Homeschool Science Tip of the Month – Do these three things so you won’t burnout before the year is done.

It’s February, often known as the doldrums of homeschooling. The newness of our curriculum has worn off and the momentum of those resolutions is starting to wane.

It can feel as if we are in the trenches, repeating day after day – wake up the kids, feed them breakfast, pull out the books, do the lessons, make the lunch, repeat, repeat, repeat.

And if we are not careful all this repetition will lead to burnout. I’ve been close to crashing and burning around this time of year more than I care to admit.

Over the years, I have learned that I need three things to avoid burning out in our homeschool.

1. Rest – This seems so simple, but I know how important rest is to restoring your sanity. Rest can be active – like taking a walk or a run. Or rest can be reading a book, taking a shower, or simply laying on the floor and closing your eyes. The point is to take a step away from the thing that is causing you the stress to be able to tackle it once more with a fresh perspective.
2. Prioritize – There are only 24 hours in each day, some of which you need to sleep and eat. You need to know what your priorities are, so that can choose what to fill your day with. You need to be able to decide which activities need to be done, which can wait for another day, and which don’t really need to be done at all.
3. Organize – Once you know your priorities, you can structure your day. I’ve found that when I structure my day, it alleviates a lot of the stress that leads to burnout because I know that I will have time to work, time to play, and time to rest. I don’t do well with a by the minute schedule, which is why is use the term structure. Instead, I have a general flow to my days.

Through the years, three things - resting, prioritizing, and organizing - have prevented me from crashing and burning in the doldrums of homeschooling.

It’s taken some time to adjust and I’m not always the best at keeping these things at the forefront. But when I do, the end result is a healthier me, which in turn creates a happier homeschooling experience for all of us. 

Want more tips?

Check these out:

• Keep Going
• 5 Tips to help you get it all done