There are seasons where motherhood feels like an endless loop of dishes, laundry, noise, and tending. The weight of coming home — both physically and emotionally — can begin to pull you under, especially when you’re also trying to find space for yourself in the process.
If you’ve been feeling burnt out and off-balance, let this be your soft landing. There’s a simple rhythm you can lean on to start feeling steady again — without overhauling your whole life. It’s called the 8+8+8 Rule, and it can help you reclaim your days with intention.
What is the 8+8+8 Rule?
It’s an old framework that divides the day into three equal parts:
- 8 hours for work (homemaking, caregiving, job tasks)
- 8 hours for rest (sleep, stillness, decompression)
- 8 hours for self/life (family time, connection, hobbies, movement)
While it may not always be perfect in practice (because life with kids is rarely neat), it gives your days a gentle anchor. Instead of time slipping away in a blur, this rhythm helps you notice: Where is my time going? What am I missing? What do I need more of?
Rebalancing Your Day: A Homemaker’s Version
You don’t need to schedule every minute. You simply need categories — themes to guide your energy.
Here’s an example of how you might rotate your time throughout the week:
| Day | Morning | Midday | Evening | Daily Focus |
| Monday | Light home reset | Laundry + errands | Early dinner, simple evening | Ease in + admin |
| Tuesday | Self-care (walk, shower, stretch) | Deep cleaning or decluttering | Screen-free time with kids | Home flow + connection |
| Wednesday | Grocery or meal prep | Quiet chore day or phone calls | Solo rest time or early bed | Catch-up + gentle rest |
| Thursday | Morning podcast + tea | Organize a drawer or closet | Chat with a friend or go outside | Home tending + social |
| Friday | Reflective journaling/slow start | Fridge tidy + weekend planning | Family night | Reset + reflect |
| Saturday | Slow breakfast, stay in pajamas | Light home reset or walk | Movie or game night | Family first + play |
| Sunday | Home reset | Outdoor time or batch cook | Bath, early bedtime | Sabbath feel + soul prep |
Your New Secret Weapon: The Home Reset
When you’re running on empty, even the home can feel like it’s piling up around you. That’s where a home reset becomes a powerful rhythm—not to “stay on top of everything,” but to clear a path back to yourself.
Light Home Reset (15–30 min daily)
A simple daily touch-up to start fresh.
- Open windows, light a candle
- Quick tidy of living areas and table surfaces
- Wipe kitchen counters, do dishes
- Fluff pillows, fold blankets
- Start or switch a load of laundry
- Water plants or wipe bathroom sink
Weekly Home Reset (60–90 min once a week)
A soulful home refresh that keeps you grounded.
- Vacuum or sweep high-traffic areas
- Wipe down bathroom counters and mirrors
- Change bedding or freshen towels
- Empty all trash bins
- Declutter the entryway
- Wipe light switches and doorknobs
- Tidy fridge and make a loose meal plan
These rhythms are not about perfection. They’re about inviting order into your day without pressure. They are soul-keeping practices that bring your home and your heart back into alignment.
You Don’t Need to Do It All to Feel Better
If you’re feeling behind, this is not your sign to try harder. It’s your permission slip to do less — but with more heart.
- Choose one small rhythm to anchor your day (a daily reset, a 10-minute walk, a phone-free dinner).
- Reclaim your mornings or evenings as sacred space, even if it’s only for a few minutes.
- Let the 8+8+8 rhythm gently guide your week without shame when it doesn’t go perfectly.
You’re Allowed to Move Slowly
You are the heartbeat of your home — not because you do everything, but because you hold the atmosphere.
Your presence, not your productivity, is what creates peace.
So open the windows. Light the candle. Take a breath. And begin again — not with a to-do list, but with a rhythm that feels like home.
Start Small, Begin Again
If you’ve been craving a steadier rhythm — one that holds space for both the chaos and the calm — I’ve created a simple Weekly Homemaker’s Rhythm Calendar for you. It’s not rigid or color-coded. Just a printable guide to gently anchor your days, with space for grace and room to breathe.
You can stick it on your fridge, leave it by your bedside, or in your journal as a quiet reminder: You don’t need to do it all. You just need to come home to yourself.
And if this slower way of living resonates with you — if you’ve ever longed to capture the sacredness of your everyday life, the warmth of your home, or the honest beauty of motherhood — I invite you to explore my photography work. I document stories just like yours: soft, real, and rooted in the fleeting moments we never want to forget.
Your home, your family, your rhythm — it’s all worthy of remembering.
