Homeschool Time Management: 3 Ways To Manage Your Time
After working and homeschooling for over 14 years, one of the most common questions is homeschool time management.
Time management for busy moms is a topic near and dear to my heart. As a working mom also homeschooling, learning to manage your time well is vital.
After all, time management is a skill, but once you get a handle on it, you’ll find your days run much more smoothly.
The first thing I want to bring up is this is not a bunch of time management tips from working moms or tools. Nor am I handing you a planner and hoping for the best.
While those things are both useful time tools for working moms, you need time management help specifically for homeschooling.
Before I share with you the three steps to homeschool time management, we need to define what homeschool time management is and why homeschool moms need this skill!
What Is Homeschool Time Management?
Time management is the ability to use your time effectively.
When it comes to homeschool time management, it is the ability to prioritize tasks, such as homeschool lessons, in the order of importance and allow enough time to complete them.
It requires sitting down and planning the best way to use your time. I highly recommend using a homeschool planner to create daily and weekly plans.
Why Homeschool Time Management Is Needed
One reason you can homeschool your kids as a working mom is that homeschooling is flexible. You can teach your kids at any time of the day, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Even so, you do actually need to block off time to homeschool. When something is this flexible, you can easily push it aside and do it “later.”
At the end of the week, you realize that you still need to check off the homeschool checkboxes! When this happens, you feel guilty and like a bad homeschool mom.
Homeschool time management can help you stay organized and make sure you are reaching your homeschool goals and meeting the homeschool requirements of where you live.
3 Steps To Homeschool Time Management
When it comes to homeschool time management, time management tips are not going to cut it.
Instead, you need to figure out your priorities, find the time to homeschool and figure out how you are currently using your time.
Let’s break down these homeschool time management steps.
Set Homeschool Priorities
When you are creating a homeschool plan for the week, take time to identify your homeschool priorities.
Our homeschool priorities were always core subjects such as Math, English, reading, History, and Science. My kids also needed my attention regarding these subjects, especially in their younger years.
They became more independent as they reached their high school years, and my involvement took less time.
When choosing your homeschool priorities, ask yourself these questions:
- What subjects need to be covered this week?
- How long will each subject take?
- What do I need to do to prepare for homeschooling this week?
- What extracurricular activities do my kids attend this week?
- Do we have a homeschool co-op? In-person lessons that we need to attend?
Once you figure out your homeschool priorities, track your progress and stay organized using a homeschool planner or to-do list.
Create Homeschool Time Blocks
The next step in homeschool time management is setting aside or blocking off time to focus on homeschooling your child. Time blocking for moms is incredibly helpful because it allows you to focus on the task at hand!
Depending on your child’s age, you may need to block off 2-3 hours a day or block off 2-3 days a week. If you do not set your own working hours, you can block off time around your work schedule, such as early mornings or evenings.
Communicate these dedicated homeschool hours to your friends, family, and anyone who might unintentionally interrupt and derail your homeschool by popping in to visit!
I used to send my mom a text before we started our homeschool time block to ask her not to visit during that time, but that she was more than welcome to take the kids to the park while I worked.
During your homeschool time block, focus on homeschooling your child. Open the books, read along in the book and have fun learning with your child.
Eliminate distractions by turning off notifications or putting your phone in another room.
Lastly, protect this time by not booking clients or appointments during your homeschool time block.
Using time management apps for homeschool moms will help you keep track of your time blocks.
Evaluate Your Time
If you are struggling to find the time to homeschool, take a look at how you are currently using your time.
How many hours are you spending driving to social activities? Can you use car driving time to homeschool by listening to audiobooks and podcasts?
Disclosure: I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Story of the World Audiobook Collection, Volumes 1-4 Books on CD
The Secret Garden Coloring Book
Are you spending time dedicated to homeschooling, looking for homeschool supplies, and hunting down resources instead of learning? If this is the case, spend some time when you do your weekly plan gathering your homeschool supplies ahead of time.
So many homeschool moms worry about socialization, but there is a thing such as too many social activities! Evaluate how many activities your kids are in and if they are still serving your needs.
You may need to cut back on activities until you get your homeschool routine back. That’s okay!
Homeschool Time Management Take Time
Homeschooling your kids is a journey, not a race.
You have 24 hours a day to work and homeschool. And you have the right to use some of those hours for eating and sleeping.
All the homeschool time management in the world can’t keep life from happening. Maybe you wake up sick or get called to work an extra shift. When this happens, taking a break from your homeschool routine is okay.
The great thing about knowing your homeschool priorities is that you can jump back into your homeschool routine on your next homeschool time block and continue where you left off.
Lastly, be sure to give yourself plenty of grace and patience as you learn the ropes of homeschool time management.
Do you struggle with time management? Remember, time management is a skill, and new skills take time to learn.
Homeschool Planners:
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Hi, I’m Jen. I help working moms juggle their career and homeschool their kids by providing support, systems and tools. You are warmly invited to Join the Online Community Here!
