The Importance of a Homemaking Schedule

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The word schedule sounds like such an awful word. Most times, when the word schedule comes out of someone’s mouth we think of a time jail, barring us from having freedoms in our day, and steering us towards a timer that goes off every hour. And while that can be true for many people on a schedule, in reality, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Having a schedule in your day, compared to a routine, is not better or worse, but is just a tool that you are using to best utilize your time. And, as we know, it’s not even  our time that we’re managing, it’s God’s. It’s His time that He has given us on this earth to use wisely to spread His word, and do His good works. (Ephesians 5:16 | Matthew 28:19 | Colossians 3:17)

So for those of us who have a harder time keeping on task, it is important to know one thing:

God’s Grace is enough.

God is such a graceful God, and His grace is sufficient for us. So no matter how many times a week we’ve wasted a day away, or how many times we’ve really messed up in doing the things that need to be done, God is good, God is sovereign, and He will give you another chance each and every day.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

So no matter what is going on in your life that causes you to stumble throughout your day, know that God is there. Bringing on extra burdens of worry, and thinking that you’re not good enough because you can’t keep up with Patty Pinterest is dishonoring to God. It is the same as walking up to the cross where Jesus died with all of our sins, taking your sins (anxiety, worry, comparison) off of the cross, and putting them in your pouch for you to carry yourself. Instead of letting Christ Jesus do what the Father sent Him to do.

You are not God. You do not need to carry your own burdens, and you will not have a perfect day everyday…schedule or not. But don’t lose hope! There is no way we can be perfect, but there are plenty of ways we can serve God with all of our hearts! And the one way that we’re talking about today is by managing your time wisely.

So whether you’re a homemaker, a work from home wife,  a homeschooling mom, or an empty nester, here are some tips to help you keep a schedule in order to serve the Lord and do His works better.

1 | Give Yourself Grace

Schedules are hard, as I said before, it’s like a time jail (or so it seems.) Where you go from one activity to the next and if you don’t get that activity done before that annoying timer goes off, then you feel as if you’ve failed.

One of the problems that many people face when creating a schedule is that they either A) Put too many things in their day or B) They don’t give themselves enough time for activities. 20 minutes for Bible time, or 30 minutes for dinner before rushing out the door is not a realistic expectation.

Give yourself grace by giving yourself the gift of time. Ask yourself what is really important in furthering the kingdom of God. Notice, I didn’t ask you what was important to you, but what is important to Him. So if you’re being run ragged by women’s meetings where you share in more gossip than Bible time, maybe it’s time to cut those out.

Pray to God about what is important to Him. What is your purpose on this earth in the time that He has given you? Now, I understand that that is a large question, and I don’t expect you to have that answer right away, or any time soon, it is a good question to ask God each and every day. One day you may know that purpose, and along the way He will be leading you towards that goal.

But for now, listen to the small things God wants from you. Whether He wants you spending more time serving your family, and less time playing hostess, or if He wants you focusing your efforts to sew dresses for orphans, take time to listen to Him.

2 | Put God First

As we go through our days, we usually get up, shower, put make up on, eat breakfast, do some chores, and get into the swing of things for the day. But what we often forget to do (myself included) is spend time with God.

I find mornings to be a magical time, where the sun is rising above the mountain and everything basks in it’s golden glow. The snow or dew is fresh on the ground and is glistens like the gleam of millions of diamonds among the ground. The birds quietly wake and sing their songs of praise, and the earth itself seems still, and peaceful. But instead of spending this time thanking God for being able to wake up that day, we usually are already thinking of all that we have on our plates that day.

I don’t know about you, but for me that seems fairly selfish and ungrateful. No matter what you are doing that day, even if you don’t get a single other thing done, study your Bible, and spend time with God, and be grateful for what you have. Then you will have done the most important things that day.

3 | Eliminate Distractions in Your Home

One thing that really distracts me from my daily schedule is clutter. I don’t know about you, but trying to do work during the day and continuously glancing at the laundry pile that keeps growing is distracting. And sometimes, in order to get a good daily schedule going, you need to deviate from it for a day.

At least twice a month I find myself forsaking my daily schedule to deep clean something. With such a small house, things get piled up fast. So I am constantly going through, weeding through what we have, determining our needs, and getting rid of what we don’t need.

For those of you who live in larger homes, it might not be as evident. Think of what you really need, and get rid of what you don’t. It’s okay if your home seems more empty than full, because it’s the love that fills a home, not the stuff.

So if your son has 20 pairs of socks and enough shirts to clothe a country then I’d say it’s time to de-clutter. If you have paperwork and mail piled up so high you can’t find the cat, then it’s time to sort through it. Take a day, really go through everything.

Ask yourself it’s worth in your life, and it’s purpose in your home, and it’s purpose in helping you furthering God’s kingdom. If it really doesn’t serve a purpose, then it might be time for that to go.

4 | Bring Peace Back into Your Schedule

Many people suggest timers for keeping yourself on schedule, but I find timers to be annoying, loud and unnecessary. Instead of bringing that chaotic noise into your everyday routine, why not try something different.

Set up a Spotify or Youtube account and create a few playlists that are as much time as you would need for each task. Whether that’s half hour, or three hours. Create a serene, worship playlist that will play for a certain amount of time. Once that time is up and the songs stop playing, you know it’s time to move onto your next part of your day. Take time to create a few playlists with a variety of songs that will bring you a sense of peace, serenity and fulfillment so that you do not tire of the same four songs.

Being a homemaker, and a steward of your home is not an easy thing. Especially when the enemy knows where our hearts lie and is trying everything to keep you from serving your Lord. So when it comes to managing your time with a schedule, I hope that you can focus your time and energy to find what is important to the Lord.

If you would like to find encouragement and fellowship with other homemakers who are going through the same struggles that you are, then I encourage you to join our Facebook group, The Homemaker’s Corner.