Winter is often portrayed as the “slow season.” A time when homesteaders rest, recharge, and spend quiet hours by candlelight while the garden sleeps.
And while that image is beautiful, I’ll be honest with you. That hasn’t been my reality for a very long time. Yes, the garden is resting. Yes, the days are shorter. But winter isn’t necessarily slower. It’s just different.
In fact, I’ve come to realize that if I want a slower pace or more margin in my life, it doesn’t happen automatically. It has to be intentional.
Quick Look at This Post
- ✅ Why winter isn’t truly a slow season for most homesteaders
- ✅ How winter shifts from growing to planning and preparation
- ✅ Why slow living doesn’t just happen on its own
- ✅ Practical ways to create margin in your day, even in busy seasons
- ✅ How small, intentional habits can restore your energy and focus
Winter Isn’t Slower. It’s a Season of Different Work.
During the growing season, my work is visible. I’m planting, harvesting, preserving, and tending the garden daily.
But in winter, the work shifts indoors.
This is when I:
- Evaluate what we preserved and how much we actually used
- Plan next year’s garden
- Organize seeds and supplies
- Declutter and reset areas of our home
- Work on house projects we couldn’t get to during the busy months
Last year, I realized just how much our needs had changed. With one child out of the house and another busy with her own schedule, we weren’t eating at home as often.
And yet, I had grown and preserved as if nothing had changed. I had planted 68 tomato plants. Sixty-eight. We didn’t preserve even half of what they produced.
That realization helped me see the importance of evaluating and adjusting. Homesteading isn’t static. It evolves along with your family and your season of life.
Winter gives you the opportunity to reflect and plan intentionally.
The Myth of the “Slow Season”
It’s easy to see images online of slow, peaceful winter days and feel like you’re somehow doing it wrong if your life doesn’t look that way.
But what we see online is often curated.
Most of us are balancing:
- Work responsibilities
- Family life
- Household management
- Homestead planning and preparation
Winter doesn’t magically create extra time.
If anything, winter is when I do the behind-the-scenes work that makes the next growing season successful.
The truth is, slow living isn’t about having fewer responsibilities. It’s about being intentional with the time you do have.
Margin Doesn’t Appear. You Have to Create It.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is this: Margin doesn’t just appear in your life. You have to create it.
I used to believe that slowing down required large blocks of uninterrupted time. An hour to read. An afternoon to rest. But that kind of time rarely exists in a full life.
What does exist are small pockets of time. Ten minutes in the morning. Fifteen minutes in the afternoon. And those small pockets matter more than you realize.
I’ve found that even a short walk outside, a few minutes of handwriting in a notebook, or simply sitting with a warm cup of tea without looking at a screen can completely reset my mindset.
These moments restore your energy and clarity, helping you show up better in every other area of your life.
The Power of Small, Intentional Habits
We often overlook the impact of small habits because they seem insignificant. But those small habits are what create long-term change.
Here are a few simple ways I’ve been intentional about creating margin:
- Taking 10 minutes each morning without looking at my phone
- Writing goals and plans by hand instead of digitally
- Evaluating what we actually used from our pantry before planning the next season
- Stepping outside daily, even in winter
- Prioritizing rest and recovery when needed
None of these habits require hours of free time. But together, they create space to think clearly and move forward intentionally.
Be Honest About What Actually Brings You Joy
This is something I’ve had to learn over the years. Sometimes we continue doing things simply because we’ve always done them. Not because they’re still serving us.
Winter is a powerful time to ask yourself:
- What’s working well?
- What isn’t?
- What do I want to continue?
- What needs to change?
For me, that meant adjusting how much I plant and preserve. It also meant recognizing that rest, reflection, and margin aren’t luxuries. They’re necessary.
You cannot pour from an empty cup.
Slow Living Isn’t About Doing Less. It’s About Being Intentional.
Homesteading isn’t about achieving some perfect, peaceful ideal. It’s about building a sustainable life that supports you and your family.
Winter isn’t a season where everything stops. It’s a season where foundations are built. It’s where clarity is gained. It’s where intentional decisions are made.
And those decisions shape everything that comes next. You don’t need hours of free time to slow down. You just need to start with the next small, intentional step.
