Being Productive during your Single Years

Today I thought I'd share some ways that a single girl can live a fulfilled and productive life at home!

Sometimes it's easy to be unproductive or fall into slothfulness. I struggle with this from time to time. My natural self is lazy at heart and it takes a lot to conquer this fault! Some things I do to get motivated, particularly in the morning during chores and school are:

• Do your quiet time - When you start your morning with quiet time, the whole day goes better. It's much easier to be pleasant and productive when you have had your morning Bible reading and prayer time. Asking the Lord for help being productive is so very important.
• Get dressed - This may seem very obvious, but when you are homeschooled and don't leave the house as much, it's convenient to stay in your pajamas all day! It makes me feel much better and much more productive if I'm dressed and matched, with shoes, jewelry and makeup. It's truly amazing what this does to one's disposition.
• Put on some music - Music helps everyone feel peppy and happy! Singing is so much fun when working and Snow White was right, whistling while you work helps too!
• Wear an apron - Whenever I wear an apron I feel so much more feminine and productive. It's amazing what a little piece of cloth can do. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Plus, it's harder to get your clothes dirty! ;)
• Just get to work - When all else fails and you just aren't feeling very productive, just start working. Chances are, once you are in the middle of the chore it will be easier to get motivated to finish!
• Find a quiet place - When doing schoolwork, it's essential to find a quiet place to work. It's near impossible to be productive when so many distracting things are going on around you. I usually go outside, in my room, and I've even been known to do my schoolwork in my closet! Anywhere that you can concentrate.

Just remember:

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." Colossians 3:23-24

Another thing I'd like to discuss, along the same lines, are some things other than schoolwork a girl can work on, particularly after high school graduation. These are things like:

• Homemaking Skills - It's very important for a girl to use this time in her life to learn the things that she, Lord willing, will need in the future as a wife, mother, and homekeeper. These include cooking, cleaning, all kinds of needlework and sewing skills, gardening, canning, making gifts, shopping, managing money and other various life skills.
• Helping your younger siblings with their schoolwork - This can be a great help to your mother, as well as a blessing to your siblings. It's also wonderful practice for you if you one day have the privilege of becoming a homeschooling mother!
• Reading and Writing - After graduation, this is the best way to further your education on your own. All you really need to be thoroughly educated are good books and a willing mind. Writing is a wonderful way to express yourself and what you've learned. You can write on a blog, which is the easiest way to publish your thoughts, or you can be adventurous and submit an article to a magazine or a popular website. This allows you to share your talent and passion with many others.
• Investing your time in your family and your church - This is perhaps the most important area of a girl's life. What a wonderful way to spend your single years! Instead of focusing on yourself, share your energies and talents with those around you. Doing for others is extremely rewarding and lots of fun!
• Journaling - I quite enjoy journaling. There's no pressure for me to write exceptionally well or collect my thoughts. I simply write what's on my mind or what's happened during the day. It's very nice to have that recorded for later use. I can come back years from now and see exactly what day this happened, or what I was thinking about when I was thirteen. I've kept a multitude of journals over the years and it's really a fun activity!
• Running a Home Business - This is a great way to start saving for your future. I run a very small graphic design business from my home computer and I'm also going to start teaching piano lessons to beginners. Just take some time to think about your strengths and use this time at home to expand those skills or learn some new skills that could one day be marketable. You can be such a blessing to others by running a home business. These are skills that can help you be a helpmeet to your future husband as well.
• Have fun! - This is a wonderful season of your life! Play with your family, get together with friends, socialize at church and use these years without the responsibility of a family of your own to the fullest. Never take any of it for granted. The Lord has been so good to me! I have no reason at all to be anything but thrilled.

May the Lord bless you during your years as a stay at home daughter!

--Flibby