5 Habits for Creating a Peaceful and Productive Home

By Creative Commons – rob surreal

As the mother to eight lively kids and wife to an inventive and entrepreneurial husband, I am often asked how I get it all done.  People who know me well know that though my house is ‘lived in’ and my desk groans under its load,  my houseful of kids are {generally} happy.

I may even feel like I am too unorganized or that my house is too messy and that I am behind where I ought to be.  However, when I am following God’s direction for my day, I can rest assured that I am not behind and that I am just where I need to be.

I have news for you.  There is nobody who gets it all done!  Knowing and accepting that fact is key to thriving in a large {or any sized} family!

As I pondered how to encourage moms who feel stretched too thin, overwhelmed or incapable of managing their large family, I came up with 5 habits that have helped me to have a more peaceful and productive home.

1.  Pray first and pray often.

If you spend any time at all here at Abundant Life, you will know my passion for prayer.  In fact, to be honest, I could end my list here and God could lead you into these truths Himself.  One of the most transformational and simple things I have done to effect my home for the better is to set my alarm and get up before the rest of my family.

If your children are sleeping through the night and you have the flexibility to tweek your schedule a bit, it will be well worth it!  I am not a morning person at all but I absolutely love my morning quiet time.  During this time, I read my Bible and perhaps a devotion and PRAY for my family, my self and my day.  By the time my husband and kids wake, I am filled up and more than ready to give.

2.  Plan for your day.

During morning prayer time, ask God what His plans are for your day.  I make a list of what is going on, calls I need to make, any business that I need to accomplish and my menu for the day.   During breakfast and our morning routine, I let everyone know what the plans are for the day.  Click here for a free printable Daily To-Do List.

3.  Prioritize your day.

I have written before about teaching time management to our kids.  The general principles are the same.  Having a clear sense of priorities helps enormously in being able to end your day with the satisfaction of knowing that the really important stuff was accomplished.  My priorities look like this:

1. God:  Rising early for morning prayer and time in the Word always seems to be followed by more pleasant and relaxed days.
2. Husband:  I try to make sure to complete the things that my husband asks me to do for him early in the day.  By putting his needs above those of my kids, I am showing him that he is important and he, in turn, is much more willing to help and support me when I am in need.
3. Kids:  I am pretty certain that I don’t need to elaborate on this one.  However, this area could have its own subset of priorities like Bible time, chores, school, reading together – followed by the fun stuff.
4. Others:  I include myself in here.  I try to take some down time each day {not always possible with a house full of kids}.  This is time for me to read, write, call a friend, check email or surf Pinterest.

4.  Play each day.

Don’t neglect to dedicate time each day to be completely with your kids.  When you go to the park – don’t be checking email on your phone!  Go dig in the sand and slide down the slides.  This can be hard for me as I am a ‘producer type’ who wants to always be achieving something.  However, to let go of my lists and just hang out with my kids brings them so much enjoyment.  We have all heard it said that no one on their death-bed says they wish they’d spent more time at the office!  Get busy and make some memories.  It does not have to be elaborate.  Have that tea party.  Play Legos.  Bounce on the trampoline.  Go to the beach. Go to the library and read to them.  You may actually enjoy it!

5.  Protect yourself from time-wasters.

Even the best of intentions can be destroyed without a clear plan to avoid time-wasting pitfalls.  Being a stay-at-home mom gives me a lot of time at home to choose how I will spend my day.  We need to be intentional about protecting ourselves from time-wasters like TV, Internet, email, social media etc.  Identify what your time wasters are and minimize them as best you can.  Melissa over at Momcomm suggests setting a timer for your computer time and limiting things like Facebook and Twitter if you are trying to get something else done like pay bills or go through your emails.  Focus your time squarely on your goals at hand and get lost on Pinterest another day.

As Christians, we walk by grace and as humans, are prone to fall short of the mark. On the days that you feel defeated and like giving up, remember to give it all to the Lord and seek Him for that peace that surpasses understanding.  Tomorrow is another day!

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

How do you foster a peaceful atmosphere in your home?

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