Applying the James Clear Method: Motherhood Habits
Thunderous voices. A baby crying, time to nurse again. Boys fighting over who gets to help with pancakes. It's 8am and I already feel defeated—overstimulated beyond repair.
This repetitive cycle of exhaustion was hiding one important truth- the day did not begin at 8am. It began the night before, when I picked up my phone and scrolled. Wrecked by the day's activities, terrified of closing my eyes and waking up to the pressure of failing again. Each action created a person I did not respect, yet I fell into the seduction of escape which only prolonged the inevitable fallout.
But the pivotal moment—the rock that created the ripple—was the day I escaped the mayhem and watched an interview with James Clear.
The lesson was simple: My environment was not encouraging the results I hoped for.
The kids weren't to blame. I was.
The night before was a critical component. Waking up to tackle personal matters before little people insisted on yogurt over oatmeal—that was the shift.
In his book Atomic Habits, Clear outlines four components to mastering a habit:
Make it obvious — something has to cue you
Make it attractive — make it something you look forward to
Make it easy — reduce friction
Make it satisfying — for me, it's a Nespresso after I finish my Bible reading. (#affiliate list below)
Now when the sun rises, I've already lived two hours of the day. I've set aside my personal interests so I can fully assume the role of a mother. I use this framework throughout our day, and though it's not a well-oiled machine, I have tools my boys will adapt and implement on their own someday. I incorporate the simplicity of this mental framework into homeschool, chores, and teamwork.
Mind you we are a house full of boys - the chaos isn’t going anywhere - the way in which I respond has improved and promoted joy and every now and then… peace.
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