Monday Motivation

Years ago, I remember reading an article that tried to put a monetary value on motherhood – it is well over 100k – and lists all these things that moms do. The cleaning, counseling, driving, cooking, teaching, and more and gives it an arbitrary monetary value (If someone would love to pay me that I’ll gladly accept). But despite those high claiming numbers of how much we’re worth as moms it is very easy to lose our motivation in the day to day. Trust me, I know. We have all wished for the, I dream of Jennie days, when we could nod our head and everything was done. However, this is not our reality. We need to stay motivated – in motion.
A few things to help.

Get organized. I know this one seems really hard, but this is where a good girlfriend or grandma comes into play. Take a few hors and organize your space. Clutter create frustration. We have done little unofficial experiments. Clear open space that is organized helps bring calm.

Use a large family planner/calendar.  This will help keep you and the family more organized about what will be going on this month. Planning is more and more crucial as the family expands and gets older. Knowing your schedule will help to bring peace into your day.

Family meetings-  Call whatever you would like, but these are a weekly time to come together to celebrate the family.  What we accomplished,  what we need to pray for, and what activities are coming up all happen here. Communication is key to staying motivated.

You time- Don't ever forget to have you time. This a time for you to recharge your battery.  If you serve without replenishing you will get burned out and be frustrated. Figure out what gets you going. Remember,  to block off the you time on the family planner. The family needs to know not to bother you during this time.

Get your kids involved- kids love to help, especially when they are young. Get them involved in laundry, doing the dishes. I know, yes it takes longer and it's not exactly like you want it, but they have to learn. The younger they are the easier it is to get them motivated. Show them how they contribute to, and not just consume from their family. These are life long memories you are making. It is always interesting the perspective our kids have as they express the things that meant the most to them. They grow up really fast.

And as always remember to...live Blessed