6 Things Homeschooling Has Taught Me About Business

Back in August I started homeschooling my 5 year old. I have always taught her but, never on a strict schedule. (I felt like I needed to say that because, you know as moms we always have to over explain things...just wanted y'all to know she has always been learning.) So, her doing schoolwork was nothing "new", So why was this so hard? Seriously, one day I just told her we had to finish another day because, I was mentally exhausted.

My brain was like this: 

Really though, why was this so HARD for me? It was hard for me because I was playing the comparison game. I was looking at everyone I knew and it felt like I was just not as great at homeschooling as they were. As with all things in motherhood and life in general, no one tells you the bad. Everyone wants to only tell you how awesome it is and how great they're doing. Fair enough. Maybe they don't have bad days. I don't know. Unicorns are real to some people.

Here's the thing; once I buckled down, got over myself and looked at how I could scratch that,  had to make this work for us. Things got better. I was trying to fit a square into a circle, like I've done so many times in business. I had to see what our formula was. Obviously, it was different that everyone else.

My daughter is a smart girl so the problem was me, not her. Same with business, the problem is ME not the business. Replace business with marriage, or school, whatever works for you.

My girl doing her schoolwork, hanging off the bed and wearing those hot pajamas.
 It was literally 90 degree that day. Whatever works. 

Here's where I went wrong in business and homeschooling:

1. Comparison: I had to learn (thought I learned this already -_-) that it doesn't matter where anyone else is or what they are doing. I have to deal with me and where I'm at now. Deal with today. We don't know what others are doing behind closed doors, we don't  know their struggles.

2. Consistency: If it works, keep at it. Don't switch or try something different. Do the same thing everyday. This is how you see progress. That's it. You can do the same thing in a different way but, keep doing the SAME thing. I have ADD or something because, I will know what works and still go off and try something else. I'm a glutton for punishment really I am.

3. Calm Down: Okay, you had a bad day, month, year. So what?! So does everyone else. It's not the end of the world. It feels like it though. Breathe and go on. You can do it. I'm doing it.

4. My Formula: If you can only do 2 hours, do 2 hours everyday. If you need to focus on one thing a day, do that. Do what you have to do (Consistently) to get what you need to get done.

5. Goals: You always need a goal. Even if it seems like a small goal, that's okay. If it's sending 10 emails a day, you're ahead of whoever doesn't send any. You have a plan. That's something!

And above all else!

6. Focus! I'm not a part of a million homeschooling groups. I can't be. I have no interest in what 100 other moms are doing anymore. If I need a specific tip, I'll look it up. For me, when I get too involved with others, I start scrutinizing what I do and forgetting what works for me. Then I'm back to square one; looking crazy. I've had to downsize my email inbox, I was following too many marketers and all of them were telling me different things to do at once. I needed to focus on one thing at a time. I had too many things left undone, nothing completed.

These things have made homeschooling easier and have also made business easier. We are really our worst enemies. We are harder on ourselves than anyone else. Don't do that anymore. You have the idea to start the project, you've also got it in you to finish the project, whatever it is.

It's October and I'm still homeschooling my girl! I've surprised myself. I haven't given up AND she is actually learning and growing!

Humble brag: She is in 1st grade books, she passed Kindergarten long ago. She is blowing her worksheets out the water. I didn't doubt her and it made all the difference. I had to stop doubting myself.