Motivation to get it done

Sometimes I just don't want to do anything.  Can you relate? Sometimes I would rather drink a cup of awesome coffee and browse through Pinterest than do whatever housekeeping items need to be done.  Sometimes, I am just tired. I'm married to a night owl:we both like to see the sun rising, but he likes to stay up for it, while I like to wake up for it. So, if I have stayed up with the Rev too late at night, I can feel that lack of motivation pretty strongly. He may be able to run on 3 hrs of sleep, but I'm pretty much worthless if I try it. ;)

I really feel pretty strongly that it is not just my job, but my calling to make a comfortable home for my family. I really do want to make a cozy place for us to do life, not just for us, but for anyone who might stop by.  So, what to do? Just pull myself up and get to it, right? Well, that might work some days, but other days I need a little more motivation.  Here are a few things that I do to help myself out.

1. Make a Wish List

I don't make To-Do lists. I never accomplish everything on them and then I feel like I failed. I make wish lists. I write down everything I am hoping to get done to make my home comfortable and my week easier. I put down the most pressing things first, and then I expand to things that would be nice to get done if I can. So my wish list might look something like this:
       
   
    *Put Beef Roast in the Crockpot
    *Wash load of jeans
    *wash load with underwear and socks
    *make weekly meal plan

     *make skinny chocolate with the kids
    *wash curtains
    *wash windows

See? Clearly, the underwear is way more important than the Chocolate, so I would put that higher up on my wish list. I know, some of us may have a hard time deciding that is true, but I don't think the Rev would be consoled with chocolate if he had no clean underwear to wear to work. Can I get an amen? So, there you go.

2. Get some help

My kids have their own little jobs at our house. Big girl is awesome at folding towels and putting them away in the linen closet, while Little Girl excels at putting away the clean silverware from dishwasher tray. Both kids can collect wash and help me load the washer, and they actually race to be the helper to switch the load from the washer to the dryer. I'm sure this will not last forever, but for now, they are great helpers. Whatever the age of your kids, let them help. It's not just good for you to have help, but it is good for them to help. They will love the praise for handling the responsibility well. I promise. Give it a try. :)

3. Set a timer

Set a timer for 10 minutes. Just do one of your tasks for 10 minutes. If you still don't want to tackle it after the ten minutes, fine. But most likely,  once you are up and doing it, you will just keep on going.

4.  Light a Candle

I'm not talking in a Catholic-like-light-it-and-say-a-prayer-for-help kind of way, although if that helps you, go right ahead. I am talking about lighting a candle for the sheer beauty of it. This is my favorite motivator. While I am notoriously cheap about nearly everything, I make an exception for my house candles.  I watch for sales and then stock up on a few really good Yankee Candle Jar candles. Like right now they are having a buy 2 get 2 free sale with free shipping.  That's a good deal!  But I digress. Anyway, I buy good quality candles because of how motivating they can be.  In my mind, I feel that it is a waste to light a great candle like that if my house is a wreck. Think about it: why bother making your house smell lovely if it is messy? Why light a pretty candle and set it on a stovetop you haven't wiped up after breakfast? (oh, don't judge. You know you've put it off at least once, too :) haha)  I have this drive to make my house worthy of my fancy candles. That may be some weird neurosis on my part, but I think you might find it the same if you give it a try.

5. Remind yourself why you do it

I do it for the Rev, yes, but that is not the main reason.  While I do love to have him come home to a clean and cozy home, and to bless him that way, I really need to do it because God has called me to do it, and I need to glorify Him in my calling.  The Bible says in Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men."  More important than the approval of my husband and children, or even people who might drop by, is the approval of the Lord.  I'm not saying God is going to smite me for not wiping the counters or vacuuming up after lunch. No, He is far more interested in the attitude of my heart. If the reason I didn't wipe up or vacuum is because I was being selfish or lazy, I wasn't glorifying God in my heart. But if the reason is because my child has the sniffles and needs some extra snuggles with Mama, then it wasn't a heart issue. Clear as mud?




After all this, I want to remind you gently to make sure you are showing yourself some grace. Have realistic standards and expectations of yourself and your household.  There are seasons in life where you have more to do than time in which to do it. The season with children in it is one of those seasons. Strive to be tidy, but don't expect perfection. You will not attain it, and you won't be any fun to live with if you try. Just do it as well as you can, just like you try to do everything else you do the best you can. It's all about balance. How do you motivate yourself to get things done? How do you keep things balanced in your home? I'd love to hear from you.