Since our condo has two bathrooms, Jeff and I split the maintenance. He cleans one and I clean the other.
Yesterday, my husband was cleaning his bathroom. He called out to me, “Martha, I don’t think I have said ‘Thank You!’ for all those years you kept our bathrooms clean. I didn’t know how much work that was.”
My reply – “That means a lot to me, Jeff. Thank you for saying so.”
Many times the majority of the work to maintain a home and a healthy family falls to women. We are nurturers, men are hunters. These are the main areas we see to:
Physical – Life Sustaining, The Big 3: food, clothing, shelter
- Meal planning, food purchase
- Laundry, Clothing purchase and repair
- Housekeeping
Relational – The People Factor
- Adult partners
- Children to adults
- Adult children to Adult parents
Scheduling and Communication – Taking Care of Business
- Work
- School
- Extra-curricular (optional!!)
When you read through that list, do you get tired and wonder where you find the time to actually do all of those things? I do!
Is this helping you to see how valuable your time is? You have to guard against spending it too quickly or without thought.
I’d like to offer three time management principles that can help us wives, moms, and homemakers be more effective and efficient every day.
PRINCIPLE #1 – LEARN TO SAY “NO!”
Stall if you have to when you are asked to do something. Say, “Let me check my schedule.” Then call back and say “Thank you for asking
me to _______________. I’m sorry, but I have already made a commitment that will not allow me to do that.” No further explanation is necessary.
PRINCIPLE #2: FOCUS
Focus on one person or task when you can. To focus is to think about the same thing we are doing.
Management and mothering have a lot in common. These are two of the most interruption-rich jobs! Multitasking is sometimes necessary, but should not be our preferred operating tactic.
Looking at our child when he/she is talking is one of the most loving things we can do!
PRINCIPLE #3: ASK FOR HELP
Don’t try to go it alone or be a martyr. Get the kids involved.
Ask your husband, or sister, or mother for some help. Let the person who is doing the job do it their way. Praise even small efforts.
How are you doing on the front lines? Ready to delegate instead of being the Lone Ranger?
Our Mom’s Summer Series is a place to start. Thursday, July 16th we will zero in on how to get children to help around the house. To succeed at using chores at home, moms must start early, train, have enthusiasm, and lavishly praise.
“All you can do is all you can do, but all you can do is enough.”
A.L. Williams
