The final month of the school year often brings a whirlwind of activity and excitement, sometimes referred to as "end-of-school chaos.
This time of year can be a mixed bag of emotions, with so many transitions, last field trips, final tests, and dedicated events.
Here are fifteen sanity-saving tips, to help navigate that last month of school with greater ease and maintain your sanity during this busy season!
1. Stay Organized
Keep a calendar or planner to track important dates and events. This will help you stay on top of deadlines and avoid last-minute rushes.
Most apps have the option to set reminders and alerts. As soon as an email, flyer or text comes through add those upcoming dates to the calendar.
2. Make a Game Plan for Those Busiest Days
There are bound to be days when juggling multiple events and responsibilities is unavoidable. Having a game plan in place can reduce stress and prevent feeling overwhelmed.
Breaking down any upcoming big projects into bite-sized pieces can make everything more manageable.
3. Prioritize Your Efforts
It is always helpful to identify the most crucial tasks and prioritize them. Focus on what you need to do and let go of less important things if necessary.
One great way to do this is by using the 4 square Eisenhower Matrix to sort tasks by priority, and then decide what you can delegate. It's easy to feel overwhelmed, but once you break it down and prioritize, things generally feel more manageable.
4. Resist the Urge to Overschedule
For so many of us, learning to say "no" when asked to jump in and volunteer for school events, or extracurricular activities goes against everything in our people-pleasing bodies.
It is a critical skill to exercise right now, and your whole family will benefit. Taking care of your well-being is essential for managing stress during busy times.
5. Delegate When Possible
Do not hesitate to delegate tasks to other family members or volunteers if you are feeling stretched thin.
Remind the family that you are a team and get them on board with working together to help things run smoothly.
6. Stay Flexible
Be prepared for unexpected changes or challenges and try to remain flexible. Adaptability is key to navigating the final stretch of the school year smoothly.
Have a backup plan for those days when things do not go according to plan.
7. Address Stress
If your child is showing symptoms of end-of-year stress, like not eating or sleeping well, or being irritable, you may want to talk to him about ways to handle the pressure of juggling too many balls.
Remember, what we do is as important as what we say. Choosing to not critically
overextend ourselves demonstrates the kind of self-care we all hope our kids
will learn to show themselves as they grow older.
8. Prioritize Moments for Self-Care
Speaking of self-care, you may feel you do not have time for this right now, but when things are the craziest is when we need these "reset" moments most.
This does not need to eat up time you do not have, but even just moments set aside to read a book, go for a walk, or practice mindfulness, can make a significant difference in your sense of well-being.
9. Prioritize Clear Communication
Make a point of keeping open communication with teachers, administrators, and other parents.
It is easy to fall into the whirlwind of busy activity, but slowing down to clarify expectations and ensure everyone is on the same page, goes a long way to help things go smoothly.
10. Celebrate Achievements
Taking time to celebrate milestones and accomplishments, both big and small can boost morale and motivation for both you and your kids.
11. Focus on the Positive
Despite the chaos, try to focus on the positive aspects of the school year's end. Choosing to keep a sense of humor and lean into the bright parts of this busy season goes a long way to keeping a sense of peace, during a time that can feel like a marathon.
From the joy of looking forward to summer break to looking back on the happy memories and accomplishments this school year brought, keeping these positive things in mind helps.
12. Plan Meals To Make Those Busy Nights Easier
Some families may choose to use subscription meals where much of the meal prep is done for you. Others may choose to rotate regular family favorites on their calendar.
Either way, having a plan for healthy meals, and sticking with it as much as possible, can help keep you from the chronic low-level stress of deciding what to make for dinner at the last minute.
Here are some of our favorite EASY dinners for those super busy nights! (We definitely recommend that amazing "Egg Roll in a Bowl" from the photo.)
13. Make a Summer Bucket List
Ask your kids what is on their summer bucket list and make a list of things to look forward to.
Here are cute printable summer bucket lists. summer bucket lists.
14. Celebrate That Last Day
Decide if or how you are doing a last day of school celebration.
How will you make the day memorable? You might not have much energy to put into it by that point, but even something simple like planning to go out for ice cream is enough to create a celebratory end to one season, while marking the beginning of another. Bring on summer vacation!
15. Prioritize The Basics
Sleep, eat, drink your water. You will be running on a low battery if you do not do these self-care basics.
Taking care of your basic needs is essential for maintaining overall well-being and ensuring you have enough energy to tackle daily tasks!
Remember, as you tackle these last busy weeks of school, you're not in this alone! It's a busy season, but one that will be over soon, and you've got this!
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Change up a few things for the next two weeks, and your school lunches are all mapped out!
Laurie Harmon
Laurie is using her experiences and education to help others by authoring the blog seekingserenityandharmony.com
Laurie received her Liberal Arts & Sciences Bachelor’s
as well as minors in psychology and in early childrens services from University of Maine when she was 51.
You may have seen her interviewed on a few chronic illness blogs about her health conditions.
Laurie's mission is to advocate for children and animals while also breaking the stigma that mental health issues carry.
Her favorite activities are reading and making
children laugh. However, her greatest interests are her family.
Gluten-freee desserts and a good nights sleep Is a must for her. Not at the same time of course.
Laurie tried adulting by holding down jobs outside the home. It is time to finally venture into her dream of being a writer and putting her words out there for the world in hopes to help someone else.
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