Setting Realistic Goals for Your Homeschool Year

Setting Realistic Goals for Homeschool Moms — Achieve More with Less" In this episode of Near Stillwaters, we’re diving into the art of setting  realistic and grace-filled goals for your homeschool. As moms, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by long to-do lists and high expectations, but what if you could achieve more by doing less? I’ll share practical tips to help you set intentional goals that align with your values and fit your family's unique needs. We'll explore how to simplify your plans, focus on what truly matters, and leave space for God’s grace to guide your homeschool journey. Tune in and learn how to approach your homeschool year with clarity, peace, and purpose!

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Episode Transcript

(01:50):
Welcome back to my channel.
I'm Susie Lubbers.
A homeschool mom.
and life coach here to help you create a beautiful and balanced homeschool.
Today, we're diving into a game-changer.
How to set realistic goals.
And help you achieve more by doing less.
Sounds amazing.
It's not that hard.

(02:11):
But it is about being intentional.
Let's face it, moms.
We're pros at over-committing.
Overthinking and overdoing today.
I want to help you break free from that all or nothing trap.
And set goals that actually work for you and your family.
So grab a cup of coffee.

(02:32):
And let's get started.
First of all, let's talk about why goals matter.
They give us direction and purpose.
But here's the thing.
Goals.
Aren't supposed to feel like a heavy weight.
On your shoulders.
They're supposed to guide you.
Not guilt.
You.

(02:52):
And can we just agree that not every goal needs to be grand or a life changing event? you don't need to teach your five-year-old calculus or have a perfectly clean house every single day.
Small intentional goals.
Add up to big progress in the end.

(03:13):
Before you set up a goal.
Ask yourself.
Is this goal realistic for the season of life that I'm in.
If you're homeschooling a young.
Five-year old six year old, seven year old.
And you're seeing a baby.
Maybe this isn't the season to write a novel.

(03:33):
And the second.
Thing that we need to ask ourselves is, does this align with my priorities? Your time is precious.
Focus on what truly matters.
Whether it's deepening your relationships with your kids.
Nurturing your faith.
Or maintaining your sanity.
The next thing to think about when you're setting goals is what is your, why? Goals.

(03:58):
Without purpose is empty.
Why is this goal important to you? Knowing your why? Helps keep you motivated.
Take five minutes after this video.
And write down your top three priorities.
Just three.
It doesn't need to be 10 cause that can be overwhelming.
What are your top three priorities for this season? Then check your goals and see if they align.

(04:26):
And here's the secret.
Doing less can actually help you achieve more.
When you narrow in your focus.
You can pour your energy into that.
And to what truly matters instead of spreading yourself too thin.
Think of it like this instead of juggling 20 mediocre goals.

(04:48):
And you chose three meaningful ones.
Don't you think you'd make so much more progress on just those three goals? And feel less stressed about them.
Look at your current to-do list or your goals.
Pick one to three things.
That will have the biggest impact and let go of the rest for now.

(05:09):
Down these three goals.
And keep them where you can see them.
Constantly daily.
On your fridge.
on your bathroom mirror.
Anywhere.
And you know what a goal can be.
Just to smile.
Just smile.
That can be a goal because sometimes even just smiling can be hard when you're busy all the time.

(05:31):
I talked to talk about what I call the smart goals.
You've probably heard of them before.
But let's break those smart goals down into homeschool mom style.
So smart goals should be S for specific.
what is it exactly that you want to accomplish? Instead of, I want to get organized.

(05:52):
Try to say, I want to create a homeschool routine that includes.
30 minutes.
Of my day to help me get more organized.
Or 30 minutes of my day.
To include self care.
Make sure your goals are measurable.
So when you feel like you've really accomplished the goal that you set out to accomplish.

(06:14):
Make sure that your goals are attainable.
be realistic.
Don't aim for perfection.
Are the goals that you're setting relevant.
Does this goal align with your priorities? The last aspect to look at is time bound.

(06:36):
Give yourself a deadline.
To stay focused on when you want to get that goal accomplished.
Pick one of your goals.
And rewrite it using the smart method.
You'll be amazed at how much clearer and actionable that goal becomes.
Let's be real life happens.

(06:56):
Kids get sick.
The house gets messy.
And some days you're just too tired to crush your goals.
And that's okay.
Progress is better than perfection.
In fact, it's way better because you'll never achieve perfection.
But here's some tips to help you stay motivated on the hard days.

(07:18):
break your goals down.
Big goals can feel overwhelming.
Break them into small, actionable steps.
For example.
cleaning out your kitchen, cupboards.
Maybe you can break that down into clean two cupboards twice a day.
So now you're doing two 15 minute time blocks.

(07:39):
And you spent 30 minutes Cleaning your cupboards out.
within a few days, you'll reach that goal.
And that goal will be completed.
A better way would be to block it 15 minute goals.
for three days.
And maybe you'll accomplish the same thing.
It's good to celebrate your wins.
Did you check off one step today? Celebrated.

(08:02):
Progress is progress, no matter how slow.
In fact, sometimes taking it slower is better than getting a lot accomplished.
And then crashing the next day.
Accountability.
Share your goals.
With a friend or with your spouse.
Having someone to cheer you on or just keep you accountable.
Makes all the difference.

(08:23):
And I want you to know that I'm here.
If you want somebody to be accountable to for all your goals.
We can set them up together.
And Make sure that they get accomplished together.
Make sure you adjust your goals as needed.
Life changes.
And so can your goals.
Give yourself permission to pivot.

(08:43):
If something didn't work out right.
Change it so that it does work out right the next time.
And that will give you the confidence you need to keep going.
Write down one small step that you can take toward one of your goals today.
Remember small steps.
Lead to big changes.

(09:03):
And here's a quick story.
Last year I set a goal.
To have a perfectly clean.
Storage room.
Do you know how long that lasted? It didn't last more than a week.
Maybe two weeks.
I don't remember when.
There was everything all over the place.
I put stuff in my storage room.

(09:25):
And I didn't put it in the right spot.
And soon before I knew it.
There decorations and things all over the place.
And.
It wasn't working.
I knew then that I could not keep.
My room.
Perfect.
All the time.

(09:45):
And I had to work.
Toward a goal.
That was much more specific than I'm going to keep my storage room clean.
So if your goal get messy.
Don't stress.
Life is messy.
And that's what makes it beautiful.
mamas you're capable of so much.
But remember success isn't in how much you do.

(10:09):
It's about how well you focus on what truly matters.
By setting realistic, intentional goals.
You're giving yourself the freedom to thrive instead of just survive.
What's one goal you're working on.
This season.
Focus on it.
And let's cheer each other on..

(10:29):
Share it with another homeschool mom who needs some encouragement today.
For weekly tips and inspiration.
Until next time.
Stay rooted in grace.
And keep moving.
Forward one step at a time.
Goodbye for now.