How to Turn Your Homemaking Goals into a Reality

on July 15, 2014 by Jami Balmet 0 comments

Last week we covered the very important task of developing (and writing down) goals for your life and your home so that you can be a more effective homemaker. Today we are going to take those goals and break them down into bite-sized, manageable pieces so we can take those goals and make them a reality! This is the hard part. Getting down and actually making things happen, but this is also where you can have real and effective change in your homemaking.

Welcome to the next part of our online book study of Say Goodbye to Survival Mode. It’s not too late to jump in and join the fun! You can read the introduction and see the full schedule of topics for the next 10 weeks. Or jump in with today’s discussion!

It’s not enough to write down some goals for your life and then carry on with your normal routine. The next step is taking those goals, and breaking them down into actionable step by step items. This way, you can start today on those goals with tiny baby steps and not feel overwhelmed by the enormity of what you are dreaming.

“When you take the time to break down a goal into smaller chunks, it looks doable rather than overwhelming. It’s easier to stay focused if you are only looking at the next few steps ahead of you than the huge mountain you’re aiming to climb. Map your small steps and then take them. Before you know it, you’ll be at the summit.” – Crystal Paine, pg 65.

Developing a Plan of Action

While you can certainly follow along this online study without buying the book, this is one of those chapters that I highly recommend you buy, or find the book at your local library, because Crystal does such an amazing job of describing how to break down your goals into actionable bite-sized items. Check it out on Amazon HERE.

I’m going to give you a sample plan of action for one of my life goals so you can see how this process should work. Since I was in elementary school, and just falling in love with reading, it has been a dream of mine to publish a book. And that dream just might become a reality. Of course, there are other things in my life (such as a my relationship with God, my husband, my family, etc.) that are far more important than this dream, it is a dream of mine none the less.

My Plan for Publishing a Book

Start a blog
Write on my blog 3 – 5 times a week so practice and hone my writing skills and connect with other women
Establish a ministry through my blog and social media where I can encourage other women
Dream up an idea for my book and start writing it!
Attend blogging and writing conferences to further hone my skills and connect with those in the industry
Read books, articles, and listen to podcasts by publishers, authors, agents, and bloggers
Acquire an agent who believes in me and my book and who will be a strong advocate for me
Write my book proposal and the first 50 pages
Have my agent pitch my book to publishers
Have a publisher fall in love with my book and get publishing contract
Publish my book
Further the Gospel and encourage women with the availability of my book
Give all glory to God in the process!

Has this process been perfect? Have I always followed these steps? Has this process been quick and painless? No, no, and no. Chasing a life long dream like this is hard, takes a lot of work, and takes a long time. I may never achieve this goal, and that’s okay! It’s all in God’s hands and for His glory anyway!

But since it’s a burning passion of mine, it’s so helpful have these baby steps that I can take. If I was starting this dream today, then I could look at my list and see clearly what I needed to do. First thing, start a blog! That’s an easy thing that I could start right away, without feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of trying to tackle this huge dream!

Now that you’ve broken down your goals into more manageable bite-sized pieces, here are a few tips so you don’t get burnt out and overwhelmed at everything on your list and burn out.

Be Realistic

We talked about being realistic when originally setting these goals, but it’s important to keep that in mind as we dive into breaking these goals down. I don’t know about you, but I’m a dreamer. I love to dream and plan for the future.

If I’m not careful, my “goals” list can become crazy. I could add so many “good” things to my list that it gets out of control, I burn out quickly, and never really get anything accomplished. My list could easily include very lofty goals such as: write a book, get my master’s degree in Biblical studies, learn Greek, get my Master’s degree in Biblical Counseling, bake bread like a pro, go to culinary school, have 6 kids, home school them all, thoroughly decorate my entire home, practice hospitality weekly, have a highly successful blog, and the list could go on…

While all of those things on my life are good, and many of them will be accomplished in my life, I need to be realistic with my time. Especially as a mother of young kids. My life is going to be focused on them for many years to come and I need to be okay with that and at peace that that’s where God wants me.

Keep Your Goals in Mind

I hope by now that you have written down your goals. If not, go back to the previous challenge, do that and then come back here. Now, print your goals out and hang them somewhere you will see them everyday. Maybe on your fridge so you are reminded of them each time you are in the kitchen. Or perhaps on your bathroom mirror so you see them in the morning and again at night. I like to have my goals hung up in my home office so that when I sit down to the computer, it’s easier for me to stay on task and be focused.

It’s also important to regularly review and modify your goals if needed. Did you start out this year with very specific goals and a month into them find out you are pregnant? It’s likely then that this year is going to turn out very different than when you first started it. Be flexible with your goals, they will change!

More Resources

This is a really big topic, one that I cannot fully cover in one blog post. To really dive into this topic, and to learn all of Crystal’s time saving and goal keeping advice, go buy a copy of her book right now: Say Goodbye to Survival Mode.

She also has some awesome articles on her blog (for FREE) that can help you with this:

Get instant free access to my Finding Joy in Your Home video course.