Why You Need To Set Goals As A Homemaker: How-To

Without a doubt! Homemakers have an amazing ability to define their goals and turn them into tangible achievements. And yes, it is necessary to set goals as a homemaker and follow them through. Before we dive into goal-setting, let’s remind ourselves of a few things about homemaking and a homemaker.

Homemaking is work! Just like any other good work done outside the home. The art of homemaking is not something you learn in a day or two but it may take some time to learn and adopt some good homemaking skills that help you build on all the things that make a home- your home!

An individual who undertakes tasks related to homemaking is called a homemaker. A homemaker creates a nurturing and comfortable environment for family members to thrive by doing practical tasks and providing emotional care. This is the main goal of homemaking.

Are homemakers allowed to have goals?

Absolutely! Homemakers can have, and often have goals just like anyone else in any other role. A homemaker can set goals around the daily, repetitive chores or have other aspirations beyond the daily tasks. For example,

• For the daily tasks, my goal this year is to clean all dishes and mop the kitchen floor before I go to bed every evening. This has not always been easy but I know the joy I feel when I wake up to a clean kitchen.
• Beyond daily tasks, I want to learn how to make awesome pastries and maybe later earn from it. This calls for dedicating time and resources to learning this skill.

These are examples of my goals as a homemaker (2 out of quite a list I have, LOL!) and each reflects a different kind of category; daily routine and business aspect.

Why set goals as a homemaker?

There are various reasons why setting goals as a homemaker is important and here are five of those reasons.

Homemaking is a demanding job and setting goals helps you establish clear objectives on the tasks at hand. This provides you with a sense of direction and purpose as a homemaker. Goal setting helps you ‘see’ where you are at and where you are going. This does not take away all the hard work but at least there’s a guide to follow.

Secondly, setting goals fosters productivity and motivation. When you know the desired outcome from a particular activity, you are more inclined to keep at it than when you venture into it blindly. Back to my kitchen scenario, the fact that my morning duties run easy when I wake up to a clean kitchen motivates me to do just that- leave the kitchen in order before I go to bed.

Furthermore, setting goals as a homemaker enables you to use your time and resources effectively. There are a hundred and one things you may want to do now but when you spread yourself too thin, there may be more to lose than achieve. Goal setting helps you set your priorities right. What is at the top of your list for the season you are in?

• For example, this season’s goal could be to renovate your bathroom area. Knowing the time it will take to be completed, the budget, and the inconvenience caused will help you plan better. Do you need to wake up an hour earlier now that there’s one bathroom for the whole household? Goal setting also helps you budget and allocate resources effectively.

Moreover, setting and achieving goals as a homemaker gives you a sense of fulfillment and achievement. This feeling is beautiful and you want it to linger for as long. Whether mastering a new recipe, successfully homeschooling your kids the first year, or establishing a new profitable business- reaching these goals instills confidence and pride in one’s abilities. Do not forget to celebrate these achievements however small as it reinforces a positive mindset.

Lastly, establishing goals as a homemaker promotes self-improvement and lifelong learning. It is never in vain! Setting goals helps you step out of your comfort zone, acquire new skills, and expand your knowledge base. Whatever you do, it sets you up for greater newer heights- you do not remain the same. The progress may be slow because there are a million and one things to do in between, but you are not in the same place you started.

In summary, goal-setting is beneficial to a homemaker’s general well-being, personal development, and household productivity.

Types of goals you can set as a homemaker

1.. Personal growth type of goals. Contrary to the norm, yes on this we’ll start with self and it is ok and right to do so. Here are a few examples of goals a homemaker can pursue for personal growth and development.

• Develop a new skill or craft- playing an instrument, knitting, gardening, painting
• Working on your time management skills to strike a healthy balance between household chores, family time, and personal pursuits
• Focus on creating a healthy physical and mental lifestyle through regular exercise, healthy eating habits, and finding healthy habits to manage stressful times. The goal here is to form healthy HABITS
• Prioritize self-care activities such as journaling, skincare, taking time to relax and rest
• Engage in continuous learning by attending workshops, doing online courses, pursuing higher education, learning a new skill like gardening or various methods of food preservation, etc
• Explore different cultures through music and literature, try out different cuisines, and travel when possible
• Set goals to broaden your network by connecting with other homemakers or people who share similar interests as you
• Aspire to set healthy boundaries amongst family, coworkers, friends, and even oneself to maintain balance and prevent unnecessary overwhelm

2.. Creating and cultivating your household’s well-being. The goals you establish for your family demonstrate that you understand that such measures, no matter how tiny they may appear, provide a supportive and loving environment critical for your family’s growth and fulfillment. We are frequently tempted to focus solely on the tasks that must be completed daily, forgetting about the most important aspect of our lives: family. The first step is to be intentional about figuring out how to navigate this job.

What are some of the goals you can set around this area?

• Celebrating milestones and finding ways to create memories together
• Providing and fostering emotional support by being an active listener and encouraging one another’s support
• Scheduling regular family meal times which can be doing breakfast or dinners together as a family
• Prioritizing your family’s health and wellness by preparing healthy meals, encouraging regular body movement and activities, taking family walks
• Encourage an atmosphere of open communication where your family feels comfortable expressing their thoughts, feelings, and concerns

3.. Navigating household finances. While not every homemaker has a traditional source of income, managing household money is on our to-do list. Setting financial objectives for your family allows you to secure stability in times of scarcity and abundance.

Examples of goals around finances and resources may include;

• Create a household budget that reflects categories such as income vs expenses, saving goals, etc
• Prioritize paying off debt by targeting high-interest loans such as credit cards and personal loans
• Establishing an emergency fund that can cover your family’s 3-6 months worth of living expenses
• Establish investment goals to achieve some milestones such as owning a home, education funding, early retirement, etc
• Establish sinking funds that can cater to large expenditures such as home repairs, family vacations, car repairs, and replacement
• You can set a goal to seek opportunities to help increase household income like part-time work, passive income gigs

4.. Household management goals. Who else feels like there’s always something to do around your home? Because I do, always. Household chores are repetitive and in between seasons there are those tasks that can be done once in two to three months, and then- repeat.

But it does not have to be a boring affair that is why setting goals in managing household activities should be part of your to-do’s.

Examples of household management goals are;

• Establishing efficient cleaning routines- daily, weekly, monthly, spring, annually, etc
• Enhancing your organization routines and systems– decluttering, filing, etc
• Sharpening your meal planning and meal prepping techniques
• Budgeting household finances
• Looking for creative ways to save on costs without compromising on the quality

5.. Establishing community and social goals. We are all part of a community, surrounded by people who make up this community. Our every action, whether significant or minor, plays a part in the betterment of our community. This sense of togetherness is what makes us feel connected and involved.

Our schedules are packed with the daily tasks we need to take care of at home. However, I am certain that we can come up with a plan to carve out time for social interactions and connecting with our community members. What are some of the goals you can have in this area?

• How and when to take part in volunteering activities
• Participating in community activities
• Identifying and supporting local businesses and establishments
• Building healthy relationships with your neighbors and community members
• Take a shot at hosting- for a cup of coffee for example!

An effective approach to setting and achieving your goals

How do you get to achieve your set goals as a homemaker?

This is the big question. This is where real work is.

Before this, you have done a pretty good job in figuring;

• Your WHAT– What goals do you need to set and achieve?
• Your WHY– Why those goals? Why do you need to achieve them?

Now, HOW do we get to achieve these goals?

Have you ever heard of the SMART approach? It’s a term that I’m sure you’re familiar with and have probably used in various contexts. Interestingly, you can apply this approach to set your goals as a homemaker. Personally, I find it incredibly helpful as it provides me with clarity right from the beginning. Not only does it assist me in setting big goals, but it also helps me manage everyday tasks like deep cleaning my home.

What is the S-M-A-R-T approach?

S- Specific. This is about being specific about what you want to achieve or accomplish. Two or three lines usually do the job since you only state exactly what you want. Think of these lines you jot down as your mission statement. These few lines should reflect your ‘WHAT’ and ‘WHY’ answers.

Some examples;

• My goal is to clear our credit card balances so we can start saving the monthly payments for our future home.
• I intend to leave my kitchen clean every evening because it makes my mornings run easy.

M- Measurable. The goals you set should be measurable. This prevents you from making vague or general statements but rather be precise.

For example;

• Instead of saying ‘I want to pay off credit card balances to save monthly payments for our future home.’ You can say ‘I want to pay off credit card loans in the next six months …..’

This way you can measure your progress effectively.

A- Achievable. Is this something I can reasonably achieve?

Be realistic and start by considering the workload you presently have. This at least ensures you do not bite more than you can chew. Should I mention the ugly feeling that clouds one’s being when we fail to achieve what we have set to do? Yes, it is a defeating feeling, yet sometimes you are not the problem! You probably set out to do much when your hands are already full.

So, set achievable goals. Start small and add to your list as you progress.

R- Relevant. This is where you look at the big picture- Why are you setting these goals? And also this is where you assess and know if they align with your current season and other to-do’s. All this is to ensure you don’t stretch yourself too thin.

Here are questions you can ask yourself and assess if the goal you are setting now is relevant;

• When I look at these goals, do they seem worthwhile?
• Is this the right time?
• How do these goals align with my other current needs? (And family’s needs too)

T- Timebound. Setting a target date for your goals gives you a timeline to work with- you are not working blindly.

As a homemaker, the number of things we handle daily are many so it is easy to sideline working on your goals. Working within a timeline gives you a deadline to focus on. By this, you can balance working on your daily chores and pursuing your short-term or long-term goals.

Moreover, here’s something I know works; breaking down your tasks into small manageable ones. Let’s say your set goal requires a year to achieve, what do you need to do within a month, quarterly, half-year, etc?

Write down your goals

There’s a certain charm in penning down your goals, and fortunately, we have plenty of options available to document our aspirations and dreams. I am still a pen-and-paper kind of girl, and this works so well for me! Feel free to record your goals in your phone’s notes, make an Excel spreadsheet, or write a Word document on your computer. Whichever way works for you, the idea is to have something you can go back to and check your initial plan versus how far you have come. This helps because it keeps you organized and seeing the progress motivates you. Also, what’s written down acts as a constant reminder of what needs to be done.

Be flexible

Seasons change. Preferences change. Priorities change.

Be willing to accept change if need be. Do not be fixated on the idea it has to go as planned but welcome the idea that it is ok to change a few things along the way and still achieve your goal.

Extend grace to yourself

Be kind to yourself whether you are on schedule or lagging in a few things. With all you have to handle in a day, learn to appreciate yourself and celebrate the milestones however small. I’ll go with a common phrase ‘Rome was not built in a day’– It is the small, consistent steps that count, and even if it doesn’t go as planned- Breathe in, pivot, and carry on.