March 27, 2025 • 24 mins
Welcome back to Time With A Homeschool Mom! Today, we’re tackling the ultimate homeschool mom challenge—balancing productivity with the much-needed downtime we all deserve. If you ever feel like there’s just never enough time, you’re not alone!
In this episode, I’m sharing my best time management strategies, organization tips, and how I make space for self-care. Plus, I’ll talk about how Outree Sensory Toys help create mindful downtime for both neurotypical and neurodivergent families. Because let’s be real—recharging isn’t optional, it’s essential!
⏳ In This Episode:
✨ Time management tips for busy homeschool moms
✨ How to balance productivity and relaxation
✨ Why sensory toys from Outree are a game-changer for downtime
✨ Sensory benefits for the whole family
If you’re ready to boost productivity and prioritize self-care, this episode is for you! Don’t forget to follow, rate, and share with your fellow homeschool moms.
🔗 Resources Mentioned:
🧩 Outree Sensory Toys → Use code MEM24!
📚 Homeschool Productivity Tools → Amazon Shop
📝 Study on Sensory Benefits → Read Here
#TimeWithAHomeschoolMom #MakingEverydayMagic #HomeschoolLife #MomLife #TimeManagement
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hey. Hi. How are you?
It's me. I'm back.
We are talkingproductivity and time management again
because rightnow, Shanna needs a few reminders.
Welcome back to making Everyday Magic.
My name is Shauna and if you are new
here we are a homeschooling familyin our eighth year of homeschooling and I
find that not only amI constantly working on my schedule,
(00:21):
constantly adjusting what's working for mebecause I am a new person
in every stage of life.
But I just kind of constantlyunder construction.
And so today
I wanted to pop on and share with youjust a little bit about time productivity,
time management, homeschool,working from home, all of the things,
that really factor into who I am at anygiven moment and what is working for me
(00:43):
at any given moment,in any season of life.
Okay, so before we go any further,
we scroll down, hitthe big red subscribe button,
turn on that bell for notifications,and give this video a thumbs up.
Today I have notesso that I can stay on topic
because I am feelingjust a little bit scatterbrained,
(01:05):
and this actually plays intohow I'm doing right now, which is
I am not relying on myselfto get anything done at all.
I am writing everything down in multipleplaces and we're going to talk about it.
But I don't want to pass over it.
Today's video partner is out tree
and they are an amazing sensorytoy company
(01:27):
and I am very excitedto share them with you.
And it is not something that I everwould have thought I would benefit from.
And so
I am excited to share my changedperspective, so be sure to stay tuned
for that today I want to talk with youabout time and time management.
Okay, so my approach to time managementis usually
(01:51):
that I have a personal scheduleand a homeschool flow.
And I've talked about this many times.
My homeschool tends to be quite flexible,which works
very well for myself, for my children,
for our style, for our schedule,for the other things that we want to do.
Because I do put a very large priorityon the rest of life.
(02:13):
So for me, keeping homeschoola little bit flexible is really important.
If you've been following along,we have recently moved.
I have not done a good jobof getting everybody kind of back
into the swing of things, and so I'mhoping that articulating this out in
this video will help me get everybody backinto the routines that we are used to.
(02:35):
So getting up at a very consistent time,there's certain things.
If you followed my journey
along the years, there are certain thingsthat I personally like to do
when I'm a little bit of a self-helpjunkie and I go through seasons where I am
reading more books or implementingmore things, or watching more videos,
or understanding a little bit moreabout how I work, how I work best.
(02:59):
And I'm pivoting and tweaking my habit
to ensure that I can get the most doneand maximize my productivity.
So time management is very importantto me.
The reason that it is very important to meis that I am self-employed,
I work from home, we homeschool,and my kids are quite active.
(03:19):
So if I am trying to getall of those things
fit in to any given day,it is important that I hold myself
to quite a bit of standard to ensurethat those things happen every day.
Now, I know that being self-employedhas served me very well
in my homeschool life,because it has allowed me to be
accountable to deadlines, expectations,and things like that.
(03:42):
So I know that it is also really hardto do both, so I know that too.
So if you are curious on how we doget it all done, this video,
I'm going to give you a few pointers.
I'm going to share tips with you, thingsthat work for me, right now.
Because right nowShauna is always evolving.
But right now, Shauna,like I said, I've just been
(04:02):
a little kind of scatterbrained recently.
And so what is serving me right nowis making sure
that I am setting alarms for everything.
I am writing every single thing down
and not just in one place,but in multiple places.
So what is serving me best right now?
(04:25):
The tools that I am using right now tomake sure that I'm getting everything in.
We have a joint list for groceries
that my husbandand I can both add to from our phone.
I have a wall calendarthat we update every month,
and we update that calendarfrom a Google calendar.
Both personal work and a family calendarfrom a digital Google calendar.
(04:49):
It's in my phone.
It's with me all the time, as wellas anything that comes up or is important.
I have printed calendars in a binderand I also file away
any receipts for anything,and he schedules for everything.
Because I am an old womanand I print the things.
Okay, so I like having it.
It's not real unless I can touch itwith my physical hands.
(05:11):
So I like to print things.
Okay, so I will put them in my binderand that's for everything.
Coming up for the immediate month,I have that on a wall calendar.
Everyone can see it.We check the days off as we go.
So I am talkingdigital lists, multiple Google
calendars, physical familybinder, calendar.
(05:31):
I also have my printed planner that hasmy content calendar in it as well.
As I have started using the sticky notes
feature on my desktop on my computer.
I am not leaving anything to chancethese days, because right now, Shauna
(05:52):
cannot rely on right nowShauna, to remember things to get done.
And that is okay.
So I know where my weaknesses are lyingand I genuinely enjoy
marking things out on my digitalsticky notes.
I genuinely enjoymarking things off on my planner
as they have happened, and I have startedboth on my physical planner
(06:14):
and on my Google calendargoing through it.
Because like I said,our homeschool flow is pretty flexible
and I'm open with when we do thingsand how things happen.
But because we are all so active,because we do all have so many things
that we have to accomplish every week,my personal schedule is not very flexible.
(06:34):
So what I will do is I will go in physicalcalendar and Google Calendar,
block out those blocks of thingsthat are hard appointments.
Piano, my oldest daughter's activities,
my youngest daughter's activities,and I even buffer out drive time.
And then from there,I go back and I plug in our school time.
So this is when it normally happens.
(06:55):
These are the days more oftennow we're taking it on the road.
We're packing a backpackand getting in the car.
And then from
thereI then schedule out my work around that.
So I have started with the tasks
that I usually do on Mondaysor on a little Monday.
Sticky on my calendar, on my desktop,usual Tuesday tasks,
usual Wednesday tasks, andI just plug them in around the rest of it.
(07:19):
And this is that productivity structureof starting with the biggest things,
which for me are the thingsthat are scheduled and I am paying for.
Those are my big rocks,and I put those in my schedule first,
and then going inand filling in the other things around it.
Fortunately, homeschool is quite flexibleand we can still do all the fun
(07:39):
and amazing things that we enjoy doingand making sure
that I've got the time builtin our schedule for playdates
for, for example, todaywe walk to a run, attended a protest.
The finer things in lifethat are important
that I want to be surethat we are getting done.
And this takes me into my next bit.
(08:02):
There have been many times in lifewhen I am focused on maximizing
every minute of every day,and this is not one of them.
Right now, I'm in a season of lifewhen I know that
we all need to be prioritizingour family time,
our downtime,and recognizing the importance
(08:25):
of relax, recharge,and just being able to get back
to center, both as our family unitand as individuals.
So I am now taking time intentionally.
My husband and I are taking timeintentionally.
We're booking it on the calendar whenwe're going to sit down and work on taxes.
We're booking it on the calendar.
When we're going to have dates,we are booking it on the calendar.
(08:47):
When my daughtersare going to have sister date night,
we're booking it on the calendar,when we are going to have family time,
and that is an obligation.That's a big rock.
So we are making surethat we are getting the opportunities in
to truly enjoy this little life of ours.
And from that, taking these opportunities
(09:08):
to be our best selves is really important.
In this season of life.
We had a very, very wild and intenselast nine months
or so between kids activities.
The damage and remodeling situationin our last house selling,
(09:28):
very busy, intense holiday schedules.
We just need to be coming back to center,coming back to focus
and reprioritizingwhat is truly important to us.
And this is where I'm going to pauseand talk to you about our tree.
Now, our tree focuses on being the leading
online platformfor sensory tools, resources and toys
(09:52):
so that familiescan maximize their together time
and the happinessand development of their children.
Now they specialize in sensory toys.
And you may be thinking, okay, Shauna,but my child is not neurodivergent.
Neither are mine.
But I can tell you,
I've been doing my research sincespeaking with the people over at our tree.
(10:13):
And it is not only for neurodivergentchildren.
Everyone can benefit from sensory toys.
And I have a whole list in front of me.
And I'm going to tell you why one.
Won regulation and relaxation.
Even neurotypical people use sensoryactivities like rocking chairs, hammocks,
(10:34):
weighted blankets, or even fidgetingwith a pen during a meeting.
Swinging, rocking and deep
pressure stimulation help regulatethe nervous system, which can be useful
for anyone feeling overwhelmed, anxious,or overstimulated.
Number two focus and attention.
Movement based sensory
input can improve focus and attentionfor all people, not just those.
As 80 ADHD or sensoryprocessing differences.
(10:57):
This is why kids love recess orwhy adults take breaks for a short walk.
It helps reset our brains.
Numberthree muscle development and coordination.
Sensory swings help build corestrength, balance, and coordination,
which is great for child developmentin general.
Occupational therapistseven recommend them for improving body
awareness and motor skills.
Numberfour stress and emotional regulation.
(11:18):
Deep pressure from sensory toolslike compression swings or weighted items
can release calming neurotransmitters,reducing stress and improving mood.
Number five sleep and relaxation.
Many people, neurodivergentor not, struggle with winding down before
bed. Sensory swings,
weighted blankets and similar toolscan help cue the body for rest.
Number six fun and play.
(11:39):
Kids naturally seek outsensory experiences through play
swinging, climbing, spinning, jumping.
Even adults enjoy sensory experiences.
Massages, aromatherapy, softfabrics, and stress balls are all forms of
sensory support.
Sensory items are not just
for neurodivergent individualsand I honestly did not know this.
(12:01):
I am so thankful to the peopleover at outreach for reaching out to me.
We recently received our sensory swing.
It is one gorgeous and two.
My kids have been absolutely loving it.
Everything that you need to hangyour swing comes right in the box.
Ceiling bracket bolts.
It's rated up to 200 pounds,so it's even good for adults.
All you have to do is be a little bithandy to find a seat in the ceiling.
(12:24):
Now, my children specifically once
they're swinging on our roof deckand for me, I'm totally fine with that.
But we're in the processof having our roof deck
remodeled,so for now it's on the front porch.
We did purchase a swing stand,so that is an option.
You don't have to mount itand it can be used indoor or outdoor.
It is so easy to use.
(12:44):
My 12 year old took out the instructionsand was able to like,
put the swing into the fabricthat you hang it from.
So it is so easy to set up.
My 12 year old could do it.
I am so thankful to the peopleover at outreach for reaching out to me,
my children have played on that thingnonstop
and my youngestjust sat in it for over an hour.
(13:06):
She was so happy just sitting in the swing
and rocking back and forthand and truly enjoying herself.
I'm so thankfulthat people have heard our tree.
If you are curious yourself,you don't have to trust me.
You can do the research on your own.
Here is my code right here.
Use the link that I'm going to linkright up here in the corner for your own
incredibly generous discounton sensory products from our tree.
(13:30):
They have balanced tones, balance boards,
the sensory swing that we have.
They also have a pod that lights up,which is so cool.
So go check out their products.
And yes,you may not have neurodivergent children,
but even neurotypical peoplecan benefit from sensory items.
So give it a check.
Especially if your kids are havinga hard time winding down to sleep,
(13:53):
especially if your kids are needingjust a little bit
more rest and relaxation,because we can all stand
to prioritize a bit more of thatnow in our homes and in our lives.
Speaking of homes,
something that I know that I need to do
for my own home, my own productivity,my own time management,
(14:14):
I have yet to redesign our chore chartsfor our new home, and I need to get on it.
Because for me,the way that I feel successful in a day,
usuallyis that before we start our school day
or go out and have activities for the day,if I can have myself ready to go,
if I can have some sort of serviceto my home done in the morning.
(14:38):
So whether that's cleaning the toilet
or making a meal plan,something that is in service to my home,
doing some sort of chore,and if I can check a work box.
So whether that is filming a video,editing a video, getting something
ready to post,
if I can check all of those boxesbefore I become homeschool mom for me
(15:00):
that is a very, very great start to my daybecause it means
that I have already focusedon those other aspects of my life.
So that I can devote my time, attention,and focus
to my childrenin the homeschool hours that we have.
And like I said,we've been extra busy lately,
so those hours are becomingless and less frequent.
(15:20):
So it is more and more importantthat I am using my time well.
Time is
one of those thingsand I keep explaining this to my children.
It is. It's like a liquid.
It just evaporates.
It will.
It passes whether you're using itwell or not.
So it is really importantto be intentional with your time
(15:41):
because it will simply just pass you by.
If you aren't taking the steps to maximize
the few hours, minutes, daysthat you do get.
And for me, it is really importantthat I am prioritizing my family.
It is very importantthat I am prioritizing my children.
So what that means for meis that I've got to get up and get myself
(16:02):
going to dothose other things that I need to do
so that I can spend my timefocusing on my kids.
So my personal schedule is suchthat I do have work
events, work things that I am getting donevarious random hours of the week,
but I do try to get as much as I possiblycan done before 8:00 every day.
(16:25):
So for me, I'm getting up earlyand getting things done.
I'm getting a jump on the day.
That is what works best for me.
That's how I feel the most productive.
And like I said, in the last month or so,
we've been truly prioritizing as a family.
The rest and relaxation portion of life,
and I am starting to truly feelthe effects of that.
(16:49):
It's one of those things when you're busy,when life is insane,
like you recognize it and you can tell,
but when you start coming downout of that is when you start to.
Like,
there's been several timeswhen I just start thinking about it
and I tear up,which I'm not an emotional person.
It's just I think the
(17:09):
physical release
of all of that pent up energyand things like that,
and it's it's interesting to mewatching how that's also translating.
I mean, if I'm feeling it,my kids are certainly feeling it.
So watching how that's translatingto the rest of my family
has been really kind of crazy and wild.
(17:29):
If you want any detailson how I specifically plan our cleaning
or our meal preppingor our homeschool day, or my work morning,
I do have a lot of videos hereon this channel about how I start my day,
how I do all of those things,
but I am happy to shareas we are transitioning into the spring
and as we are transitioninginto that pocket of time
(17:53):
when we are going to be reflectingon this previous homeschool year
and starting to think aheadto the next homeschool year,
I always find it helpfulbecause partly with moving and partly
with the seasonal change,I feel like I am in that period of change
when I am able to start considering,what is serving me best,
(18:13):
what is not, what is working well,
I just I love the time changewhen the time change comes,
because I do feel likeit is such a monumental shift
in daylight hours and how I'm feeling,and it coincides with the seasonal shift.
And like I said, the
the reflecting on the ending of one yearand the starting of the next.
(18:35):
And for me, it is a great time to evaluatewhat's working and what's not.
And this year I know that
productivity is not my biggest focus.
It is balance.
And for me, balancemeans making sure that everyone in my home
is getting the opportunity to one doabsolutely every single little thing
(18:57):
that makes their heart happythat they want to do.
But two, that we are sittingin this quiet moments
togetherand really strengthening those bonds.
So guys, I hope that you appreciated
this chat on productivityand time management.
Like I said, time managementand discipline for me is honestly
one of the most important, probably themost important aspect of homeschooling,
(19:21):
especially in states like Texaswhere there's not a lot of oversight.
If you get off, it's really hardto get back on that consistency
and making sure that you are checkingthe boxes and getting homeschool done.
So for me, when I can check a work box,a personal box,
a home box before starting homeschool,it allows me
to be all in on that aspect of homeschool,which is another reason.
(19:44):
If you've been here, you would know thatthat is why we started
the Mom and Me Mondays,and that was because we really wanted
to start our week off right.
And I really wanted to know thatthis is the time that I build the walls.
I put the blinders onand we are all in on homeschool
and those things together,which makes us really happy,
gives us a great headstart for the week guys.
(20:08):
Yeah, I don't know any questions,comments, concerns, homeschool,
homeschool, scheduling, productivity,time management,
anything like that down below.
If you want to know how I planner flow,how I map out
our homeschool schedule, any of that.
Again, tons of videos here on this channel
I've been sharingfor about five years now.
If you want any further informationon Altri products, or you know what,
(20:29):
I will try to links and studiesabout sensory input,
for neurotypical and neurodivergentindividuals down in the description box,
they are not just for,neurodivergent people.
And I honestly,I honestly did not know the long list
of benefits for neurotypical individualsas well, with sensory inputs.
(20:50):
So super glad I have learned that. Now.
I'm super gladthat that has been highlighted for me.
And again,my children are absolutely loving
their double layered fabric sensoryswing from Ouchy.
We got the starry Sky,which is honestly kind of gorgeous.
I love that it's indoor outdoor use.
So easy, so easy to use, gorgeous,stunning, high quality products.
And I also love the philosophyof the company that they just want
(21:12):
all children to have their happinessand their best development,
and they're helping familiesalong the way,
not only with toys,but with tools and resources as well.
Don't forget use my code againlinked right down in the description box.
Guys, I hope you found this helpful,entertaining or informative.
If you did, please scroll down,hit the big red.
Subscribe button, turn on the bell
(21:32):
for notificationsand give this video a thumbs up.
As always,
you can find me right on down
in the comments or over on Instagramat Making Everyday Magic.
Speaking of time and productivity,I think.
I think we are in our 25th
25th week of homeschool,so it will be time probably next week.
You will be seeing our
(21:54):
third quarter end of third
quarter into fourth quarter of the 2024
2025 homeschool year recap, which is wild.
So it has been intense.
We'll see if I've been managing my time
well with everythingthat has been going on.
Getting back on trackbecause if you are not a newbie here,
(22:16):
you know that we were on the trouble bus.
But like I said,
things went wild.
We are coming down. We're doing okay.
Sometimes life gets in the way.
Thank God for homeschool flexibility.
That's where we're at. Guys.
Yeah, I think that's it.
Feel free to drop me any questionscomments concerns down below.
Check out today's video partner.
(22:37):
And yeah let me knowwhat is one of you are like.
Try and true eitherproductivity or time management hack.
For me, one of the thingsthat has always stuck with me,
is if it takes less than two minutes,do it now and don't set it down,
put it away.
Those are things that I findincredibly helpful for myself.
(22:59):
And like I said,if I can check a personal box, a work box
and a home box in the morningbefore I've left my house
before we started our homeschool day,I feel like a million bucks.
It truly, trulysets the tone for the entire stinking day.
I feel so incredibly productiveby like 8 a.m.
everything else is just gravy.
That's that'sthat's probably why I do it, honestly.
(23:21):
And like the dopamine rush of, like,physically
marking out things in my planner.
Oh, I love it.
Oh, if you want to know,I made my own planner.
I did bound,so I bought my little paper punch
digital planner, just
Google Calendar and those sticky noteson my like, desktop.
I love clear post-it notes, but most pensdon't work on them very well.
(23:42):
But I love clear post-it notes.
Physical calendar downstairsis just a large print.
I think it's 24 by 36 in a glass frame,and we just use white markers on it
like I'm not white markers, dryerase markers, or wet erase markers.
Even even better.
And then my kids do have a plan hours
and trying to get them into the habitof using that
so that they can be intentionalwith their time.
(24:03):
Because, again, if not, it just right out,right out the wazoo.
So that. Yeah.
Hard, right? Yeah, yeah.
I have learned quite a few thingsbetween eight years of homeschooling and
oh, God,
almost 20 years of being self-employedin various fields.
It is
it is importantto keep an eye on that schedule.
(24:24):
Okay.And your thumb on the pulse of the clock.
It is important, Jack.
Yeah. And as I got my.
Hey. Hi. How are you?
It's me. I'm back.
We are talkingproductivity and time management again
because rightnow, Shanna needs a few reminders.
Welcome back to making Everyday Magic.
My name is Shauna and if you are new
here we are a homeschooling familyin our eighth year of homeschooling and I
find that not only amI constantly working on my schedule,
(00:21):
constantly adjusting what's working for mebecause I am a new person
in every stage of life.
But I just kind of constantlyunder construction.
And so today
I wanted to pop on and share with youjust a little bit about time productivity,
time management, homeschool,working from home, all of the things,
that really factor into who I am at anygiven moment and what is working for me
(00:43):
at any given moment,in any season of life.
Okay, so before we go any further,
we scroll down, hitthe big red subscribe button,
turn on that bell for notifications,and give this video a thumbs up.
Today I have notesso that I can stay on topic
because I am feelingjust a little bit scatterbrained,
(01:05):
and this actually plays intohow I'm doing right now, which is
I am not relying on myselfto get anything done at all.
I am writing everything down in multipleplaces and we're going to talk about it.
But I don't want to pass over it.
Today's video partner is out tree
and they are an amazing sensorytoy company
(01:27):
and I am very excitedto share them with you.
And it is not something that I everwould have thought I would benefit from.
And so
I am excited to share my changedperspective, so be sure to stay tuned
for that today I want to talk with youabout time and time management.
Okay, so my approach to time managementis usually
(01:51):
that I have a personal scheduleand a homeschool flow.
And I've talked about this many times.
My homeschool tends to be quite flexible,which works
very well for myself, for my children,
for our style, for our schedule,for the other things that we want to do.
Because I do put a very large priorityon the rest of life.
(02:13):
So for me, keeping homeschoola little bit flexible is really important.
If you've been following along,we have recently moved.
I have not done a good jobof getting everybody kind of back
into the swing of things, and so I'mhoping that articulating this out in
this video will help me get everybody backinto the routines that we are used to.
(02:35):
So getting up at a very consistent time,there's certain things.
If you followed my journey
along the years, there are certain thingsthat I personally like to do
when I'm a little bit of a self-helpjunkie and I go through seasons where I am
reading more books or implementingmore things, or watching more videos,
or understanding a little bit moreabout how I work, how I work best.
(02:59):
And I'm pivoting and tweaking my habit
to ensure that I can get the most doneand maximize my productivity.
So time management is very importantto me.
The reason that it is very important to meis that I am self-employed,
I work from home, we homeschool,and my kids are quite active.
(03:19):
So if I am trying to getall of those things
fit in to any given day,it is important that I hold myself
to quite a bit of standard to ensurethat those things happen every day.
Now, I know that being self-employedhas served me very well
in my homeschool life,because it has allowed me to be
accountable to deadlines, expectations,and things like that.
(03:42):
So I know that it is also really hardto do both, so I know that too.
So if you are curious on how we doget it all done, this video,
I'm going to give you a few pointers.
I'm going to share tips with you, thingsthat work for me, right now.
Because right nowShauna is always evolving.
But right now, Shauna,like I said, I've just been
(04:02):
a little kind of scatterbrained recently.
And so what is serving me right nowis making sure
that I am setting alarms for everything.
I am writing every single thing down
and not just in one place,but in multiple places.
So what is serving me best right now?
(04:25):
The tools that I am using right now tomake sure that I'm getting everything in.
We have a joint list for groceries
that my husbandand I can both add to from our phone.
I have a wall calendarthat we update every month,
and we update that calendarfrom a Google calendar.
Both personal work and a family calendarfrom a digital Google calendar.
(04:49):
It's in my phone.
It's with me all the time, as wellas anything that comes up or is important.
I have printed calendars in a binderand I also file away
any receipts for anything,and he schedules for everything.
Because I am an old womanand I print the things.
Okay, so I like having it.
It's not real unless I can touch itwith my physical hands.
(05:11):
So I like to print things.
Okay, so I will put them in my binderand that's for everything.
Coming up for the immediate month,I have that on a wall calendar.
Everyone can see it.We check the days off as we go.
So I am talkingdigital lists, multiple Google
calendars, physical familybinder, calendar.
(05:31):
I also have my printed planner that hasmy content calendar in it as well.
As I have started using the sticky notes
feature on my desktop on my computer.
I am not leaving anything to chancethese days, because right now, Shauna
(05:52):
cannot rely on right nowShauna, to remember things to get done.
And that is okay.
So I know where my weaknesses are lyingand I genuinely enjoy
marking things out on my digitalsticky notes.
I genuinely enjoymarking things off on my planner
as they have happened, and I have startedboth on my physical planner
(06:14):
and on my Google calendargoing through it.
Because like I said,our homeschool flow is pretty flexible
and I'm open with when we do thingsand how things happen.
But because we are all so active,because we do all have so many things
that we have to accomplish every week,my personal schedule is not very flexible.
(06:34):
So what I will do is I will go in physicalcalendar and Google Calendar,
block out those blocks of thingsthat are hard appointments.
Piano, my oldest daughter's activities,
my youngest daughter's activities,and I even buffer out drive time.
And then from there,I go back and I plug in our school time.
So this is when it normally happens.
(06:55):
These are the days more oftennow we're taking it on the road.
We're packing a backpackand getting in the car.
And then from
thereI then schedule out my work around that.
So I have started with the tasks
that I usually do on Mondaysor on a little Monday.
Sticky on my calendar, on my desktop,usual Tuesday tasks,
usual Wednesday tasks, andI just plug them in around the rest of it.
(07:19):
And this is that productivity structureof starting with the biggest things,
which for me are the thingsthat are scheduled and I am paying for.
Those are my big rocks,and I put those in my schedule first,
and then going inand filling in the other things around it.
Fortunately, homeschool is quite flexibleand we can still do all the fun
(07:39):
and amazing things that we enjoy doingand making sure
that I've got the time builtin our schedule for playdates
for, for example, todaywe walk to a run, attended a protest.
The finer things in lifethat are important
that I want to be surethat we are getting done.
And this takes me into my next bit.
(08:02):
There have been many times in lifewhen I am focused on maximizing
every minute of every day,and this is not one of them.
Right now, I'm in a season of lifewhen I know that
we all need to be prioritizingour family time,
our downtime,and recognizing the importance
(08:25):
of relax, recharge,and just being able to get back
to center, both as our family unitand as individuals.
So I am now taking time intentionally.
My husband and I are taking timeintentionally.
We're booking it on the calendar whenwe're going to sit down and work on taxes.
We're booking it on the calendar.
When we're going to have dates,we are booking it on the calendar.
(08:47):
When my daughtersare going to have sister date night,
we're booking it on the calendar,when we are going to have family time,
and that is an obligation.That's a big rock.
So we are making surethat we are getting the opportunities in
to truly enjoy this little life of ours.
And from that, taking these opportunities
(09:08):
to be our best selves is really important.
In this season of life.
We had a very, very wild and intenselast nine months
or so between kids activities.
The damage and remodeling situationin our last house selling,
(09:28):
very busy, intense holiday schedules.
We just need to be coming back to center,coming back to focus
and reprioritizingwhat is truly important to us.
And this is where I'm going to pauseand talk to you about our tree.
Now, our tree focuses on being the leading
online platformfor sensory tools, resources and toys
(09:52):
so that familiescan maximize their together time
and the happinessand development of their children.
Now they specialize in sensory toys.
And you may be thinking, okay, Shauna,but my child is not neurodivergent.
Neither are mine.
But I can tell you,
I've been doing my research sincespeaking with the people over at our tree.
(10:13):
And it is not only for neurodivergentchildren.
Everyone can benefit from sensory toys.
And I have a whole list in front of me.
And I'm going to tell you why one.
Won regulation and relaxation.
Even neurotypical people use sensoryactivities like rocking chairs, hammocks,
(10:34):
weighted blankets, or even fidgetingwith a pen during a meeting.
Swinging, rocking and deep
pressure stimulation help regulatethe nervous system, which can be useful
for anyone feeling overwhelmed, anxious,or overstimulated.
Number two focus and attention.
Movement based sensory
input can improve focus and attentionfor all people, not just those.
As 80 ADHD or sensoryprocessing differences.
(10:57):
This is why kids love recess orwhy adults take breaks for a short walk.
It helps reset our brains.
Numberthree muscle development and coordination.
Sensory swings help build corestrength, balance, and coordination,
which is great for child developmentin general.
Occupational therapistseven recommend them for improving body
awareness and motor skills.
Numberfour stress and emotional regulation.
(11:18):
Deep pressure from sensory toolslike compression swings or weighted items
can release calming neurotransmitters,reducing stress and improving mood.
Number five sleep and relaxation.
Many people, neurodivergentor not, struggle with winding down before
bed. Sensory swings,
weighted blankets and similar toolscan help cue the body for rest.
Number six fun and play.
(11:39):
Kids naturally seek outsensory experiences through play
swinging, climbing, spinning, jumping.
Even adults enjoy sensory experiences.
Massages, aromatherapy, softfabrics, and stress balls are all forms of
sensory support.
Sensory items are not just
for neurodivergent individualsand I honestly did not know this.
(12:01):
I am so thankful to the peopleover at outreach for reaching out to me.
We recently received our sensory swing.
It is one gorgeous and two.
My kids have been absolutely loving it.
Everything that you need to hangyour swing comes right in the box.
Ceiling bracket bolts.
It's rated up to 200 pounds,so it's even good for adults.
All you have to do is be a little bithandy to find a seat in the ceiling.
(12:24):
Now, my children specifically once
they're swinging on our roof deckand for me, I'm totally fine with that.
But we're in the processof having our roof deck
remodeled,so for now it's on the front porch.
We did purchase a swing stand,so that is an option.
You don't have to mount itand it can be used indoor or outdoor.
It is so easy to use.
(12:44):
My 12 year old took out the instructionsand was able to like,
put the swing into the fabricthat you hang it from.
So it is so easy to set up.
My 12 year old could do it.
I am so thankful to the peopleover at outreach for reaching out to me,
my children have played on that thingnonstop
and my youngestjust sat in it for over an hour.
(13:06):
She was so happy just sitting in the swing
and rocking back and forthand and truly enjoying herself.
I'm so thankfulthat people have heard our tree.
If you are curious yourself,you don't have to trust me.
You can do the research on your own.
Here is my code right here.
Use the link that I'm going to linkright up here in the corner for your own
incredibly generous discounton sensory products from our tree.
(13:30):
They have balanced tones, balance boards,
the sensory swing that we have.
They also have a pod that lights up,which is so cool.
So go check out their products.
And yes,you may not have neurodivergent children,
but even neurotypical peoplecan benefit from sensory items.
So give it a check.
Especially if your kids are havinga hard time winding down to sleep,
(13:53):
especially if your kids are needingjust a little bit
more rest and relaxation,because we can all stand
to prioritize a bit more of thatnow in our homes and in our lives.
Speaking of homes,
something that I know that I need to do
for my own home, my own productivity,my own time management,
(14:14):
I have yet to redesign our chore chartsfor our new home, and I need to get on it.
Because for me,the way that I feel successful in a day,
usuallyis that before we start our school day
or go out and have activities for the day,if I can have myself ready to go,
if I can have some sort of serviceto my home done in the morning.
(14:38):
So whether that's cleaning the toilet
or making a meal plan,something that is in service to my home,
doing some sort of chore,and if I can check a work box.
So whether that is filming a video,editing a video, getting something
ready to post,
if I can check all of those boxesbefore I become homeschool mom for me
(15:00):
that is a very, very great start to my daybecause it means
that I have already focusedon those other aspects of my life.
So that I can devote my time, attention,and focus
to my childrenin the homeschool hours that we have.
And like I said,we've been extra busy lately,
so those hours are becomingless and less frequent.
(15:20):
So it is more and more importantthat I am using my time well.
Time is
one of those thingsand I keep explaining this to my children.
It is. It's like a liquid.
It just evaporates.
It will.
It passes whether you're using itwell or not.
So it is really importantto be intentional with your time
(15:41):
because it will simply just pass you by.
If you aren't taking the steps to maximize
the few hours, minutes, daysthat you do get.
And for me, it is really importantthat I am prioritizing my family.
It is very importantthat I am prioritizing my children.
So what that means for meis that I've got to get up and get myself
(16:02):
going to dothose other things that I need to do
so that I can spend my timefocusing on my kids.
So my personal schedule is suchthat I do have work
events, work things that I am getting donevarious random hours of the week,
but I do try to get as much as I possiblycan done before 8:00 every day.
(16:25):
So for me, I'm getting up earlyand getting things done.
I'm getting a jump on the day.
That is what works best for me.
That's how I feel the most productive.
And like I said, in the last month or so,
we've been truly prioritizing as a family.
The rest and relaxation portion of life,
and I am starting to truly feelthe effects of that.
(16:49):
It's one of those things when you're busy,when life is insane,
like you recognize it and you can tell,
but when you start coming downout of that is when you start to.
Like,
there's been several timeswhen I just start thinking about it
and I tear up,which I'm not an emotional person.
It's just I think the
(17:09):
physical release
of all of that pent up energyand things like that,
and it's it's interesting to mewatching how that's also translating.
I mean, if I'm feeling it,my kids are certainly feeling it.
So watching how that's translatingto the rest of my family
has been really kind of crazy and wild.
(17:29):
If you want any detailson how I specifically plan our cleaning
or our meal preppingor our homeschool day, or my work morning,
I do have a lot of videos hereon this channel about how I start my day,
how I do all of those things,
but I am happy to shareas we are transitioning into the spring
and as we are transitioninginto that pocket of time
(17:53):
when we are going to be reflectingon this previous homeschool year
and starting to think aheadto the next homeschool year,
I always find it helpfulbecause partly with moving and partly
with the seasonal change,I feel like I am in that period of change
when I am able to start considering,what is serving me best,
(18:13):
what is not, what is working well,
I just I love the time changewhen the time change comes,
because I do feel likeit is such a monumental shift
in daylight hours and how I'm feeling,and it coincides with the seasonal shift.
And like I said, the
the reflecting on the ending of one yearand the starting of the next.
(18:35):
And for me, it is a great time to evaluatewhat's working and what's not.
And this year I know that
productivity is not my biggest focus.
It is balance.
And for me, balancemeans making sure that everyone in my home
is getting the opportunity to one doabsolutely every single little thing
(18:57):
that makes their heart happythat they want to do.
But two, that we are sittingin this quiet moments
togetherand really strengthening those bonds.
So guys, I hope that you appreciated
this chat on productivityand time management.
Like I said, time managementand discipline for me is honestly
one of the most important, probably themost important aspect of homeschooling,
(19:21):
especially in states like Texaswhere there's not a lot of oversight.
If you get off, it's really hardto get back on that consistency
and making sure that you are checkingthe boxes and getting homeschool done.
So for me, when I can check a work box,a personal box,
a home box before starting homeschool,it allows me
to be all in on that aspect of homeschool,which is another reason.
(19:44):
If you've been here, you would know thatthat is why we started
the Mom and Me Mondays,and that was because we really wanted
to start our week off right.
And I really wanted to know thatthis is the time that I build the walls.
I put the blinders onand we are all in on homeschool
and those things together,which makes us really happy,
gives us a great headstart for the week guys.
(20:08):
Yeah, I don't know any questions,comments, concerns, homeschool,
homeschool, scheduling, productivity,time management,
anything like that down below.
If you want to know how I planner flow,how I map out
our homeschool schedule, any of that.
Again, tons of videos here on this channel
I've been sharingfor about five years now.
If you want any further informationon Altri products, or you know what,
(20:29):
I will try to links and studiesabout sensory input,
for neurotypical and neurodivergentindividuals down in the description box,
they are not just for,neurodivergent people.
And I honestly,I honestly did not know the long list
of benefits for neurotypical individualsas well, with sensory inputs.
(20:50):
So super glad I have learned that. Now.
I'm super gladthat that has been highlighted for me.
And again,my children are absolutely loving
their double layered fabric sensoryswing from Ouchy.
We got the starry Sky,which is honestly kind of gorgeous.
I love that it's indoor outdoor use.
So easy, so easy to use, gorgeous,stunning, high quality products.
And I also love the philosophyof the company that they just want
(21:12):
all children to have their happinessand their best development,
and they're helping familiesalong the way,
not only with toys,but with tools and resources as well.
Don't forget use my code againlinked right down in the description box.
Guys, I hope you found this helpful,entertaining or informative.
If you did, please scroll down,hit the big red.
Subscribe button, turn on the bell
(21:32):
for notificationsand give this video a thumbs up.
As always,
you can find me right on down
in the comments or over on Instagramat Making Everyday Magic.
Speaking of time and productivity,I think.
I think we are in our 25th
25th week of homeschool,so it will be time probably next week.
You will be seeing our
(21:54):
third quarter end of third
quarter into fourth quarter of the 2024
2025 homeschool year recap, which is wild.
So it has been intense.
We'll see if I've been managing my time
well with everythingthat has been going on.
Getting back on trackbecause if you are not a newbie here,
(22:16):
you know that we were on the trouble bus.
But like I said,
things went wild.
We are coming down. We're doing okay.
Sometimes life gets in the way.
Thank God for homeschool flexibility.
That's where we're at. Guys.
Yeah, I think that's it.
Feel free to drop me any questionscomments concerns down below.
Check out today's video partner.
(22:37):
And yeah let me knowwhat is one of you are like.
Try and true eitherproductivity or time management hack.
For me, one of the thingsthat has always stuck with me,
is if it takes less than two minutes,do it now and don't set it down,
put it away.
Those are things that I findincredibly helpful for myself.
(22:59):
And like I said,if I can check a personal box, a work box
and a home box in the morningbefore I've left my house
before we started our homeschool day,I feel like a million bucks.
It truly, trulysets the tone for the entire stinking day.
I feel so incredibly productiveby like 8 a.m.
everything else is just gravy.
That's that'sthat's probably why I do it, honestly.
(23:21):
And like the dopamine rush of, like,physically
marking out things in my planner.
Oh, I love it.
Oh, if you want to know,I made my own planner.
I did bound,so I bought my little paper punch
digital planner, just
Google Calendar and those sticky noteson my like, desktop.
I love clear post-it notes, but most pensdon't work on them very well.
(23:42):
But I love clear post-it notes.
Physical calendar downstairsis just a large print.
I think it's 24 by 36 in a glass frame,and we just use white markers on it
like I'm not white markers, dryerase markers, or wet erase markers.
Even even better.
And then my kids do have a plan hours
and trying to get them into the habitof using that
so that they can be intentionalwith their time.
(24:03):
Because, again, if not, it just right out,right out the wazoo.
So that. Yeah.
Hard, right? Yeah, yeah.
I have learned quite a few thingsbetween eight years of homeschooling and
oh, God,
almost 20 years of being self-employedin various fields.
It is
it is importantto keep an eye on that schedule.
(24:24):
Okay.And your thumb on the pulse of the clock.
It is important, Jack.
Yeah. And as I got my.
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