This post on how to set goals has been written specifically for work-at-home and stay-at-home mommas.
Are you a stay-at-home Mom? Or has the pandemic converted you into a work-at-home Mom?
Being at home all day has a lot of conveniences, but it can also be harder in some ways. It’s especially true when you have young kids, and you do the house chores yourself.
If you ever wonder how other moms manage their time, or how they still manage to be productive with their work, know that you are not alone. Those moms who seem to have it all together do not really have luck on their side. They are just more organized because they plan ahead and set their goals.
When you have to juggle your work, chores, and family time you may be feeling like you have a lot of responsibilities on your shoulders. But as a stay-at-home or work-at-home mom, you get the advantage of having all these responsibilities happening in just one place – your home.
This makes setting goals and planning the steps to achieve them easier because you have the advantage of flexibility.
Setting goals may seem to be overwhelming when you feel like you are juggling a hundred things at once. But it’s not as hard as you think.
So, here are the best things you can do to set your goals and achieve them!
1. Figure out your goals.
The first step is to figure out what you want to achieve.
What are some goals that you want to set? What are your priorities? Which ones do you want to accomplish short term? Which ones do you want to accomplish long term?
It helps to set goals for every area of your life. Some key areas that you would want to consider are your personal life, your family, your work, your finances, your health, and your faith.
Setting your goals by category will help you stay more focused and in control when it comes to every area of your life.
2. Set SMART goals.
Once you know what you want to achieve, it is time to set SMART goals.
SMART means specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely. It’s often used in work settings, but it also works for a stay-at-home or work-at-home mom.
The concept is simple. For example, the goal is to lose weight. Here is what it would look like using the SMART goal method.
Specific – Lose 20 pounds in the next 6 months.
Measurable – Track your progress by getting weighed once a week.
Achievable – Eat healthy meals and exercise three times a week.
Realistic – Start by losing one pound every week.
Timely – Start your weight loss journey the next week.
3. Make sure that your goals are important to you.
When setting goals, you should make sure that these goals are important to you. When your goals mean something, you will work hard to achieve them.
Do not set goals just because you think you are supposed to do them or that somebody else wants you to do so. Do not be pressured by what society thinks or what the people around you expect of you.
Goals should be personal. If your heart is not in it, then you will eventually have a hard time achieving it.
4. Pick goals that will challenge you, but not too challenging.
You must pick a goal that will challenge you. If a goal is too easy, then it will be hard to keep you motivated.
But you also have to make sure that they are not too challenging. If it is difficult, you may be discouraged and would give up.
So how would you know that you have the right balance?
It is always best to start with small goals.
For example, if your goal is to exercise for at least 30 minutes every day, start first with three days a week. Then once you get used to that, increase it to four days a week, and so on.
5. Track your progress.
One clear way to work toward your goal, you should track your progress and make adjustments when necessary. Tracking your progress will help you see how well you are doing.
For example, you have a goal to save $1000 in five months. You can keep track of how you are doing by taking note of how much you have managed to save up at the end of each month. If you find your efforts are lacking, then you should adjust and save up some more.
One way to help you keep track of your goals is to make use of a habit tracker. There are many printable layouts online, or if you’re using a bullet journal, just make one yourself!
6. Establish a morning routine.
It helps to start out early in the morning. Wake up a few hours earlier before your kids are awake. This gives you a few hours of peace and quiet time.
Use the time to work on your mood and mindset, like doing some exercise, going on a walk, meditating, enjoying a good cup of coffee, working on your to-do list, or journaling.
If you are not a morning person, that is okay. You can do the same thing in the evening when your kids are sleeping.
7. Take breaks.
It is hard to work at home or do some chores with zero interruption – especially when you have kids. When this happens, remember to not consider them as a distraction.
Your kids should always come first – in fact, your job as a mom is the most important job you get to do.
So, when your kids need you, take a break and tend to them.
If the kids are not around, you should take breaks too. Get yourself a snack or enjoy a cup of tea. Remember, nobody gets an award for overworking themselves.
When you are well-rested by taking breaks, you would be able to do your job and chores better, and you will be less stressed.
8. Have a designated work area.
For work-at-home moms, you will be more focused when you have a designated work area at home, like a simple home office. Do not do your job in the bedroom or at the kitchen table. Invest in a desk and look for an area in the house that you can have on your own.
Having a designated work area establishes boundaries. It lets your family know that this area is where you work and that when you are there, they should not just disturb you unless necessary.
9. Do not be afraid to ask for help.
If you know you are going to be really busy because you have a lot of chores to do, or you have an important Zoom meeting for work and you can’t be distracted, you can ask for help.
There are reputable childcare providers from local daycares to agencies that can give you responsible nannies. Or ask help from your relatives to look after the kids for a while.
Getting help allows you to focus on the things that you can do, and this means being able to tick off all the items on your to-do list, thereby achieving your goals faster!
10. Celebrate!
Lastly, do not forget to celebrate when you reach your goals. Rewarding yourself when you achieve something will encourage and inspire you to do more.
It does not have to be something grand or expensive. It can be as simple as treating yourself to a nice meal, getting a new book, or going to a spa.
Always take the time to celebrate your success. Remember that you have already earned it!
Setting goals helps in going through life with focus and intent.
Being a work-at-home or stay-at-home mom is indeed convenient, but you know that it does have some challenges. After all, learning to balance your responsibility to your family and your work obligations is something that does not come easy to everyone.
It can be easy to feel like you are not getting much done in a day. But one way to combat these feelings that you are not doing enough is to start setting goals for yourself.
Setting goals helps you become more organized – it gives you something to look forward to and helps you measure your progress. In the end, it gives you a sense of accomplishment.
Take note that it is important to set realistic goals – goals that you know you can really achieve. Always start small then go for bigger goals later on.
Goals give you a purpose for your day, the month, and the year. It gives you something to build towards and gives you an achievement to look forward to. This will leave you more focused and more positive about your work and home.
Hopefully, these tips above can help you know what your goals are so you can go through life with focus and intent!
Need more tips and ideas on productivity? Check these out!
- Get More Things Done in Less Time: 10 Productivity Tricks to a Laser-Focused Mind
- How Productive Moms Get So Much Done and So Much Happier
- 10 Tips to Be More Productive at Home
- 5 Tips to Writing a To-Do List that Will Not Overwhelm You
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