How To: Be Intentional at Home

We all have the best intentions with goals for our kids... We want to read more with our kids, we want to connect and communicate so we can deeply know them, we may want to talk about faith and have big life conversations, or teach them skills and family traditions. We have so many things we want to teach them but life always seems to get in the way. The tyranny of the urgent rips us away from what we know is most important. 

Through much trial and error, I’ve found that creating physical spaces and organizational systems to help us be intentional is the best way to not be robbed of what we desire. 

James Clear says, "Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress. A handful of problems arise when you spend too much time thinking about your goals and not enough time designing your systems."

The bottom line is… you can have all the goals and intentions you want about being proactive with your kids, but the simple truth is that until we get down to putting spaces and systems in place, these goals will never become reality!

I would love to share with you how I have created spaces for systems to thrive in my home. Here’s my simplified thought process…

Step 1: Identify your goals and write them down. Daily reading time, prayer time, devotions, teaching life skills, establishing or carrying on traditions, etc.

Step 2: What tools do you need to make this happen? Books, library membership, Bible, calendar, cooking stool, writing utensils, notebooks, note cards, etc.

Step 3: Where is the best place to keep the tools for the system? Refrigerator, kitchen table, bedside, coffee table.

Step 4: What can you declutter in the space to make these times focused and undistracted?

Step 5: Put your times on your calendar! These intentional times with your family are every bit as important as school, practices, doctor appointments, etc. Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly? Schedule it or it will never happen! 

I will be sharing some of our intentional systems on my Instagram. Please come follow along and share your own systems with me! I’d absolutely love to hear how you’re implementing this in your home!

Laura