Burnout is something that every human experiences. We get bored, run down, and/or overwhelmed by our current situation. It can be pretty hard to get out of one of these slumps, especially when you have to care for a whole household while doing it. It is imperative to have a burnout prevention plan to lessen the frequency of burnout in your family. It is also wise to have a plan for when burnout has arrived. Here are a few things that have really helped me prevent or heal burnout:
- Mostly nutritious food around the house
- Regular time with friends and extended family
- 8 hours or more of daily sleep
- Positive self-talk (would Jesus say that to you?)
- Treats several times a week
- Fun rockin' music
- Time daily to work on my own projects and goals
- Weekly time out
- Getting out of the house each day
- Daily exercise (even if it is only 5 minutes!)
- Regular physical intimacy with spouse
- Creating more variety by adding new experiences and changing up the schedule
- Keeping your to-do list tiny (just the essentials!) or getting rid of it altogether!
- Laugh A LOT! Jokes, videos, movies, stories, being silly- whatever gets you laughing. It helps.
- Uplifting essential oils such as wild orange, ylang ylang, and lemon. Love 'em! (If you are interested in learning more about our essential oils click here.)
- Daily dose of spirituality by reading/watching/listening to scriptures and uplifting messages. (Here is one of my favorites when I am feeling burned out: Happiness, Your Heritage.)
While you are creating your homeschool schedule, be sure to calculate in some "snow days!" Many public schools calculate in an extra week or more of school, because they know that there may be some days when school is cancelled due to a snow storm. The same thing happens with homeschool. The storms are different- maybe a sick family, exasperated parents, or a cool event they want to attend instead. Just remember that life will always have ups and downs. Do your best to nurture yourself so that you can nurture your family. This will help you prevent burnout.
Have any experiences or comments about burnout? Let us know in the comments below!
