3 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

Christmas is over, but winter continues to grace us with snowflakes, icicles, and slippery roads. While kids may be enjoying sled rides and snowball fights, many moms are looking for ways to beat the winter blues. Are you one of them? It is perfectly normal if you are. The lack of sunlight in your area could be the main culprit. If that is the case, you can beat the winter blues by recognizing that it is not an internal factor, but an external one. Go ahead and let out a sigh of relief, knowing that you are going to be just fine. With a bit of extra effort, you can sail through the winter without finding yourself buried in the snow. This winter, put these three ways to beat the winter blues into practice.

• Immerse Yourself in Scripture

Add more Scripture to your routine. Deuteronomy 6 encourages us to have God’s words and commandments in our hearts for ourselves and to teach our children. Verse seven includes the following directions.

When You Get Up: This could mean reading a proverb a day. If it is February 18, then read Proverbs 18. If it is February 21, read Proverbs 21. Or, try reading through the entire Bible. Pick several chapters a day for when you wake up and read away. You could also use a devotional for homeschool moms to help you get through each day.

While You Sit at Home: Remember when you were not a homeschool mom? Most likely, you busied yourself with other activities, jobs, or responsibilities. Now that you homeschool, you are home, maybe more often than you ever have been before. Not only can the days seem long, but when winter rolls around, it is an entirely different story. This is when we need to recognize that a little effort can go a long way. Type or creatively draw inspiring and convicting Bible verses to hang around your house. Place these verses in your homeschool space, bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, and even next to the television. Rehearse them over and over. Rather than letting your mind drift into fear, doubt, or despair, think about the Scriptures before those other thoughts can even enter your mind. If you are busy going over Bible verses in your head, you won’t have time to think other (non-productive) thoughts.

As You Walk along the Road: I think we can safely include “as you drive around in your car” here since that is how we travel nowadays. Driving in the dark, cloudy, snowy days down roads lined with colorless trees can be depressing, but we can change that quickly. Listen to the Bible on CD in your vehicle or find worship music you can sing. Even consider turning off the radio completely and singing your own song to the Lord from your heart. Sing, pray, and worship aloud. If your kids are in the car, pray and worship together.

When You Lie Down: If you are a SchoolhouseTeachers.com member, consider ending the day with the Encouragement for Homeschool Moms course. This devotional-style course helps homeschool moms avoid the temptation to put off time with God due to being too busy. 

•  Eat, Sleep, and Be Healthy

Watch What You Eat: Think about what you are going to eat before you eat. Stress eating can often increase in the winter months. Add a few super-healthy snacks and meals to your routine to ensure you are getting all the vitamins you need. Also, consider taking Vitamin D supplements to help beat the winter blues if you cannot get outside every day.

Sleep Well: Schedule a bedtime for yourself by setting a timer on your phone at a specific time each night (preferably the same time each night).

Exercise: Even if you do not exercise regularly, chances are you are more fit in the summer months than in the winter. Add a quick and easy exercise routine to your schedule, even if just a couple times a week. Use online videos or simply work on your push-ups and sit-ups to help beat the winter blues. Try not to do this immediately before bed, as it might make it harder for you to fall asleep.

•  Limit Screen Time

For Yourself: Use the feature on your phone that monitors how much time you spend on your phone or device each day and set a limit. Consider setting limits on specific apps on your phone, in general.

For Your Kids: Use the winter as a time to enjoy your kids more. Limit their screen time and actively plan more activities, field trips, days in the kitchen, and unit studies. How do you actively beat the winter blues in your home?