Return of the Routine – Six Simple Steps to Success

source : http://www.southernhodgepodge.com/return-of-the-routine-six-simple-steps-to-success/

1. Rest

Pray that the Lord give you the motivation you need in the proper time. It will come. Don’t force it. Lean into Him and listen. Jesus set the example in getting away and getting with the Father. Step out of the urgent into the quiet, out of your regular spot. Look to the source of strength. (Luke 4: 42-43)

(Luke 4: 42-43)
⁴² Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; ⁴³ but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”


Jesus went into the desert to have a good rest and to be alone with the Heavenly Father..


Did you allow yourself some rest? Well today, while we are still resting, we are going to plan. Because every big game needs a plan. And we can be excited about the possibilities of the new year!


2. Planning and Goal Setting


I start blank. A new spiral notebook. I ask the Lord to guide me. And I write. Sometimes I list the obvious first. Math, that science curriculum, a period of history. But I also think of the age and stage of each child. Driving practice for the eldest. Learning to tie shoes for the youngest.

Here’s the best part – I am always pleasantly surprised at what else He brings to my mind. Maybe it is a character issue that needs attention. Maybe a new idea for afternoon quiet time.

In short, trusted in God hand.


3. Preparation


This is the stage I am currently in. We just finished a school room update I will share more about with iHomeschool Network’s  Not Back-to-School Blog 
Hop.



Here are the helps I turn to for purging:
• For the long-time habit development of decluttering, I have learned from Flylady: Tools Not Rules
• Time to Purge   – how I do this annual habit, including things for the children to do as well. 
• Lisa at Chaos Appreciationis hosting Five Days of Decluttering! 
• We have been slowly, frugally doing a homeschool makeover. We’ve added vertical storage with IKEA shelving and are organizing with baskets. 



Then there is the readying of supplies. Gathering of equipment for the game:
• Preparing for a New School Year   – Can you handle half an hour of school prep a day? This post explains how to spend just 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon prepping for a new school year.“So, I remembered a habit that both motivates and accomplishes. Fifteen minutes. Just fifteen minutes a day. It originates from helpful Flyladyand household management. “You can do anything for 15 minutes.” Well, last year I took that and I decided to apply it to school preparation.”
• Preparing for a New Preschool Year    “I also spend some time over the summer refreshing preschool activity bags. Activity bags are simply a zip top storage bag filled with a ready-to-go activity. The concept is very much like workboxes. Here are a few examples of favorite activity bag fillers…”



Let me stress that each of these concepts I’m sharing could ideally stretch out for a week:1. Rest for a week. 2. Plan for a week 3. Prep and purge for a week.