Organizing Your Day With a Schedule

From~Jennifer Allen

Do you start each day without a plan of what you are doing? Just as I always want to have a menu plan for my week, I also want to have a daily schedule. There are many ways to have a daily schedule. You can have your schedule set into time blocks through out the day. Each block of time is assigned to a specific job or activity. A great resource for this type of schedule is the Managers of Their Home book by Terri Maxwell. I know several homeschool mothers who have used her method of scheduling and loved it. In looking over the book for me personally it was too specific in how my time would be broken down. I prefer to have the general jobs or activities I have for my daily goals. This daily schedule is written down and can be changed according to the needs we have.

Here's my current schedule:

Daily Schedule:

Computer/Blog

Breakfast

Prayer, Devotions, Singing

Clean up, Start Laundry,Play

Exercise

Read with Girls/Sing/Color

Take walk/play outside

Lunchtime

Pick up toys/Clean house

Nap time/Computer/Blog writing

Play/outside play

Clean Up

Supper

Within each day I have a To Do List. I have a white board on my refrigerator. Part of the whiteboard lists out the days of the week. I will write on the specific days things I need to get done that day. Let's say I need to make banana muffins, can diced tomatoes in a water bath, make a meal for a new mother, and run to the store for this week's groceries. Most of this will get done this afternoon and evening.

I think it is important for children to have a general routine of what they know will happen each day. It is comforting and helps them to have good habits develop in their lives. The girls know that we will have devotions every day after breakfast. They know they will have time to play and read. They most certainly know that sometime after lunch they will be taking a nap.

Of course there are things that come into our lives that need to be taken care of, or people that need to be helped that will disrupt a daily schedule. I would never hold to my schedule so hard and fast that I would feel life is falling apart if this changes. My mother has dealt with Lupus since I was 16. My Mom is a very organized person and had schedules. However we also had to be very flexible as a family. Every morning when she woke up could be a different day health wise. So the plans would need to change. I learned to hold things loosely and do what was essential for that day. Even though I love "to do" list I'm always ready to change it if needed. I tackle what it most important on my "To Do List" first then work my way down. Life is so much better when you feel ready for your day, and your week, with a general schedule and knowledge of what needs to get done. Things flow much better.

If you have never created a schedule before just get a piece of paper and sit down with a pen. Think about what you need, or want, to accomplish each day. Be realistic! Don't pretend you are Super Woman or you will get discouraged instantly. Try this schedule for a week then adjust it as needed. You may see a drastic change in your attitude about the day ahead.