5 Weeks to Be a Better Housewife - Week 2 - Time Management

Proverbs 31:15 - 18

¹⁵ She gets up while it is still dark;
       she provides food for her family
       and portions for her servant girls.
 ¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
       out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
 ¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
       her arms are strong for her tasks.
 ¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
       and her lamp does not go out at night.

How often do you feel overwhelmed with all that needs to be done?  Do you struggle just to keep up?  I sure do.  Somehow, I was much more productive in the home when I was working full time.  Why?

Routine.

I had a predictable routine every day.  Granted, I didn't have two littles to care for either, but my struggle began when I FIRST stayed home - pregnant but no children yet.  I couldn't stay focused and get everything done.  Once Buggy was born, things went downhill quickly! We had no routine.

As soon as I felt like I had things under control a bit, we learned we were pregnant again!  By the time bed rest started, the house was in shambles and pretty much stayed that way until, well, now.

It takes WORK to keep things moving smoothly.  To remember to switch laundry over before it sours. To empty and reload the dishwasher before dirty dishes take over the kitchen.  Routine makes the work automatic and makes things run more smoothly.  No longer do you need to think "what do I need to do next?"  You just DO.

What can you do to streamline your day?  Your week?  What organizational tools work best for you?  What are the priorities for YOUR family? How does this fit in with the BIG FIVE from last week?

This week's assignments:

• Reflect on how you can improve your time management
• Take a day and just be aware of how much time you spend doing various activities.  How much time do you really spend on the computer? Watching TV? Where are you wasting the most time?
• Take a baby step.  Take some action. Set up a routine - even for just one portion of the day.
• Share your progress in the comments and in the community!  What does YOUR routine look like?

My goal?  To create and stick to a weekly routine.  A routine that helps me get it all done each week.  Maybe: Sunday - plan the week; Monday - bargain hunt; Tuesday - grocery shop; Wednesday - tackle the paper pile/pay bills; Thursday - batch cook; Friday - MOPS or library, Saturday - family day.  Try for 1 load of laundry and 1 load of dishes daily and try to vacuum at least once per week.  Try for 1 play date each week.

Remember, it's not about perfection!  It's about progress.  It's about bringing your life into alignment with God's will for you.  It's about managing your time to be the helper perfectly suited for your husband.

Resources:

• FlyLady - a great baby-step plan to kill chaos in your home
• Maximize Your Mornings - free ebook plus upcoming group support starting soon (I'm joining in this time around!)
• Feminine Appeal - fantastic book based in Titus 2 - a guide to all things feminine
• The Excellent Wife - fantastic book with intense scriptural analysis into the Bible's outline of our roles as wives.

Join us in the community to talk about your routines!