Just;think;about;all;the;things;you have to accomplish in the course of;a;day.;Now;think;about;all;you do;in;an;entire;week.;How;about;a
month?;Or;a;year?;It’s;enough;to
make;you;break;out;in;hives,;isn’t;it?;This
article is about homeschool burnout, and
for most busy homeschooling mothers,
burnout happens one day at a time.
If I had to name the number-one cause
of burnout among homeschoolers, I
would sum it up in one word: LIFE. No
two ways about it: life is coming at us fast
and furious. If we hope to prevent, or if
need to be cure, a case of burnout, then
we;need;to;know;how;to;handle;the;dai-ly-weekly-monthly-yearly;grind.
So, what aspects of “life” should we
hone in on to prevent burnout? Here are
some;areas;I;examine;when;I;find;myself
in;this;situation:;Am;I;lacking;organi-zation?;Is;any;of;my;stress;due;to;poor
planning? Is my family too involved in
extracurricular activities? Am I coddling
my;children,;either;in;their;schoolwork
or household responsibilities? Maybe I
am;trying;to;fit;more;schoolwork;into;a
day than can possibly be completed. Or
worst;of;all,;am;I;failing;to;seek;the;Lord,
thereby missing out on His promise that
those;who;seek;the;Lord;shall;lack;no
good;thing?;(See;Psalm;34: 10.)
Once;I;have;identified;the;specific;cause
of;burnout,;then;I;begin;making;needed
changes immediately. If I’m drowning
in paperwork, I’ll spend half an hour
throwing away lots of stuff that I simply
do;not;need.;If;my;inbox;is;overflowing,
I unsubscribe to lots of email lists. Are
my;children’s;bedrooms;a;wreck?;Then;as
soon;as;schoolwork;is;done,;they’re;sent
to;fix;the;mess;with;a;set;time;for;a;room
inspection. Is your curriculum strung
from one end of the house to the other?
Carve out a couple of hours and get it all
in one place, sorted by subject (with all
the;answer;keys).;And;here;is;a;hint;that
will help your marriage: Do not move the
clutter into your bedroom or the garage!
Respect your husband enough to actu-ally;clean;up;the;clutter—don’t;push;it
42;Annual;Print;Book;2014;•;Homeschool;Burnout;www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
By;Jan;Burt
Fast and Furious
So,;what;aspects;of;“life”;should;we;hone
in on to prevent burnout?
