We all know what time of year it is. The holidays loom, and a busy homeschool season is in full swing. The school books cover the table alongside sports equipment, crafting supplies, half-finished projects, groceries we have not had a chance to put away yet, and—if you are like my family—ballet bags. Oh yes… did I mention? It is also Nutcracker rehearsal season! (I am honestly just hoping the table is still under there somewhere.)

Many of us thrifty and crafty homeschooling moms are also trying to save money this Christmas in a tight economy, or we have side hustles that thrive during the holidays. As a maker with a natural perfume and skincare business, this is my “elf mode” time. I am constantly making, labeling, posting about, or packaging items to get off to someone.

I know that once we get a little closer to Christmas, I will drop all pretense of formal homeschooling and lean fully into what I call Christmas School, or Elf School. It is always such a relief. One less tab open makes it easier to enjoy and reflect during this season. Plus, there is so much to learn and enjoy with our kids, naturally, this time of year.

But we are not quite there yet. And to be honest, this entire autumn has been a little stressful in my home, and we need to keep hitting the books just a little longer. The home stretch is in sight.

So here we are with all the literal and symbolic things scattered across the kitchen table, accurately reflecting the chaos that is my mind. I know you can relate, homeschool mom. Whatever your mix of activities looks like, this truly is a busy homeschool season for so many of us. So today, to check in on my own sanity (and hopefully help you find yours), I am chronicling six simple habits that help me reset in these packed, stressful stretches. They have helped me before, and they are helping me now. I hope they offer you a gentle reset as we head into the holidays.

Simple Habits for Busy Homeschool Seasons

1. Set Boundaries: Have a “Start” and “Stop” Time That Align with Your Priorities

I have always had more than one side job while being a stay-at-home mom. Part of that is financial, but I also genuinely love to keep busy in specific ways. I love writing, making, and teaching, and I have been blessed to do part-time work in all of these fields since becoming a parent. Generally, I am a happy juggler.

But I have also always had the tendency to sign up for just a little more than I probably should. In my twenties, I regularly stayed up all night trying to meet the commitments I had made. Then my thirties hit, we added another child to the mix, and my body made it very clear that those all-nighters were officially over.

So I have learned to say “no” more often and choose what is best for my family instead of simply choosing all the good things I enjoy. I made a commitment to try to go to bed when my husband goes to bed, and I try to set a firm “stop” time for both work and homeschool. Strangely, having a defined “stop” time motivates me to push through those difficult late afternoons because I know rest is coming.

I have also set a defined “start” time by getting up early enough to have a little work time in the morning. This is completely opposite of my natural tendency. One day, when my kids are grown, I will probably slide back into my night owl rhythm. But for now, this schedule helps us get the most important things done in our homeschool and in my work commitments while still protecting our evenings as a time of rest.

Boundaries on your time and energy are your first defense against overwhelm and exhaustion, and they’re one of the best ways to fend off the feeling that your busy homeschool isn’t doable. If you do not set them for yourself, no one else will. Figuring out your “start” and “stop” rhythms, whatever that looks like for you, can be enormously helpful.

2. Have a Healthy Bedtime Rhythm for Yourself

We do our best to have a nighttime routine for our kids, even if it gets shattered during busy homeschool seasons. I have known for a long time that I need one too, or I become a very grumpy adult toddler. The busier the day, the more this wind-down is needed. A bedtime routine helps my mind close out its many “tabs,” so I can rest well and function the next day. Even if I stay up slightly later than usual, this rhythm is worth it.

My go-to ritual is simple. I take a bath, read a book, and drink a cup of tea. This has been my favorite rhythm since college. Even when I was 19 and steadily pulling all-nighters, I needed this transition time to settle my thoughts.

These days, I have added a few products that make the routine even better, and I pick them up through our monthly Azure Standard order. It has made it easy to keep natural wellness staples on hand without extra shopping trips.

Azure carries a wide variety of high-quality natural items, including wellness products. One of my recent favorites is the Ancient Secrets Lavender Aromatherapy Bath Salts from the Dead Sea. I have used many great bath salts, and I make some good ones too, but these are truly exceptional. They feel wonderful on my skin and the scent is strong and soothing. I have also been ordering Tulsi Sleep Tea, which has become a nightly favorite and is hard to find locally at a good price.

So when I need to wind down, I brew a mug of Tulsi tea, run a bath, and read a physical book that is not related to teaching. This may seem luxurious, but it is an affordable luxury that is grounded in healthy rest. A good bath, a book, and a cup of tea is one of my simplest and most meaningful resets. It helps me transition out of my busy homeschool “go” mode so I can sleep well and get up to do it again tomorrow.

I have also become a big fan of the Do Not Disturb setting on my phone at bedtime. Small acts of self care like this go a long way in helping you have more to give others.

3. Go on a Walk

In recent years, there has been this meme going around that says, “I will be out taking a stupid walk for my stupid mental health.” Lately, that line has been on my mind because walks, both long and short, have become one of our most powerful family resets.

This is especially true on those days that just seem long, the ones where everyone is a little tired, a little antsy, or a little overwhelmed. Whether toddler, tween, teen, or adult, we all need to step outside, breathe the air, and expend some physical energy sometimes. Sometimes my husband can take a break from work and join us too.

Whether I go alone or the whole family comes along, a walk clears a cluttered mind, resets the attitude, burns off energy. I am not talking about hitting ten thousand steps (although that’s great if you can get it). I’m simply talking about the way that a little sunshine, fresh air, and movement can make a noticeable difference. Those “stupid walks” are good medicine.

4. Nourish Yourself and Your Family (Without Adding Stress)

Nourishing food and family meals are two of the most sacred rhythms in our home. We try to make sure our kids eat a variety of healthy foods and that we eat dinner together at the table as much as possible.

Shopping and cooking can add stress, but the meals that result can also ground your life. For us, cooking at home helps us save money, stay connected, and explore new foods together. Azure Standard has helped us simplify this rhythm through monthly grocery drops, lower prices on healthy food, and discovering new staples that keep us nourished. Azure is an organic, bulk grocery supplier that does monthly drops around the country. Their goods are excellent and their prices are great. If I have a drop point near me (in a very rural area), you probably do too.

I do not buy everything from Azure, but it has allowed me to stock up on pantry staples we use almost every day, such as organic gluten-free rolled oats, which we have almost every morning. As a gluten-free person, I appreciate the variety and affordability that Azure offers in that category. I have discovered so many great baking mixes and special goodies, and I cannot wait to share them with my family this holiday season. (Many of us are gluten-free, so finding these treats has felt like a win.)

Overall, I tend to get organic staples and special gluten items from Azure and use Aldi weekly for other basics. This balance has helped our family stress less and eat better. Their teas and supplements are fantastic, too. Their matcha latte mix is a family favorite.

Nourishing yourself and your family goes beyond food, too. Sometimes it means praying together. Sometimes it means turning on joyful music and dancing around, or slipping into a quiet room for a few minutes to regroup and step away, even for just a moment, from our busy homeschool day.

5. Keep a Cleaning Rotation That Actually Helps You

I don’t know about you, but the first thing to go when we have too much happening is the state of the main living areas. This is unfortunate because clutter and mess make it so much harder to think clearly or even relax. That’s why one of the most important things we can do to help our homeschool (and our mental health) during busy homeschool seasons is to find a manageable system to keep the house from resembling a battleground (without adding more pressure).

Some people thrive on detailed cleaning schedules and chore charts. I know moms who are champions of this. They have weekly and monthly spreadsheets, calendars, and meal plans that keep each task in steady rotation. If you are this kind of mom, then strong organization really will help you combat stress, much in the same way that cooking at home helps me.

But I have to admit to you that I am not that mom. In fact, detailed systems for homemaking stress me out more, not less. It just is not how I’m wired, and home organization is not at the top of my priority list at this moment in my life (although sometimes I feel like it probably should be higher up on the list!) So if you’re not that mom either, I’ll tell you what works for us. It’s simple and not perfect, but it gets the job done as a quick “reset.” 

When the mess becomes stress, I grab a timer and the kids and I play: “How much can we clean in ten minutes?” It sounds too easy, but ten minutes of focused effort in the kitchen and living room can completely transform the atmosphere of the house. Sometimes we’ll do a few rounds throughout the day, with everyone tackling specific things. I also love diffusing essential oils while we clean and using natural, homemade cleaners that smell fresh because it just resets the whole atmosphere. (Azure Standard has some wonderful natural household products, too.)

6. Remember Why You’re Doing This

I saved the biggest reset for last because this is usually the one we all need the most. When a busy homeschool, personal, or collective stress starts spilling into your home, your homeschool, and your relationships, it’s time to pause and reassess on a deeper level. When routines are fraying and everyone is tense or irritable, ask yourself:
What matters most right now? Why am I homeschooling in the first place?

Answer that honestly for yourself, and it will help you return to your “why.” Then you can adjust your day around what matters most to you, your family, and your homeschool. For example, on these days, I sometimes have to intentionally redirect us back to a place of calm, relational learning.

“Let’s snuggle and read a book.”
“Let’s watch an educational show for a bit.”
“Let’s take a walk.”
“Let’s color or draw while we listen to an audiobook.”

For me, as a homeschooling mom juggling many moving parts, this is the most important reset of all. Instilling a love of learning and making meaningful memories as a family while we learn are two of the biggest reasons we chose this homeschool life. So I hope I always remember to stop and return to those foundations. It’s amazing how much good a simple reset like this can do. Our priorities sometimes need realignment.

That’s okay. It means we still have them.

If there’s anything these busy homeschool seasons keep teaching me, it’s that we don’t have to hold everything together by ourselves. We’re human. We have limits. Sometimes the greatest gift we give our families is a calmer version of ourselves, a slightly tidier home, healthier meals that don’t require much effort, or simply time to sit, snuggle, and read.

None of these resets are complicated or time-consuming. But they have become simple, steadying rhythms that help my family thrive, especially in the middle of a busy homeschool season and an even busier pre-holiday schedule.

As we step into the weeks ahead, give yourself permission to simplify where you can so you can focus on what truly matters. And don’t forget to find a little joy and nourishment along the way. Open the windows and do a speed-clean. Feed yourself and your family something wholesome and simple. Take the stupid walk. Say “no” when you need to. These are the resets that carry us toward the finish line.

What are some of your most helpful reset rhythms when life gets stressful? What priorities do those rhythms reflect?

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Be sure to check out my article 5 Tips for Healthy Eating on a Budget.