By looking at the juxtaposition that the current culture puts business leaders in (collaborate vs. compete, be global vs. be local), the authors have isolated five primary "management mind-sets."  These mindset perspectives are:

• Managing self: the reflective mind-set
• Managing organizations: the analytic mind-set
• Managing context: the worldly mind-set
• Managing relationships: the collaborative mind-set

• Managing change: the action mind-set

I can hear you wondering, "What does this have to do with me - a homeschooling mom, keeping a home, and hanging out with my kids all day?"  You'd be surprised at the parallels that can be made between a homeschooling mom and a corporate manager.  I have taken the liberty of using the HBR article's very insightful framework to examine how we can be more effective at homeschooling, running our household, knowing ourselves, and building better relationships with our husbands, kids and friends. 

My own framework is probably less professional, but I hope it will be something you can relate to and find useful in your own way.  Without further ado, I present you with the "Five Minds of a Mom":

1The Contemplating Mind

As moms, we are often caught up in the "doing" that comprises so much of our days.  If you are anything like me, a description of your average week would be dominated by action words.  Teaching, driving, cooking, coaching, dressing, soothing, cleaning, talking, correcting, training... these are all the things we do.  Those things are the bread and butter of our lives as mothers.  Those things are valid and important. 

We can't, however, underestimate the importance of reflecting.  In reflection, we find meaning in the doing.  This is more natural for some people than others.  We can all benefit from taking the time to process what is happening in our lives.

How?  For me, this means taking a few moments to write in a journal or otherwise sit down to revel in my life.  I think of funny things the kids have said, savor the memory of time outside with my husband on a beautiful day, or reflect on a relaxing conversation I had with close friends.  I sit still with God to just be present and relaxed.  Life flies by at lightening speed, and the world is full of challenges and hardships.  If I didn't take a few moments here and there to look back on and contemplate the gifts, I think my heart would grow a little harder and my smile would be a little less bright.

2The Evaluating Mind

So, what exactly is the "evaluating mind?"  For a mom, the evaluating mind is the piece of you that reviews what happened today, this week, this month, this year.  You are looking for patterns in your behavior or in the behavior of your family.  You are deciding if you feel good about your activities and whether those activities really fit with your goals. 

My evaluating mind has recently been trying to find congruence between my business-related tasks and my desire to be fully present for my family.  I am not only a Professor Mom (homeschooling) and the Professor Mom (blogging), but I also need time to be a wife, to give service to the church and community, and to have a little humor and downtime in my life.  I have been reflecting on how all of these roles intersect.  

I analyzed where my time is spent and discovered that I was taking life in big chunks of time.  That worked better for me BC (before children:-)  In this season of my life, it's important for me to be more flexible and ready to live in the moment.  I have to do a little of this and a little of that, rather than sitting down for 4 hours and focusing on one project.  It really isn't the way I enjoy working, but it creates a better environment for all of us when I make flexibility a priority.  So, I have learned to adjust.

3The Exploring Mind

Have you noticed that the world holds a contradictory image of motherhood?  Typically, mommyland is viewed as stable and non-adventurous, sometimes bordering on the mundane.  I am quite certain that we have all felt that at one time or another.  I have to tell you, though, being a mom has also been one of my greatest life adventures.  In between the mundane, trivial and downright boring moments, lie moments of joy, fear, risk and inner battle. 

When each of my sons goes through a new phase in his growth or behavior, I am basically embarking on new territory.  Have I already learned from former years or older children?  Of course, but every child has his or her own unique being and way.  It is my job to anticipate and work with that unique nature.  I feel a sobering fear when I see something undesirable in my child's heart - maybe selfishness or defiance - because I am never quite sure that I will be able to help them past it.  I persevere until I see improvement.  I take risks everytime I let them try out new things.  And, I feel the most inexplicable joy when I see our faith and family values alive in our children.

No matter how many days are filled with changing diapers, washing dishes and healing boo-boos, your life as a mother will continue to have a component of adventure.  Allow your mind to see your world through this lens.  Use it to explore the world around you, regardless of whether you are hanging out in your backyard or traveling to a new country.

4The Relating Mind

Moms have the distinct honor of relating to multitudes of different groups.  Homeschool groups, church groups, work groups, parent groups, sports groups, scouts, book clubs, etc. each bring with them a distinct subculture.  How do we handle the people who get on our last nerve?  How do we reach out to kindred spirits?

Our relational styles have an element of genetic predisposition to them.  However, as we get older, we find that we have this awesome ability to broaden ourselves and the way we interact with other.  By developing the areas toward which we don't naturally tend, we can connect with the mom down the street who may seem quite different.  

If you are a very boisterous person, you can work on your listening skills and attempt to tone it down a bit for the quieter person you'd like to develop a friendship with.  Likewise, by creating a conversation script, someone who is quite timid and shy can venture forth into new groups confident that they have the ability to start a conversation.  

5The Engaging Mind

The engaging mind encompasses you as a whole person and how you interact with others.  You take each day and incorporate its experiences into your essence.  The people you have met, the things you have done, the sights you have seen, are each absorbed.  Your authentic self works with those experiences, judging them good or bad, helpful or irrelevant.  You keep what works and discard what doesn't.  Wisdom is the filter for all of it.   

I find this happens almost subconsciously.  The payoff comes when I realize that through the engaging process my mind has come to a hard decision or I have broken a bad habit that I've been struggling with.  God guides us through this mind.  I find it encouraging when I hear Him 'speak' like this.

After examining each of the "Five Minds of a Mom," you probably find yourself drawn more readily to some of these perspectives than others.  We each have distinct personalities that draw on different strengths. 

Let's look at the term introvert.  Introverted people are not the stereotypical shy, social outcast types.  Introversion really means that you draw your energy from time alone.  Introverts are typically more adept at using the Contemplating Mind.  Their nature draws them to reflect on their experiences and draw meaning from them. 

On the flip side, extraverts draw their energy by interacting with others.  Extraverts will often feel quite comfortable with their Exploring Mind.  They look outwardly and engage in experiences outside of themselves with enthusiasm. 

We all can benefit from utilizing our less-natural minds more often.  As with everything worth doing in life, practice makes perfect.  Over the next few weeks, check in with yourself to see which of the minds you tend toward.  Then, try to work on one of your under-developed minds.  By rounding yourself out in this manner, you may stumble upon ways to bring more light to all of the different facets of your life.

Our friends at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine have created a beautiful 175-page holiday magazine with lots of tips and templates for crafts and activities, articles on making Christmas this year a beautiful and peaceful experience for your family.  They share ideas for freezer meals to ease your workload during the busy holiday season, and for those especially ambitious, this resource will even teach you how to make butter.

My favorite part - ideas for how to throw an authentic 1621 Thanksgiving Feast!  I host Thanksgiving each year for my side of the family as well as my husband's.  I am SO excited to shake things up this year and try some of these ideas out.  I'll report back with pictures!

Best of all, it's FREE...

Happy reading!

P.S. - Apparently this is a pretty large file, not to mention pretty popular, so be patient if you can't access it the first time.

Someone once said that 'failure to plan is planning to fail.'  Homeschooling is no different. Even though we can march to the beat of our own drummer (and let's face it, that's why many of us enjoy it so much:-), we don't want to get so caught up in that march that we forget that there are certain life-tools that have proven their worth over time.  Basic lesson planning - in essence, giving yourself a roadmap - is one such tool. 

Still not convinced?  Here is a quick list of lesson planning benefits that I have put together for you this fine morning:

You will waste less time finding things.  To be organized or not to be organized, that is the question. Regardless of where you stand on the Julie Morgenstern scale, your kids need you to step up and make sure they have the tools they need to learn.  Preparation means that you have those beakers for the chemistry experiment on hand when you need them, so you don't spend half the day driving around town to find them.

You won't be sidetracked with rabbit trails (unless you want to be!)  We are homeschoolers, right?  Do we not love rabbit trails?  You know, the times when your son or daughter becomes so fascinated in a subject that it consumes the household?  Those rabbit trails are some of the most beautiful moments of homeschooling life.  But, it is important to remember that rabbit trails can lead nowhere if they aren't well-managed.  They can also overwhelm you and draw you away from more foundational skills.  Those foundations (you know... basic grammar, math, and spelling) may not be quite as exciting as a rabbit trail to the land of India, but they are still crucial to your homeschool.

You don't get lost (because you know where you are going.)  How do we get anywhere unless we know where we are going?  Homeschooling is at least 12 years of numerous subjects, not to mention life skills and character training.  Having an outline of your journey helps you stay on track.  It also helps you catch any molehills before they become mountains.  Lesson planning keeps you going in the right direction.  It also gives you the flexibility to take on the afore-mentioned rabbit trails with confidence, knowing everything else is still accounted for.

Your expectations are clear.  Good lesson plans give you the opportunity to lay out expectations clearly.  I am not talking about lengthy rubrics (unless you like them.)  Instead, your lesson plans tell you and your kids what is expected of them.  You experience peace in not having to develop and explain an assignment in between blow-drying your hair and your morning coffee (besides, I highly recommend the coffee first;-)  It is also more fair to your children.  They have expectations that are consistent and well-thought out.  No flip-flopping for their mom!  Nope, she knows what she expects, and she communicates that clearly.  Kids need those boundaries so they can concentrate on the work at hand.

Self-Confidence.  I can't tell you how many moms I talk to who are unbelievably unsure of themselves... especially when it comes to homeschooling.  They feel unorganized, not worthy for the task, tired, or worn down from 'negotiating' with their kids.  Planning your lessons is one small step toward building up that skin you need when you homeschool.  Everyone isn't going to support you, we all know that.  But, when you are down on yourself, you can sabotage your entire homeschool experience.  Who then suffers?  That's right, the kids!  So, this week, try to work in a little planning.  See if you don't feel just a bit stronger. 

Planning can't solve all of your problems, create perfect kids, or eliminate world hunger.  What it can do is take away some of the noise of life and allow you to focus on the very reasons you are doing this homeschool thing in the first place... your kids. 

Thought of the day:  When you prepare for life, you glide through a bit easier and a bit saner.