Hello everyone! Today we are going to touch on THE foundational principle of successful homemaking. There are many "fun" things that I want to share with you in the upcoming weeks - recipes, cleaning tips, etc. However, suggesting these to you now would be futile without bringing light to the importance of habit formation.
I want your homemaking habits to become in a way, "automatic", so that you are not continuously operating from the space of willpower. In the video, I stress the importance of seeking not to deplete our internal willpower "batteries". Research shows that we only have a finite amount of willpower until we hit that point of mental exhaustion. If you're like any other human living life in the "modern world" today, your daily schedule is most likely filled with a host of other activities that deplete said internal willpower battery.
This video serves to provide you with some tips to help you reinforce your homemaking practices, turning them into habits over time. If you're interested in learning more, read the "Coles Notes" below and/or watch the video. Thank you!!
Habit formation for successful homemaking
Apart from the discussion on willpower and the importance of habit, I briefly mentioned my motivation and the history behind this topic. When I first began my homemaking journey (it was a long journey, let me tell you), I was overwhelmed and stressed; I was seeking to get to that pinnacle "end-step", without properly laying the foundation. It wasn't until I learned the importance of habit formation, that I was truly able to implement successful homemaking practices.
1. Affirmations - I want you to begin implementing affirmations in your daily routine. You don't need to stand in front of a mirror to do this. The practice is simple - I want you to continuously repeat your chosen affirmations. By doing so, you are setting the "bar" high, and your tendency to live up to those expectations increases tenfold (twenty-fold?... you understand LOL). A few examples I list are as follows: "I am a professional homemaker (still stands even if you work outside of the home)" and "I am the type/kind of woman who _____(for example, cooks delicious meals)".
2. Give yourself time - I mentioned that it takes approximately 21 days to form a habit. I want you to be gentle with yourself and understand that habit formation will take time. If you are a woman, I also encourage you to begin your habit formation process in the follicular phase of your cycle; this is the time where you will be able to reach your greatest mental clarity and motivation.
3. One habit at a time - You may have the motivation to implement "all the things" at once, but this is sure road to failure. Since the beginning stages of habit formation do require willpower, you are more likely to deplete your willpower "battery" if you are trying to tackle more than one habit at a time. It usually only takes one bad day for a series of new habits to crumble. It is easier to re-motivate yourself after a bad moment, if you are focusing on one habit.
4. Follow those who do it better - You need to continuously re-motivate yourself on the path to successful habit formation; this will help you re-charge your willpower battery. I enjoy following people who inspire me, and tend to take homemaking a little bit to the "extreme" (this is my personal preference).
5. Ask yourself, "Why?" - I encourage you to get to the root of your beliefs surrounding homemaking. You'd be surprised that there is often a logical explanation behind that belief. Question yourself until you run out of reasons; at that point, you most likely have your answer. I encourage you to watch the video for my personal example.
6. Have fun - Provide yourself with some positive reinforcement along your journey (like Pavlov's dog haha). Associate reward with housework - for example, allow yourself to listen to your favorite podcast only when you accomplish a certain cleaning task.
Thanks again for reading and watching! I am so grateful and happy for all of you! :)
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