16 Habits of a Productive Homemaker
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The most important work you will ever do will be in the walls of your own home – for you are no housewife, you are a Homemaker.
Whether you are a mama who stays at home, and your only job is Homemaking, or you are a working mama juggling both – Homemaking is your primary job. Meaning that keeping a happy and healthy home is the most important job you have.
As homemakers, with or without children, we are the heart of our homes. We are the housekeepers, the nurturers, the fixers, the listeners, and the grace givers. We often wonder how, or what we can do to be better – or wonder how “she” does it all.
Well, let me tell you to be the grace giver to yourself from time to time. Understand that as Homemakers, we do so much in a day that it can feel overwhelming, or maybe even impossible at times. But, there are things we can do to set ourselves up for success, and to be a better homemaker.
Here are 16 Habits of a Productive Homemaker
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Saying No
Saying no: This can be one of the most difficult things for us to do. Simply saying no when you want to, instead of saying yes to going out to lunch, family outings, running errands, or play dates that you don’t really want to, or don’t feel you have the time for.
It’s truly okay to say NO.
Oftentimes we overwhelm our own schedules, let alone finding the free time to do things for others all the time. Remember, it’s not selfish to put your family first.
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Recharge
Recharge: Take some time each day to recharge, or nurture yourself.
Each day? How?
Even 15 minutes can be enough to recharge. Dedicate yourself to reading 10 pages of a book each day during nap time, or a 15 minute meditation. Or even taking time to improve your homemaking skills, begin learning to sew, or garden, maybe there is something you have wanted to learn for years, start it!
The first thing I started doing was sewing. I learned the basics of hand sewing, then purchased an affordable sewing machine off eBay & started ordering from a sewing subscription box to get started.
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Wake Earlier
Start your day 30 minutes earlier: You can use this time to catch up on chores, recharge, do something off your deep cleaning list, or for the simplicity of having some time for yourself before the day begins.
I tend to do what I call a morning mindset session. If I am able to get up before the kids, I spend about 10 minutes going over my goals, and writing my to-do list for the day. This really lays the foundation for a productive day.
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Create a Vision Board
Vision Board: Create a vision board for yourself. Studies have shown that having a vision board somewhere you can see it everyday actually works – plus it reminds you to stay on track throughout the day.
You can put affirmations, photos of big gardens (or other things you love), a list of your short term and long term goals, and even quotes that speak to you.
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Day Blocking
Day Blocking: Day blocking out all your main tasks can help you from getting overwhelmed when they all seem to pile up at once.
I like to split up all my bigger chores such as cleaning bathrooms, house laundry, and floors throughout the week. Then fill in the blanks with all the smaller chores like dusting, watering plants, and wiping down appliances.
I also like to add in one deep cleaning chore onto a day that doesn’t have a “bigger” chore each week. This keeps me from feeling like I need to deep clean the whole house all at once. You can also do this with areas of your house that need to be organized like a junk drawer or a child’s closet.
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Set Alarms
Alarms: Using alarms throughout the day can be very helpful, especially if you are forgetful!
You can use alarms for switching the laundry, starting dinner, or anything else you have on your list throughout the day. I set alarms for myself on cloth diaper laundry days – since I wash them twice, rinse them twice, then sort and hang them. It’s easy for me to forget to run another rinse cycle or the like.
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Use a Daily Planner
Daily Planner: Use one! Using a daily planner has helped me tremendously! I fill it out during my morning mindset session, and it even helps me track my water intake! I made a Cultivating an Organized Day Daily Planner, feel free to download it and print it off for yourself!
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Consistent Sleep Schedule
Wake/Bed Times: This is where I tend to struggle the most. I can get my wake time under control but not my bedtime!
It’s very important for hormonal regulation to sleep and wake at the same time everyday, yes even on the weekends! Your hormones play into your moods, which also play into your productivity and motivation day by day.
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Delegate
Delegate: Delegating tasks to others in the household isn’t an option for all of us, but for some it is!
For instance my children are only one month old, and fifteen months old – so while I am teaching my oldest to pick up toys, I can’t necessarily delegate that task to him. But, those of us with older children definitely can! Even having them take out all the trash in the house, or switch the laundry can be enough to give you the extra time you need.
I do delegate groceries to my other half, this is because he works in town and I do not. So, it’s much more productive for him to stop and grab what we need, vs. me loading up the children and driving in to do it.
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Biggest Tasks First
Biggest tasks first: Do the most laborious, or the task you aren’t looking forward to on your list first.
This will not only get that task out of the way, but it will give you the momentum and confidence to knock out way more in your day than if you hadn’t done the task at all, or saved it for last when you are exhausted from everything else.
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Create Routines
Create routines: Once you get into the swing of things, and following your lists you’ll begin to create routines for yourself and your household.
Try not to stray from these too much, and in my experience it throws you all out of whack!
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Organize Your Home
Organize your home: Having and keeping an organized home will help so much when it comes to your daily and weekly chores and tasks.
Plus, when the home is organized it instills a sense of peace among us that helps us feel happier and more confident throughout the day. Being in these better moods helps us remain productive.
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Make a Family Calendar
A family calendar: Make a family calendar! If everyone in the house is old enough, have them write their own appointments on the calendar each week.
I imagine a big chalk board on a wall where we can organize all of our appointments each week!
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Communicate
Communicate: Communication in the home is so important. Whether it;s communicating that you need more help, or that everyone has been helping you so much, and you are so appreciative.
Communication keeps a family close, and keeps us from feeling like we are being left unheard.
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Make/Join a Goal Group
Goal Group: Start or join an already existing group of like minded women, that also want to be more productive. In a group you can all share goals, tips, tricks, and keep each other accountable for staying on track. You could even host monthly challenges!
Habits of a Productive Homemaker: Read
Reading: Read books on the topics of homemaking. Not only is reading very good for your brain, it’s relaxing and can count as your recharging time! Here are a few books and their affiliate links that I recommend:
Say Goodbye to Survival Mode by Crystal Paine
Theology of Home II: The Spiritual Art Of Homemaking by Carrie Gress & Noelle Mering
A Mothers Rule Of Life: How to Bring Order to Your Home, and Peace to Your Soul by Holly Pierlot
Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House by Cheryl Mendelson
How to be a more productive homemaker
By day’s end, we wear so many hats, dresses, aprons, and gloves. We are mothers, girlfriends, wives, homemakers, and most of all we are humans and we mustn’t forget that.
Don’t forget to give yourself grace, and take ease in finding balance in your home this year.
I hope you found some light in how to be a more productive homemaker.
