Staying Motivated As A Homemaker

Hi friends! Life has changed significantly this past year as I’ve transitioned from being in a workplace full time, to being home with a baby full time. I’ll be honest, besides being in the newborn phase, one of the most difficult things for me as a homemaker is staying motivated. When I say homemaker, that encompasses if you are single or married, kids or no kids. A homemaker is simply the one who cultivates the atmosphere of their home. This is such an important thing! Arguably the most important job one could have. Everything flows from the home!

Being motivated and staying home all day is NO easy feat, not by any means. For the first few months of staying home pregnant, and then with a newborn, I struggled with my new role and career as a stay at home mom. I want to share with you some of the ways I have created an atmosphere of contentment and joy in our home, and how I stay motivated. I fail daily, but I always know I can pick up the next day and start over.

1. Talk To God

This is hands down the most important time of the day, whatever it looks like for you. Whether you take two minutes to read a devotion on your bible app, or you spend thirty minutes hidden away somewhere praying that God gives you the patience and love you need to get through the day. Daily, I ask God for the grace I need to make it through to the next day. He will give you exactly what you need for the day! Patience, grace, mercy, love.

2. Get Ready For Your Day

I used to spend all day in my pajamas with my hair unfixed. Guess how much I wanted to get off the couch and do the dishes? Not at all. This will look different for everyone, but I encourage you to change out of your pajamas and put on a pair of jeans with a cute top, or a little sundress! Whatever makes you feel good and comfortable! I rotate through jeans and a blouse, and a cute maxi dress the next day. I usually do a simple ponytail or braid with my favorite pink velvet headband I got for two dollars at H&M.

I also have a very simple makeup routine. Very rarely do I have a full coverage foundation on like I used to when I went to a workplace. My absolute favorite product to use daily is this Skin Tint from Ilia Beauty. It is also SPF 40 and has a lightweight coverage that makes your skin feel smooth and healthy. To finish my routine, I put on a bit of blush, mascara, and a lip balm. I keep my getting ready for the day routine simple, but it motivates me so much to get up and get moving!

3. Make Your Bed

I grew up with my mom making her bed every morning, and her encouraging me to do the same. Maybe it’s the stubbornness in me, but I didn’t listen to that advice until this year and I wish I would have listened sooner! (Yes, mom, I’m admitting it) This simple task is such a mood setter for the day! Every time you walk into your room, you will admire your work that took all of one minute!

4. Cut The Screen Time

Why does this one feel like a touchy subject? We all know an overuse of screen time is unhealthy and quite honestly makes us lazy. I have cut social media and all streaming apps off of my phone completely. I spend about 30 minutes to an hour a day on my laptop scheduling out blog and social posts, editing photos, replying to comments, and then I’m off. My phone I have really been trying to only use for music, podcasts, phone calls, and texts.

It is so difficult to put down the screens, but you will never regret it once you do! I encourage you to set a time limit for yourself. Maybe yours is an hour of phone and an hour of television. I have spent so much time playing with Henry since cutting my screen time down, and I am so happy I did.

5. Have Daily Tasks & Write Them Down

You know how you go two weeks without doing the laundry and then do twelve loads in one day and it takes six hours to wash and put away, but it ends up sitting on your living room couch for another week? Yeah, it’s time to change that. I started doing one load of laundry in the morning, and putting it all away when it’s done washing.

Other daily tasks I do are washing the dishes, wiping off kitchen counters, putting away toys and anything that is not in its place. I also try to sweep every day, but it doesn’t always happen. Making sure the kitchen is clean before going to bed is something I try to do.

I started making a list of the things I do daily, such as making the bed or cleaning the kitchen. It is so satisfying to cross each one off! It is so much better doing these daily instead of waiting four days to do the dishes and being overwhelmed by the mountain piled next to the sink.

6. Play Music & Light A Candle

This is one for me that really creates our home atmosphere! Light a candle you love, have a room spray, diffuse essential oils! Whatever works for you, but make it smell good! Play music to set the mood. I switch between a few different playlists on Spotify, but some of my favorites are French Chill, Parisian Chic, and Relaxing Jazz. With Henry, we listen to fun classical songs for kids, or Veggie Tales!

7. Cultivate A Hobby

Homemaking can take a lot out of you, so it’s nice to have a little escape that gets the creative juices flowing. I have a few different hobbies that do this for me. I’ve been doing photography for about 9 years, and I love every once in a while making a cute setup somewhere in the house or outside, and photographing it. Even if no one sees the photos except for me.

I also picked up embroidery a couple years ago and have enjoyed it ever since. I even set up a tiny Etsy shop with one item listed so far with my embroidery hobby.

Another hobby I picked up this summer is gardening! Austin built these gorgeous garden beds and our plants are finally flourishing after a lot of patience. Waking up each morning and seeing the new growth on our plants and flowers is such a joy for me!

8. Get Out

Getting out of the house is a key ingredient to keeping your sanity as a homemaker. Going for a walk around the neighborhood, taking a trip to the library and checking out a stack of books, and going to the park are a few of the ways we get out. Henry also helps me water the plants every day, and we have rocking chairs on our front porch that we enjoy quite a bit. We as humans need to spend time outdoors!

9. Remember Why

The last way I stay motivated as a homemaker is remembering why I chose this career and path in life. I am responsible for creating a loving, nurturing, clean, joyful atmosphere in my home for my family. I truly enjoy staying home with my baby every day and being a homemaker.

Being a homemaker is not easy. It’s messy and I fail daily. Keeping to a routine, giving myself grace for the days I mess up, and asking God for help keeps me motivated and remember why I am doing this!

I hope these tips help you in your homemaking journey, and if you have any other tips, I would love to hear them!

Emily