One question I hear regularly from readers and in real life is,
“How do you do all you do?”
From online ministry, crafting, sewing, home decorating, poem writing, running, maintaining a clutter free home, cooking and baking from scratch, natural health care learning, home business running, essential oil using, up for any challenge, encouraging wife and mom, aka. crazy canning and gardening lady…
Let me first clarify, I’m not super woman. Neither do I pretend to be.
However, I do aim to seek a purposeful life. One that makes the most of every opportunity, stewarding my time and resources well.
For me that means I have a few things that must be done every day to ensure I don’t lose my mind, sap my soul, or create a chaotic home.
And since so many of you have asked, here are a few of my nonnegotiables to building a better day.
5 Ideas for Building a Better Day
1. Feed your soul well.
Preferably in the morning over coffee, I take a few moments with the Lord to recenter my soul on Him. I do this through reading His word, prayer and music.
This can take anywhere from fifteen to forty-five minutes. When the Lord speaks, I listen. A lot of this depends on what time my children wake and my husband’s schedule.
I used to not do this, because I strongly dislike mornings. Seriously, only crazy people get up at 5:30 am. right? The Lord called me to 5 am. a few years ago, and for one week I gave it my best shot. I’ve been doing it ever since, because something happened in those moments with Him that made me realize how essential having my soul fed really is.
Ask the Lord to guide you in this step. What He asks you to do, He will provide strength and perseverance for. I’m proof of that. I used to be a 7am or later morning person. Two hours earlier was a struggle huge for me.
Hence the next step.
2. Start your morning the night before.
I never go to bed with my house a wreck. There is something about clearing the counters, doing the dishes, picking up the toys and sweeping the floors the night before, that starts my days off in a more calm, relaxed way.
Do you enjoy being greeted by last night’s crusty dishes? How about a maze of legos? Me either.
So we have a nightly routine that involves a family effort in clearing the days clutter.
Crytal Paine of Money Saving Mom gives a great way to achieve this step in this 14-day course.
3. Have schedules that work together and stick to them.
For every morning’s cleaning schedule, I incorporate 15 minutes of a once over of the whole house. This involves walking around with a dust mitt, fixing beds, putting away random items, sweeping the kitchen floor after breakfast, etc.
I have daily cleaning schedules that involve fifteen to twenty minutes of deep cleaning certain rooms of our home, with each room being cleaned at least once a week.
The first few times you clean this way will be the hardest. Maintaining the schedule is key to it becoming easier to clean and organize your home.
I also use meal schedules and freezer cooking. I make my own budget friendly meal plans using family favorites and seasonal foods.
Oh, and I use my crockpots almost daily. I have five. That *might* qualify as an obsession!
4. Do something you enjoy every week.
I enjoy many things from crafting to roller coasters, good books, campfires, sunsets and the like.
When I take a little time to appreciate life, I become better equipped to live out my calling and reach my goals. Making a little room for pleasure helps me realize that life is worth the harder moments!
“This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them–for this is their lot.” Ecclesiastes 5:18
[bctt tweet=”Take a little time to appreciate life. It helps you become better equipped to live out your calling.”]
4. Get enough sleep and exercise.
“In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat- for He grants sleep to those He loves.” Psalm 127:2 It’s the combination of early rising and late retiring that exhausts us. In our frantic search for more, the enemy often uses sleep against us causing us to believe we are wasting our time by resting.
God has given us sleep. Use it.
I don’t know why that was so hard for me to figure out. I’m really good at running myself ragged.
God has also told us to take care of our bodies. When we exercise, even just 10-15 minutes a day, we become physically stronger to handle our tasks and mentally stronger to handle life’s difficulties.
In Chrystal Paine’s course you will find a few ways to make exercise and healthy sleeping habits possible.
5. Give yourself grace when you don’t get it all done.
Some days I fall flat on my face. Sometimes it’s a few days in a row due to household sickness or family emergencies. That is okay.
But don’t let it stay that way. Get back to purposeful living as soon as you can.
When you are intentional about keeping your soul filled and your time maximized, day by day you build a life well lived.
It’s time to own your life and live it well.
Share in the comments how you make the most out of your day.
A Way to get Started Building Better Days
To help you start building a lifetime of better days, I highly recommend taking this 14 day course from Crystal Paine of the Money Saving Mom.
She walks you through all of these practical ways, making immediate changes as well as setting up a game plan for the long term.
Each day holds an encouraging 3-5 minute video and a short instructional guide from the workbook to help you set up your own days for success.
Building a lifetime of better days is well worth this $17 investment. Click the image!
Hey Kaylene,
What a practical and encouraging posts for women everywhere!
I’m going to share this today as a part of the CBB share group.
Hope you have a blessed day~
Melanie
Kaylene, I just love this! Thank you for calling it “purposeful living.” I think so often we walk around hoping for a “good” day or a “happier” morning – when what we really need is a purposeful life! I love your tips for living this way.
I start my day with music – something light and encouraging. It always lifts my morning mood, and helps me to start my purposeful day with the right attitude. 🙂
These are such simple tips and yet reap such great rewards – I’m reading this as a reminder to myself as I’ve let some of these habits slip.
Kaylene, I’m so glad I found your site. I’m enjoying reading your messages. Thanks.
I love the practical wisdom of this post, Kaylene! It’s incredible how much being intentional impacts our homes and our lives for the better.
Thanks for sharing! Blessings to you and yours.
Kaylene, what I blessing this post is to me. Although I’ve never actually created a list and I am glad to see I already do several of these things. I am not a morning person either and it helps so much to not wake up to a sink full of dishes, etc. These are wonderful, practical tips! Thanks for sharing.
Kaylene,
I absolutely love this list! Number 1 is my favorite and I need to work on number 5 for sure! I love number 4 as well( they are both excellent ) I need to work on #3 and also getting my sleep especially since I started blogging:) I thank God for His grace and the strength He gives me every day to do His will. I am so glad I found your site on Grace and truth! May God bless you and yours! Have a wonderful weekend!
However, it wasn’t the clean house, calmer days, or less cluttered drawers I was most happy with. It was the space this freed up in our lives… space to exhale, space to love each other better, space to look into a child’s eyes and listen, space to stop and invest time.
Yes, Leigh! Those are the better benefits! <3
Thank you so much for this article. I need to hear most of what I read on your site. Truly appreciate you.
I’m so glad the Lord speaks to you through this place on the web. Keep seeking Him! He will always guide you right.
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