Keeping a schedule is an important tool for any homemaker that is trying to manage her home well.
I am not a structured homemaker that runs a tight schedule. I would fall into the other side of loose and fancy-free with our schedule.
We have no dedicated bedtime, no set morning time. The only schedule we follow is lunch at noon, and supper at 6. Laundry on Thursday, and house cleaning on Friday.
That’s it. And I strongly dislike it.
A home that is orderly and structured helps us to guard our homes diligently. If we take a look at our Great God, and how He has created things, we see nothing BUT order.
The galaxies, the seasons, moon eclipses, time, all follow a consistent routine that is predictable and stable.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”
It is easy to believe that a go with the flow daily schedule will result in a more relaxed and fun atmosphere in our home. However, the opposite is true.
Not only do I become a lot more frustrated and harried when we have no order, but our children also bicker more, they become moodier, and the frustration level rises all around.
Following a schedule takes self-discipline. That’s where I fail a lot, and where I need to put in some work.
Finding the solution to WHY you have little self-discipline will help you find resources and tips to keep you from that state of frustration.
Without a daily routine, it is easy for days to pass by before realizing that you have neglected the important stuff like prayer and Bible reading.
I was recently very convicted when I listened to a message about time.
I have often used the excuse that I don’t have time to do this and that. Yes, I homeschool five children and am busy.
But when I say that I don’t have time, what I really mean is that it is not important enough for me at this time.
It’s ok to prioritize things. We have different seasons in life, and some things need to go to the wayside.
That doesn’t mean they always will.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
Focusing our eyes on what is truly important, and doing those things will help us to use our time wisely
If you’re just here for the free Printable Stay At Home Mom Daily Schedule Template, you can get that here!
Why Should You Have A Schedule As A Stay At Home Mom?
Your children are more secure
Children thrive in a predictable routine. If they know what is expected of them, they are much more secure. In the way consistency is so important to child training, consistency in your day-to-day schedule also brings stability.
You will be calmer
Consistency doesn’t just bring peace to children, it also makes a mother less overwhelmed and calmer.
I have a hard time being a joy-filled mother of children when my house is a disaster, my children are being unruly, and everything is chaotic.
Your Chilren Are Happiest When Life is Predictable
There are some of us (guilty!) that struggle with change. and while change is often necessary, change in your stay-at-home schedule brings upheaval into a home.
IT will help you Say No To unnecessary Things
Having clarity over your day-to-day schedule will help you say no to things that are of no value to you.
While visiting and building friendships is very important, going about and being idle is no fruit of the spirit.
It will Help you Say Yes to Things You Care About
It will also help you to say yes to the things that you really care about. Having a routine at home will actually give you more time, not less.
A lot of time gets wasted trying to get things in order. If your home will be managed well, there will be less chaos to manage.
Less you think I am a pro at this, I am not.I struggle greatly with being consistent and following my schedule.
Knowing how to follow this schedule that you have made can be really hard. I am especially great at planning and writing out all my routines, goals, etc. Actually implementing them is really hard for me.
Especially when I am tired. And that’s my crutch. Finding what holds you back from actually following your schedule is where change will happen.
You need to find a solution that will help you follow your schedule.
Do you need accountability? Ask your husband or a friend to hold you accountable. One of my biggest grievances for myself was how long I stay in bed in the morning.
Every evening I would promise myself to get up earlier before the children were up so that I could have quiet time with the Lord.
IN the morning, I shut off my alarm and went back to sleep.
It was really starting to bother me. At one point, I started praying in the evening, asking God to wake me up at 8. He did!
The fact that I had asked for it, and He answered was enough conviction for me to get out of bed.
Another thing that I have started doing is turning on the delay option on my coffeemaker, so that promptly at 8 am, it brews me a coffee.
That smell of coffee plus my alarm is enough to get me out of bed most days. If I fall back asleep, I have to microwave my coffee (and I really hate microwaved coffee).
How To Create A Routine in Your Home?
Use the Template
Take into account the time you do have. Our mornings are for school, so there is little time for anything else. It helps to break down the day into time blocks.
Doing things in time blocks is a really efficient way of using your time. Focus that 30 minutes etc on a certain task.
Set Morning and Bed Times
This is one of the biggest areas of struggle for our family.
We are laxer on the weekend, and that throws our entire weekend out of tangent. Because we don’t have a school bus to start our mornings, our mornings depend 100 percent on my level of self-control.
I know, however, once we will have a set bedtime and morning, everything will run more smoothly.
At the moment, my aim is for my morning to start at 7 am, and for our children out of bed at 9 am. Lights out at 10:30.
Leave White Space
I don’t encourage militant schedules because there needs to be room for spontaneity.
Life will always throw you curveballs. Leave enough white space in your schedule that you can accept when things happen outside your control.
If someone invites you to coffee on a whim, go for coffee! Unless that happens very often, then you might need to take a step back and set some boundaries.
Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.”
Change it Up As You Learn
You won’t perfect your schedule on the first try. Don’t give up though. If you need more time in the morning, get up earlier.
Adjust things as you need to. Don’t forfeit the important things for earthly things.
Practice Self Discpline
My biggest self hindrance is my lack of self-discipline. So often I feel like Paul, the things I know I should do, I don’t. The things I know I shouldn’t do, I don’t.
Ask God for His enabling grace. He will help you to be more self-disciplined.
Ye ask not, therefore ye have not.
Printable Stay At Home Mom Daily Schedule Template
Print this Daily Schedule For Moms Template. What I do is print it double-sided, then laminate it. That way I have a dry erase scheduler that I can change up as needed.
Keeping a schedule is an important tool for any homemaker that is trying to manage her home well. But keep on trying.