The Daily Balancing Act

Now that the holidays are past, most of us are heading back to school. Are you organized and ready to roll? Or are you like me, sometimes feeling as if I have no idea where I left my brain? Actually, I’m pretty sure it’s in a box in my family room – at least that’s where I think I last saw it while I was putting away the wrapping paper.

In the past, I could get in a good, solid school day with the boys, but other things around the house went undone. Yet on other days, tasks, chores, and assorted errands were accomplished, but school would be short-changed. I found myself very frustrated at the end of each day, focused not upon what had taken place, but what wasn’t done.

The tool that has best contributed to balance in my day has been my daily planning pages. It’s a two-page spread that encompasses everything I need to remember, address, or do in a given day. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I took Sprittibee’s planner pages and customized them to my needs. You can see hers, mine, and others here. I print out my pages, 3-hole punch them, and place them in a binder.

I used to have a school planner, but it didn’t incorporate the rest of my life. In my new daily pages, I have our school plans on the left side and everything else on the right. It’s the page on the right that has made all the difference for me. The To Do list and Activities/Appointments section are fairly basic. However, I’ve also included a Notes to Self area where I can jot down thoughts or ideas, homeschool-related or not. We may be in the midst of a particular subject when I come up with something for us to do another day. Or maybe I read about a teaching technique that I think might work with one of my boys. I can make a quick note in this area so that I don’t lose that thought.

I also have a Flight Plan section. This is a checklist area that follows Fly Lady‘s format. Just having that visual reminder helps me with the basic household chores that can otherwise be forgotten. It really isn’t that hard to throw a load of laundry in the washing machine between subjects. The harder part is remembering to do it. My Flight Plan keeps me on track.

In another area, I have a place to make note of the meals we’ll have that day. This prevents 5:00 p.m. from arriving and wondering what on earth we’re going to eat for dinner. Next to this is a section titled “Other.” Anything that doesn’t fit into the previous categories can go here.

At the very bottom of the page is a box to tally our hours for the day (our state requires homeschoolers to complete a specific number of school hours each year). Next to that is another box to make note of anything I need to remember for the next day.

In addition to being better organized, I can change my pages as the needs of my family change. I’m not purchasing a new planner every year – I print the pages I need, when I need them, and I’m ready to go.

I encourage you to check out the various planning pages at our printables link. Print and test drive any that look like they might work for you. Make notes about how you would tailor them to your life. Then you can create your own customized planner pages.

Dianne is in the third year of homeschooling with her two middle school boys, ages 14 and 12. She’s been joyfully married for 21+ years. She continually seeks to balance the many aspects of life in a way that glorifies the Lord. In her column “Blueprint for Balance,” Dianne shares organizational strategies for the homeschooling journey. Visit her blog, Bunny Trails.