Skip Resolutions and Make a Quit List

Resolutions are incredibly popular each New Year, but they’re also easy to give up on after just a few weeks. How many of us have truly followed through with any New Year’s resolutions? Instead, I like to look at the start of a new year through the eyes of my Quit List. Yep, I make a list of things that I’m going to quit doing in the coming year – and I’m not talking about the usual things people try to quit this time of year.

 

 

As the years go by, our interests and priorities change. We often add to our to-do list without subtracting from it. It’s easy to become overwhelmed with all of the responsibilities that we’ve taken on. We can’t continue adding these tasks without getting rid of others. There’s simply not enough time in the day, week, or year for everything.

At the beginning of every year (and a few times during the year), I take a look at my priorities for our homeschool, our family, and my personal priorities such as my hobbies. These naturally change over time which allows us to shift what we focus on throughout the year. As we add new things to our busy lives, we need to decide which other items need to find a new home on our Quit List.

 

Make a Quit List for Your Homeschool

In my blog post about finding balance in our homeschool, I dive into details about how we decide where to focus our attention for the year or even just the next few months. I revisit these priorities every January to make sure that what we’re still on the right path for us. This is a great time to take stock of all of the core subjects, enrichment subjects, group classes, sports, and field trips. If homeschool lesson plans feel too full right now but you want to add something new, find something that can be dropped – even if it’s just temporary. Add it to your Quit List.

Ask yourself these questions to sort out what changes may need to be made.

• Is there anything that is a source of too much frustration?
• Do I need to ditch a curriculum program and find something new?
• Would we benefit from taking a break from a particular subject or activity?
• Are we in a group that isn’t adding enough value to our homeschool experience?
• Are we spending too much time around people that are no longer inspiring us?

Check out my 4 criteria for hobbies below which also works well for evaluating the value of homeschool groups.

Related Post – Find Balance in Your Homeschool Routine

 

Re-evaluate Family Commitments

Take a look at your family obligations. One by one, ask yourself if these family commitments are still working. Can scheduling issues can be resolved with letting go of a commitment? Are the family responsibilities split between parents in a way that allows both to pursue individual interests? If not, is it time to shift a few things around for a bit?

 

Make a Quit List for Your Hobbies

I’ve seen a lot of change in this area over the last few years! I let go of long time activities and commitments that I realized were no longer bringing joy to my life. I was a part of one group for 10 years when I finally admitted that it was no longer a good fit. It was tough to make that decision – but so worth it! It opened up time and energy that I could use to pursue other interests.

I look at 4 criteria when deciding if it’s time to move on from a hobby related activity. I believe it’s incredibly important for all parents (not just homeschool moms) to have a hobby of their own. However, parents are busy people! We have to make sure that we’re getting enough value for the commitment it takes to pursue the hobby.

When I attend events or classes, I want to…

• Learn something new.
• Be inspired to continue learning and improving outside of class time.
• Walk away from the event excited and uplifted.
• Be valued for my knowledge by having the opportunity to give back to the group through teaching.

If I’m not experiencing most of those 4 items for most of the events within a group, then it’s time to leave.

I also apply these 4 criteria to homeschool groups. If I routinely leave events feeling down and underwhelmed, then it’s not a good fit for me. This often happens when I find myself in a group that thrives on cliques and gossip. That is when I know the group needs to go on my Quit List.

Related post – Finding Balance as a Homeschool Mom

 

Time to Make Your Own Quit List

It’s important to look at our to-do lists and compare it to our priorities for our homeschool, our family, and our hobbies. If we’re not careful that to-do list and priorities can become misaligned. It can be a tough decision to move something to a Quit List, but each time I’ve done it, a huge weight has been lifted! It creates space for us to slow down and enjoy what does bring value to us. New Year’s Eve is a great time to create a Quit List, but revisit it a time or two during the year – especially if you start to feel overwhelmed by commitments.

More Related Posts:

8 Reasons to Skip Homeschool Lessons Today

Homeschooling During the Holidays

Setting Goals for the New Year