Welcome to Mom Motivation Mondays where weekly contributing writers share their motherhood experiences to encourage you to find the joy in being a mom.

{This week: Post by Lisa}

I homeschool two very lively school-age kids, write on my blog, care for our home, cook healthy meals, participate in family outings, love my husband, and I have an online coaching business in the making.

Life is packed.

I drive my kids across town three times a week so that they can receive extra help with their learning. It’s tiring.

My kids are going through emotional and behavioral growing pains.  I feel like I’m on an emotional roller coaster.

My husband is out of work.

We may not have power over the things that happen to us, but we do have the choice in how we respond. We have more control over our feelings then we think we do.

There are days when things just keep piling up on an already endless list. I can’t do it all and I shouldn’t be expected to.

As a matter of fact, God doesn’t expect me to do it all. He doesn’t expect you to either. 

You don’t have to do it all!!!

Our biggest mistake is in thinking that we must do it all and we feel guilty when we tell somebody that we can’t or don’t want to.

Feeling overwhelmed is an internal sign to remind us that we are doing too much.  We need to slow down when we feel this way.  When we don’t, anxiousness creeps in to steal our joy.  This is not how life is meant to be and busy doesn’t have to rule in our hearts. 

There are things we can do to protect ourselves from getting tangled up in busy.

Life happens, and I’m learning to let it go rather than get swallowed up by fear.

I need God.

God helps me to slow down and enjoy the beautiful moments of love, joy, and fun that comes from parenting.  Every moment matters!

First, we need to put down our long to-do-list when we are rushing around in a panic and getting irritated.  We must stop ourselves from going overboard. What we decide to do with our time matters and it should never be wasted. Stop and do a crossword. Life on earth is limited and we must be wise with it.

Good decisions for ourselves comes from a well thought out plan and trust in God. What we do today impacts our tomorrow.   Therefore, we must be very clear about our yes and never hesitate to say, “no”.

Give yourself some grace and don’t agree to do something unless it makes sense to do it.  Ask yourself this, “How does this fit in with my long-term plans and goals?” Our day to day tasks should keep us on track.

If you haven’t already, I would like to encourage you to block some time out this week in your schedule and make a list of all the things you want to accomplish in the next five years.  Give yourself a couple of hours over some coffee to think and plan.  You will find that doing this task will help you stay focused.

When your list is done put your ideas in order from most important to least important and then set a due date by each one.

Next, schedule weekly tasks in a daily planner to help you get from where you are now to where you want to be.   After you are done make a commitment and stick to it.

How to Get Organized When You Are in the Midst of Overwhelm

1. Schedule time each week to work on certain tasks without interruption. Some things are easier to get done without kids around. 
2. Plan a regular time to run errands. Keep a notebook nearby so that you can write down the things you need to do and get before you go on your errands.   
3. Set time aside each day to declutter. Keep counter tops free of junk, throw away junk mail, delete emails that are not important and file important emails in folders.  
4. Schedule a time to respond to emails, return phone calls, and open letters.
5. Set a timer and don’t go any longer on the things that add no real value. It’s so easy to lose track of time on Facebook, Pinterest, and watching television.   These things are not terrible things to do until they take away your time from the things you must do.

Staying on top of the trivial things before they turn into a problem saves us time in the long run. We must make every minute count to be successful in life.  With careful consideration, we can create meaningful days that are full of life and free from worry. 

My plate is full.  I can’t add one more thing to it.

I don’t complete all the things I have scheduled to do.  However, I can go to bed at night knowing that I did my best.

I’m a work in progress.  I’m unfinished and God has started a good work in me. He will finish what He has started.

God will finish what He has started in you too.

I’m not as overwhelmed with my life when I have a plan. I’ve discovered that the choices I make impact the way I function.

To the overwhelmed Momma, this message is coming from a mom who has moments of being overwhelmed too.

What is overwhelming you in life right now? Have you tried organization to help?

Lisa is an aspiring writer with a mother’s passion for Homeschool Education. She has an 8 yr. old son, a 7 yr. old daughter, and has been married to her husband for 10+ yrs. Prior to marriage, she worked over 20 yrs. enriching the lives of hundreds of children and families. Lisa has a Bachelors in Social Work and Early Childhood Education.  You can read more of Lisa’s posts on her blog – http://thefamilyroadmap.com/