I get it. I know life is busy and you are doing all you feel you possibly can. Your time is valuable and I hope that as I share these 11 ways to stay encouraged as a homemaker, that you will find motivation and inspiration to apply some of these to your own daily life and situation.
A mother, homemaker and wife all play an important role and function in the home. She is relied on for so many needs around her, not only physical and material, but also the emotional and mental needs of her family. Keep on reading for the 11 ways to stay encouraged as a homemaker!
In order to be able to fulfill and meet these needs around us, it is important and so vital that we are preparing ourselves daily to be fully equipped and able to rise to these responsibilities and needs around us.
One way we can prepare and be fueled for the day ahead, is to set realistic expectations, goals and desires. I have learned, (or rather am reminded) of this fact all too often!
As homemakers, there are hundreds of things everyday staring at us. Needing to be done. Calling our name.
Don’t over expect to accomplish more in a day then is realistic and practical.
It is easy when we rise in the morning and are in a refreshed and energized state, to want to get a lot done. That is all good! Keep up the motivated mind set.
Don’t try to potty train, can the salsa and baby sit for your neighbor all in the same day. Sometimes things happen, and situations arise. God will give you the grace and strength you need in those times.
It is much easier for us to start out with just a few “Must-do’s” on the to-do list and then see how the day is progressing, then to find ourselves frustrated and short on patience that we are running out of time or energy.
If time opens up to make those extra things a possibility to do, then you can proceed on to them.
Just don’t over plan.
Now on to the complete list of 11 ways to stay encouraged as a homemaker
1. Start each day out in prayer/quiet time/ journaling/meditation
It doesn’t matter what form of quiet time you do. Some mothers enjoy a walk around outside while praying and meditating, others nurse the baby while reading the Scripture. Or there are the mother’s who read/journal and pray. Whatever you do, it doesn’t need to be long, but try to set aside 15 minutes in the morning for personal quiet time.
I know several mother’s, myself included, who do Bible reading in the evening. Do whatever works for you! Just try to have some time in the morning of peace and quiet before the day starts.
Some specific suggestions how to spend your quiet time:
It can be reading some scripture verses, writing down your thoughts in a journal, or spending a few moments in prayer. I also use this time to write down my to-do list for the day. If I wrote the list down the night before, then I just review it in the morning and add or take away anything.
I also analyze my priorities: Is there something special I can do for my husband today? Is there a child needing extra help in a certain area and I should be more mindful of him?……
Below is one of my favorite Daily Bible reading Log journal printables that I use.
2. Use meal planners
Meal planning is a great area to save time and money. I know, saving money sounds a little skeptical? Like you’re going to make tacos whether it was planned on or not, right?!
Statistics show that those who meal plan and make grocery lists, based on what they plan to cook that week, spend significant less per year.
When you meal plan it should be done in the beginning of the week, or even the weekend before.
Often, Monday’s are used to meal plan and any food gets prepped for the week that is needed according to the menu that is planned.
Prepping food could include:
- Boiling eggs
- Cooking a crockpot of chicken to have for recipes
- Making a pan of bars
- Washing fruit
- Dicing ham
- etc..
Using a meal plan is so effective for reducing stress and anxiety. Don’t wait to figure out what to make for supper at 3 in the afternoon. It takes more brain and mental energy to plan your meal at the last minute than planning ahead all at one time.
Planning ahead will take a maximum of sitting down for 15 minutes. Grab several cookbooks for inspiration if you want, your pen and menu planner and begin!
Should you meal plan for every meal or just dinner/supper?
That totally is up to you. I do some of both. It might depend if I have a busy week coming up, am pregnant, have sudden meal inspiration, etc.
It is up to you.
Another common hindrance people have to meal planning is that they feel they are going against plans if they decide to make chicken instead of roast one night. You can change up the menu anytime whenever you like! The meal plan is in place to save you time and stress, not to cause you disappoint when you have a sudden desire for something else or you came across and fun recipe you want to try out.
See this meal planner that I use –link.
3. Use daily planners and schedule
A daily planner does not have to be inclusive, exclusive or by any means perfect. A running to-do list is also a great option if you are not a daily planner.
Sometimes I plan my day by the hour, other times I just list my projects and things needing to be done.
PLEASE keep this in mind- a lot of moms don’t enjoy or find productivity in a daily planner because things come up and the planner list might have to get ditched. A friend might have stopped by and ended up staying an hour or your husband might have needed you to run an errand for him. That’s ok! Life happens.
A planner is not a set in stone, vowed thing that you are hooked to no matter what. The purpose of a planner is to help you:
- stay focused
- stay motivated
and so you can feel accomplished getting those items crossed off!
One thing I do on my planner is to include several ordinary tasks and things I do. They are just as important and I love the satisfaction of crossing them off as well. Some ideas are:
- wash dishes
- make a phone call
- spend intentional time with the children
- take a walk
- take my pills
4. Block out time
Some things that are hard to getting around to doing just might need to be put on a blocked out time slot.
Things even like working on a sourdough recipe, learning how to make yogurt….whatever it is, if you are having a hard time getting around to it, block out 2 o’clock to do this. Just let life go on around you, include the children if necessary, have supper already prepped to avoid stressing over that, and anything else done and out of the way that could be a mental block.
5. Do something you enjoy
Whether it is sitting down for 15 minutes and reading a good book, pulling out the card making supplies or working on a fun sewing project, make sure you dedicate a little time everyday towards something especially enjoyable for yourself.
Yes, we need to be finding joy in all areas of homemaking and service but having some “me ” time helps to add some pep into your day. It gives you something to look forward to and fuels you as the busy day goes along.
6. Go on walks
Taking a walk is so refreshing and fills you with such a joyful spirit! Try to go on a walk every day if possible. It doesn’t need to be very far. Even just out the mail box if that is all that can happen. Something is better then nothing!
7. Ask for help
If you have friends, family, church friends or anyone else you know well enough and are comfortable with, ask if they would be able to come over and help with a project, watching the children a few hours, or just coming over for an afternoon snack and a chat.
It works well to combine a project with food (or a snack) and maybe sharing the results of your project. If they come over to help you can applesauce, then tell them to bring along a few jars to take some home in.
If you are making granola, offer them a bag to take home.
There’s something fun about turning “work” into a fun day with friends. Even just inviting someone over to sew or make cards together is enjoyable!
8. Be flexible
As I mentioned above, it is super important to be flexible in our schedules. We should not be so rigid that any interruption to our schedule turns us sour and into a bad mood.
A crabby wife and mother is not pleasant for our husbands and children to be around!
9. Don’t panic
Take each day to the Lord in prayer. Be vigilant as the keeper of the home, and be faithful to your valuable duties. If you find yourself in a stressful situation, maybe with the children, or the washer broke, or you heard some disappointing news, instead of taking out the frustrations at your surroundings, allow yourself to walk away from the situation, pray, reevaluate the circumstances, take some deep breaths and return to the present.
(Confession- I often eat some chocolate! )
10. Prioritize your husband
Our husbands are blessed to see their wives being joyful and fulfilled in the home. They are blessed as they see us tenderly care for the many needs of the children and that we are attentive to them.
I believe our husbands are most richly blessed when they see us, their wives, showing them unconditional love and respect. One way we go about doing that is in our actions to them, our tone of voice, the way we speak their love language and by prioitizing their needs and making time for them.
11. Create a cozy home environment
A candle on the table, a vase of flowers, the way we have the furniture arranged, it all speaks of either confusion and chaos or of cozy and serene. It doesn’t mean that the house has to be spik and span and that every toy needs to be cleaned up, but rather the way we keep house reflects the mood and spirit of those in it and the tone we want it to set.
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Check out this favorite blog recipes below:
Check out my meal planners!
Weekly 3 meal daily menu planner
Homesteaders weekly 3 page bundle meal planner
Recipe binder pages 5 page bundle
Don’t forget to pin for later!
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