What Stands In The Way Of Your Motivation to Clean?

We all have to care for our homes. And we all have to be motivated to do it. But a lot can stand in the way of your motivation to clean.

You know the feeling. After working hard all day long – whether it’s away from your home at a job, or at home with your kids – the last thing you have energy for is taking care of your home.

But the dirty dishes pile up. And the dirty laundry. And the dust bunnies.

In fact, everywhere you look around your home, you’re reminded of the uncomfortable reality that you need to take care of your home. Cleaning won’t take care of itself, and haven creation will never happen unless you initiate it. Somehow, in the midst of your busy life, you need to make it a priority.

But most likely, one thing stands in your way.

Motivation.

How crucial is motivation?

You might feel – and rightly so! – that you have no energy to clean. Or that you’re too busy and just don’t have time. Maybe you know what you need to do around your home – and even how and when to do it – but you just can’t find the motivation to follow through.

I understand how you feel. When I worked outside of my home, I was tired at night, but knew I either had to devote 15 to 20 minutes a night to cleaning – even when I didn’t feel like it – or devote my Saturday morning to cleaning. If I didn’t, my home showed the messy consequences.

And once I had kids and stayed home, I discovered an entirely different challenge of being tired and busy all day, but I needed to create rhythms so I could do all of the necessary mom things and still keep up with my housework. Even when my hard work was destroyed right before my eyes by my kiddos.

Finding good homemaking routines and rhythms is no small feat. Plus, just because something works well for you right now doesn’t mean that it always will. (Finding good housekeeping strategies for the different seasons of your life is essential.)

But beyond finding a cleaning strategy that will work in your favor, something else is absolutely essential. Motivation.

Without motivation, all of your best intentions will only stay intentions. But with motivation, those intentions transform your to-do list into a done list. Your chores get completed. You keep up with your housework.

The obstacles that stand in the way of your motivation to clean

Of course, there are major obstacles standing in the way of your motivation. You might be:

• Frustrated and not able to enjoy a clean house, knowing that you’re stuck in a never-ending cycle of housework.
• Too busy. When you’re constantly on the go, you’re never home to actually care for it.
• Sick and unable to move without pain or exhaustion.
• Depressed and currently unable to get past your feelings to focus on working around the house.
• Exhausted and feel like you don’t have any energy left to get up and accomplish anything around your home.
• Defeated, knowing that that in a day or two you’ll need to clean yet again since your kids, spouse, or pet will destroy all of your hard work.
• Apathetic, wondering if anyone really cares if your house is clean.
• Just not interested in housework of any kind.
• Overwhelmed as you look at the mess of your house. Where in the world should you begin? Or how should you begin?

All of those obstacles are legitimate. And if you dwell on your obstacles, they can easily trick you into living a life of defeat and frustration.

That’s no way to live, though. A life of freedom and control over your home is completely possible – but it’s not automatic. And, depending on the state of your home right now, it may include a lot of diligence, dedication and hard work.

The key to change is first found in realizing your obstacles – while very real – are just obstacles that you need to overcome. Then, in you’ll need to find different motivations that will help you make a difference in your home.

Getting Motivated

When you know you need to change and to work past what’s holding your back, you need to find what motivates you.

What motivates some homemakers may not motivate you at all. And that’s OK – everyone is different. Just like your obstacles are tied to your personality and life situation, your motivation will be, too.

Once you figure out what motivates you, use it to your advantage. If homemaking and housekeeping is a weakness, you need to play off your strengths to bring change.

You can brainstorm different motivators, and contemplate what’s worked well for you in the past. But I’d love to make it easier on you. Since I know that motivation is a huge challenge and frustration for many homemakers, I’ve researched the topic, interviewed dozens of homemakers, narrowed down 16 different ways to get motivated to care for your home, and I’ve compiled it all in an eBook: Motivated: Caring for Your Home When You Don’t Feel Like It.

Through Motivated, you’ll be able to finally figure out the secrets behind motivation and explore 16 different ways to get motivated. All 16 motivators may not work for you, but if you can find a handful that do, you just might find enough oomph to get moving, cleaning, and making a noticeable difference in your home.

For more information about Motivated, or to buy and instantly download your own copy, click here.

Even if the last thing you have energy for is taking care of your home, motivation doesn’t have to stand in your way anymore. Discovering what best motivates you and then drawing upon that motivation can help you transform your uncomfortable reality that you need to take care of your home into a comfortable, achievable reality.

As you think about your home and your life, what stands in the way of your motivation to clean?

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All images courtesy of Unsplash.

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Hilary

Hilary Bernstein is a Christ follower, wife, homeschooling mama, and writer who believes every Christian woman can transform her home into a haven. She's happiest when she's hosting friends and family for dinner, going on date nights with her husband, singing along to the radio while driving her kids around, relaxing on family vacations, and spending cozy family nights at home. The author of a dozen books, Hilary loves to encourage her e-mail subscribers!

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