How to Balance Homeschool and Work Like a Pro
How to balance homeschool and work is something that I get asked time and time again as a working homeschool mom coach.
It’s come up so often that I even named my podcast after it! 😂 So I know that it’s something that new and newish moms who work and homeschool, worry and fret about.
So in today’s post I want to set your mind at ease. I want to show you that if you want to, you CAN work and homeschool. It might not always be perfectly balanced. But it is definitely manageable!
What is Balance Anyway?
According to the Cambridge Dictionary (yes, I’m going there), one of the definitions of balance is a situation where different things are given equal importance, or are considered or divided equally or fairly.
If you have any tendencies towards perfectionism like me, then this sounds like heaven on earth, right? It sounds so neat, tidy and unthreatening!
But unfortunately I have to burst your bubble because this is not what being a working homeschool mom is all about.
It’s much more about:
- knowing what’s important
- checking in often to see what needs your attention
- making sure you feel balanced
- accepting that it’s not going to be balanced!
Homeschooling Has to be a Priority
If you’re going to balance homeschool and work, then you need to make it a priority! It’s going to be really hard to find the time if it’s not important to you.
I have shared this TedTalk before but it’s such a good one that I want to share it again. Laura Vanderkam uses such a great example to illustrate this. She says to imagine that there’s a house emergency like your boiler going on the fritz. You will find time to get it repaired, right?
As humans, we can always find time for what’s important. So making homeschooling a priority is a priority. 😁
Think about your why. Write is down. And make sure to check in with your why when times get tough.
How to Balance Homeschool and Work with Intention
You have to be so intentional when you start working and homeschooling. You need to explore your feelings, why you react in a certain way and what your beliefs are about education and life.
It can be hard to face all of this stuff. But it’s so important to be open to doing so. Otherwise you’ll be flying on autopilot or become super reactive.
Apart from this, you also need to be intentionally checking in to see what’s working and what isn’t. There’s a lot of experimentation when you start out. And it really helps if you learn from your ‘mistakes‘ as you go along the process.
I like to do a check in every season. I’ve found it’s a good time to see if:
- my schedule is still working or I need to tweak it
- our homeschooling resources are still engaging the kids
- our bucket list from the last season is done and what we want to do in the new season
- I’m getting enough self care every day.
Self Care at the Top of the List
I believe you should be striving to feel more balanced rather than finding balance in everything you do. Because that is something you’ll probably never achieve.
One of the best ways to feel more balanced is to prioritize self care. Because when you feel rested and healthy, like you have joy in your life, and you have time to do what you want to do, the rest of your life will be easier to manage. Voilà. Balance!
I know from personal experience that self care can easily fall to the bottom of the list when you start homeschooling. But I want to implore you to make it as much of a priority as finding a curriculum or deciding on your homeschool goals.
Before you feel overwhelmed by having to add even more tasks to your day, just remember this. You can weave moments of self care into your day if you don’t have time for solid blocks. Some self care is better than none!
Acceptance is Key
Finally, you need to accept that perfect balance will probably not happen. It may be hard to do so at the beginning but it is incredibly freeing when you do.
Someone once told me that they aim for a solid B+, not an A++. And it really spoke to me! Since giving up perfection for done, I’ve:
- started homeschooling
- begun my podcast
- spoken at international summits
- and done lots of things I never dreamt I could.
Final Thoughts on How to Balance Homeschool and Work
Figuring out how to balance homeschool and work can be tough. But with your mind and energy in the right places, you’ll figure it all out!
I’ll be speaking in-depth about deschooling in my membership on Patreon. Because before all of these tasks, you need to be open to all the possibilities out there. And deschooling is an integral step. So be sure to sign up to get access to the workshop.
As always I’m here if you want one-to-one support. So be sure to reach out!
Follow me Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more homeschool shenanigans, advice and resources. And please check out my working homeschool mom coaching if you need some extra help and support.
