Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Smith:
This week, author and homeschooling mom Mary Jo Tate joins me to talk about homeschooling as a single parent. Mary Jo, when you’re the primary provider and the homeschooling parent, how do you balance work with actually being there for your child?

Mary Jo Tate:
Well, Mike, when there are so many responsibilities to juggle, it’s really easy to slip into crisis management mode—to just push yourself until you can make it past one more commitment, or one more deadline. But you can’t live that way forever—you just can’t sprint through a marathon. You’ve got to find a pace that you can maintain for the long haul.

In order to do that, you have to eliminate as much as possible, and prioritize the rest. Learn to say no to the good in order to say yes to the best. Be intentional and very selective about outside commitments, such as extracurricular activities. And even though it’s hard, don’t let the necessity of working crowd out precious family time.

I’ve found that the best tool for balancing a busy life is setting yearly and weekly goals in three categories: personal, family, and business. Dividing commitments into those areas—literally writing them down in three columns on a page—helps you see whether things are in balance. Just half an hour of planning every week will multiply your productivity and relieve stress and frustration.

Mike:
Mary Jo, thanks for joining us today! And until next time, I’m Mike Smith.