We all have different planner personalities, which means we all approach time management differently. But, despite our different personalities, using a homeschool planner of some sort is critical if we’re going to successfully teach our children.

Here are just a few reasons why every homeschool mom should develop a planner-using habit.

You will set a good example.

Habits that are started young tend to stay with us over time. Habits we begin ourselves when we have young children can continue over the course of our homeschooling career. But they don’t only impact our own success. They also set an example for our children, who also need to learn solid time management skills. When they see us use a planner to teach them well, they will mimic us and learn how to use a planner to accomplish their own tasks well.

You will get more done.

With our days full of the busyness of running a home and educating our children, it is easy to lose sight of what needs to be done. By writing out a plan, you will know what to focus on. Otherwise, you can suddenly realize it is three in the afternoon and no schoolwork has been accomplished! By having written assignments and checklists, you can see what has been done and still needs to be done. Even if you don’t get everything done on your list, you’ll still accomplish a lot more than without it.

You can break up larger goals into smaller accomplishments.

The goal may be to teach your child to add single-digit numbers. But there are a number of smaller steps that need to be mastered to reach that goal. Or you may want to teach your child to bake, but starting with angel-food cake the first week might not be such a good idea. Use your planner to divide the goal into manageable steps over a period of time.

You are better able to see what you are missing.

Without a plan, how do you know when you have arrived? Your planner gives you a picture of which subjects are taking the majority of your time. You can see which subjects may be being neglected and need some attention. Your plans will also help you keep track of what you have taught and which subjects or topics still need to be covered.

You can have an overall picture of whether you are doing too much or not enough.

Write out your assignments, then record in the block how long you actually spent on that lesson. After a few weeks you will be able to see whether your student is spending too much or not enough time in each subject.

You can determine where your time is being used.

Creating a schedule gives you a goal of how you would like to use your time. Keep track in your planner of how your time is actually being used and how well you are able to follow your schedule. Then tweak your schedule accordingly. You may find that an unnecessary activity is taking up entirely too much of your time, and you can gain time for rest or school by eliminating that activity.

You can keep better records.

Record-keeping is an important part of homeschooling. For some families, it is required by the state. Even if it isn’t, however, you still want to have good records of what you have taught and how your child has progressed. If your child runs into any learning issues, having a record will help you see where you may have missed something important, or where she began to struggle. It is also a good habit to get into before high school, when keeping good records is essential for creating a transcript.

By consistently using your planner, you’ll develop a planning habit in no time!