Random Question of the Day: Scheduling?
Anyone is welcome to answer this, but I'd especially love to hear from stay-at-home moms:
Do you follow a consistent schedule everyday? If so, could you share the basics with us (or post the link, if you have it posted online). If not, why not?
My reason for asking is mostly because I am grappling with how to order our days. I had a pretty good schedule going, but now that Jesse's on a new schedule for work and school, Kathrynne is getting older, and the business is expanding, I am needing to make some pretty big adjustments in order to maintain order and fulfill my duties as homemaker, wife, mother, and business-owner in a God-honoring fashion. Due to Kathrynne's age, owning a business, and working as a marketing consultant for The Old Schoolhouse, it seems that a rigid schedule is not possible and a flexible routine might be the best solution. I would love to hear what works for your family and any suggestions you might have for me. I think we can all learn from one another and be encouraged to be the best keepers-at-home we can be!
Do you follow a consistent schedule everyday? If so, could you share the basics with us (or post the link, if you have it posted online). If not, why not?
My reason for asking is mostly because I am grappling with how to order our days. I had a pretty good schedule going, but now that Jesse's on a new schedule for work and school, Kathrynne is getting older, and the business is expanding, I am needing to make some pretty big adjustments in order to maintain order and fulfill my duties as homemaker, wife, mother, and business-owner in a God-honoring fashion. Due to Kathrynne's age, owning a business, and working as a marketing consultant for The Old Schoolhouse, it seems that a rigid schedule is not possible and a flexible routine might be the best solution. I would love to hear what works for your family and any suggestions you might have for me. I think we can all learn from one another and be encouraged to be the best keepers-at-home we can be!
posted by Crystal Paine at 11:42 AM
8 Comments:
I would love to have a "real" schedule. There is a normal flow to my day, but it's not very intentional (i.e., 10:00 Read Library Books, 11:00 Knit).
I've found that I set myself up for failure when I try to make my own schedule, mostly because I then turn around and shun my own list! I don't want to do this, I don't feel like doing that. Maybe I need to be harder on myself...or maybe I really do do better just going with the flow. I still seem to accomplish what I set out to with a little bit of reminding (I love my Household Notebook!). :)
I set goals to accomplish certain things each day, but the time frame for doing it is flexible. I homeschool and also work at home and my routine varies depending on how much I need to participate in lessons that day and what my workload is. If I don't accomplish a particular goal on one day, I move it forward to the next day in my Palm. (I love using the Palm desktop as my calendar.) I find having goals within a flexible framework the only way to go in our household. With the children's afternoon activity hours varying, I don't even have a consistent time for dinner, but my goal is simply to provide a sit-down meal at the best time for that day.
not a stay at home, but definately busy with as many activities as you are trying to pin down.
Flex scheduling for me works best because I feel like I'm not tied to it, yet I'm still accomplishing what I want to.
Essentially composed of solid schedule requirements and flex goals that I keep in list form. That way all the list items can be placed among the solid requirements as I see fit for that day.
Ha! We must be thinking alike today Crystal...I *just* posted my daily 'routine/goals' on my blog today. Here is a link:
http://herhusbandscrown.blogspot.com/2005/09/our-daily-routine.html
Keeping in mind that at this time, the schedule is pretty much as *I* see it...my husband works out of state so is only home 1 week out of 3-4 weeks. The week he is at at home, we just follow the wake/nap/bed times and the rest is up to hubby. :) My husband keeps a copy of my schedule with him at work, as he likes to be able to see what his family is doing.
If my Dh were home everyday than my schedule would revolve around his work/preferences as you have mentioned. But I have his blessing to do whatever works for myself at this time.
David Allen writes fabulous books on time management. Although they may appear at first blush to be aimed at people in the corporate world, I think his advice applies to all sorts of situations, including stay at home moms and people who cannot have a rigid schedule for one reason or another.
He also has a web site www.davidco.com.
cmc
Honey, you just do the best you can. I'm a pastor's wife on top of being a stay at home mom and homeschooling my three. If I get school lessons done and keep the dishes and laundry done, I'm doing good. My older two help me around the house, so they do some chores. Any major cleaning awaits me when the children are in bed. But that's when I want to spend time with my husband or curl up with a book. Oh my, what should I do?
If I kept a rigid schedule, I'd be dead on my feet. I just do the best I can. It's a flex schedule I guess.
We do flexible schedules. Some things are set... Family devotions at 8:30... school begins at 9, breakfast is at 10, and supper at 4:45. There are certain things the kids are suppose to do in the morning before devotions and things we all need to accomplish as the day runs, but it's not like; 'clean bathroom from 7:45 - 8:00' type deal.
If I have many things I want to accomplish I write them all down and then do them in the order as is handy. It's also easier I think because then you can do whichever thing sounds the most appealing. Instead of writing a letters when you'd rather be cleaning the kitchen, just because of the order the schedule was in.
I thought the same as you - I'm too busy and need to be too flexible to have a schedule! - but I was getting frustrated each day with how much went undone, week to week, and finally created one. I don't think I've kept exactly to it for one day yet :-) but I've found that it's helped tremendously as just a guide of what I want to do each day, and when's the best time to do it. All in all, I'm glad that I made my schedule, especially now that I'm pregnant and sometimes succomb to foggy-brain. :-)
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