How To Conquer The Back To School Madness from Home

It’s that time of the year again and it looks a little different this year一back to school. This is a stressful time for families and now with the uncertainty of COVID-19, the unpredictability is stronger than ever. And the need for a home that supports both working and learning is a complete necessity that we could have never predicted.

Whether your kids are learning from home or learning in the classroom, we want to equip you with some back to school tips to keep you sane and the house in order. 

It’s crucial for every member of your household to prioritize themselves – especially you. If you can successfully do this, you’ll feel the ease of stress and uncertainty melt away. Keep reading for 5 tips to help you conquer the back to school madness.

1. Get up 30 minutes earlier and make your bed every morning.

By getting up 30 minutes earlier than usual, you completely eliminate the anxiety that comes from waking up unprepared for the day. I know that we’ve all been victims of the snooze button! When I wake up 30 minutes earlier in the morning, I find myself organizing my day with ease alone, completely eliminating the frantic stress of mornings with kids. 

Think about the psychological effect behind making your bed as you wake up: it’s one of the first things you do, which results in one of your first accomplishments of the day. This ritual is important for me because it motivates me to keep aiming for those small accomplishments to make my day feel more fulfilled. If your children are old enough, this is a great way for them to start the day, too! 

2. If you’re doing some form of at-home learning this year, create a space that is organized and nurtures learning and creativity.

It’s imperative that your home is a space of encouraged learning and creativity, especially if the kids are completing online classes. I recommend sectioning off a space in your house that is exclusively used for learning, school, and creativity. Fill the space with all of the resources your children could possibly need to complete homework assignments for all subjects, from pencils to sharpeners, scissors, art supplies, snacks and water. Try not to leave this “school space,” unless absolutely necessary. By doing this, your children will start to understand and feel the separation between school and play. 

Design tip: 3 colors that encourage productivity and focus are blue, orange, and green. Try to incorporate these into your child’s “at home classroom” and see if it makes a difference!

3. Create a space you adore─that’s all for you.

Whether it’s a quick at-home workout, or a space to work-from-home, you deserve room that allows you to dedicate some time to yourself. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of our children’s lives, but we don’t want to lose focus of keeping ourselves a priority, as well. 

I love doing this by creating a space that makes me happy, energized, and grounded. Think of a reading area, an at home gym, a beautiful garden patio, or even a home bar – wink. Anything that makes you feel a little more like you, a place that you can escape to, that isn’t your bed or your closet.  

4. Give yourself some “me” time and don’t feel guilty about it.

It’s okay to admit─this is a LOT of time with our kids. The past 6 months of quarantine have been amazing to get to spend this much time with family, but we can’t forget that “me” time is the most important thing to give to ourselves.

When do you feel the best? Is it when you go for a walk, drink your morning coffee, catch up with friends, take a nap, binge a Bravo show? Whatever it may be, never let that go and be sure to make it a priority to do throughout the day. 

5. Bring the outside in一even in the fall and winter by making weekly trips to buy flowers.

It’s no secret that plants and flowers can make us feel calmer and more grounded to the earth beneath us. I try to keep my plants healthy as long as possible,but for those people who don’t have a green thumb,  weekly trips for fresh flowers are a great option! Anything green and fresh can calm us when the outside world feels unpredictable.

Thank you for reading and cheers to an albeit, different, but hopefully successful start to the new school year!