extremely daunting. But if you want a life on purpose and to live intentional, you need to plan way in advance. If you don't you'll find that you are allowing other people to plan your life for you instead of being intentional with your days.
Here's how this works - at the beginning of the year, sit down and ask yourself or your family, "what do we want to do this year? "What are our goals?" Having these questions asked and then answered will tell you what your family priorities are, what you are going to say "yes" to, giving you focus on how to spend your time, energy, and money, while giving you permission to say "no" to things that aren't as important to you or your family. Work through goal setting worksheets to help you get started on your family goals.
Write down any important dates, pencil in vacation time, any special events for the entire year.
Than, before a new season begins, check in and plan out the next 3-4 months. Revisit your family goals and see if you are on track or if something has changed. Have a plan for what the upcoming season will look like. Know that you don't have to do all of the things! If you don't do a particular activity this season, could you do it next time?
At the start of each month, make sure anything and everything is written down on the family calendar and in your planner. Revisit your family goals.
Before your week beings, often on Sundays, take a few minuets to look at the upcoming week. Make a simple to-do list for your week. Prioritize and pick 3-7 things for each day that are the most important and focus your attention on those things. Everything else will wait its turn and because you have planned in advance, nothing will be forgotten or left out unintentionally. Just knowing that things will not be forgotten about is such a peaceful feeling to have.
Related: How to Have the Best Year Ever
- Meal Plan
If you want your days to be less overwhelming and less chaotic than you must make a meal plan for your week. Planning my meals in advance simplifies my day because I actually know what is for dinner that day and what the meal choices are before dinnertime rolls around. I don't know about you, but when I have an actual plan for dinner, it makes my day so much smoother. I am in control of my day instead of my day controlling me. And that is a awesome feeling to have!
Meal planning will save you time, money, and resources while cutting down on food waste. You can pull something out from the freezer the night before and prep earlier in the day. I've used Pinterest, Allrecipes, and my favorite cookbooks to plan out my meals.
- Daily Routines
If you want to really have a more simple life, than you must create daily routines that work for you and your family. When I follow through on our daily routine, my entire family know what to expect, our days flow much smoother, we get more done, and everyone knows exactly what to expect when.
Lots of people think that by having a routine, it is going to restrict them from doing things. However the opposite is what happens! By having a routine with general activities in that block of time, you know exactly what you are supposed to be doing when. A routine gives you freedom and takes away decision fatigue. No longer do you have to worry about fitting everything in because everything has its time.
Remember, keep your routines flexible, plan events and activities accordingly so that they allow you to live your life to the fullest and not dictate your life minuet by minuet.
- Declutter My Home
I naturally declutter my house on a regular basis, but in January I went on a major purge throughout the entire house and got rid of so much stuff! Stuff that moved with us on a cross country move, got unpacked, than was stored in closets and drawers for 3 years! 3 years! Have I missed anything that let the home? Nope! Not 1 thing.
My house felt so much lighter though! The closets and drawers had a lot more breathing room. And as a result, I had more room in my life too.
Think about it. If you are constantly stepping over things, picking up things, and stressed out by all the clutter around you than you are going to feel overwhelmed, stressed out, and chaotic. How you feel is a direct reflection of your environment.
Get rid of the things that you don't like and instead have life-giving things around you. Surround yourself with things that bring you joy and things that you love. You will have more calm, more peace, and more tranquility with a tidy and uncluttered home.
Related: Organizing Starts with Purging
- Taking Time to Stay at Home
If you want to have a simpler life, than you need to stay at home more. Too many times, we find ourselves rushing from activity to activity, squeezing errands in the margin while living out of our cars. We eat every meal on the go and never have time just to sit and rest.
No wonder we feel like there is never enough time to get everything done! We feel like our life is too busy, because it is too busy.
Our bodies need to rest and recharge. We feel fatigued because we are fatigued! Look at your calendar and schedule time to have family meals, time for you to take a nap, and a day where you have nowhere to be. If you are finding that you are gone every single night of the week, than you need to remember your family goals and priorities. Consider stepping back from obligations and things you've said "yes" too.
Time at home can really refresh you and set the tone for the upcoming week. There is a reason Sundays are slower. Its because we need that time of rest and reflection. If you truly want to have more calm and margin in your life, than you are going to have to take a hard look at your calendar.
There are my 5 things that I do in order to simplify my days. Most of these things are done out of habit so I really don't have to think too much about them, they just happen. If you are struggling to take control over your days, then try one of these ideas. Look into your life and ask yourself what can I cut out? Or what can I cut back on? Maybe it's having meal planning or what you say "yes" too. Maybe it's something completely different. Only you can say for sure.
Remember, when you simplify things in your life, you will go from being stressed out, feeling overwhelmed and chaotic, to feeling like you have more margin in your life, feel less stressed, less anxious, more rested and calm.
Now that you've heard the different things that I use in my life in order to simplify, it's your turn. What are some things that you have done to purposefully simplify your days? Do you have any tips or tricks? What is something that you've found helpful? Tell me about it!
Now that you've heard the different things that I use in my life in order to simplify, it's your turn. What are some things that you have done to purposefully simplify your days? Do you have any tips or tricks? What is something that you've found helpful? Tell me about it!
Very well said! You are doing terrific! I very much remember the 1 cup rule, and I think because it helps with another stress in a mommies life, I have done the same thing too.
ReplyDeleteYes, Love the 1 cup rule. Our momma's are pretty smart! Thanks for stopping by!
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