Ways to Share the Load at Home
A good boss delegates in the workplace, so why not employ those tactics in the home?
But in the home, ‘Who’s the Boss?’ Cue Tony Danza; I can hear the familiar theme song now.
Women often consider themselves the boss of the house (although husbands may beg to differ). Yet, many women I know act more like ‘chickens without a head’ relentlessly trying to work, care for the household and children with little-to-no support. I am guilty as charged; I work, then come home and chase my tail completing endless chores until it’s time to sleep and restart the day. A well-balanced life should not resemble the movie ‘Groundhog’s Day’. Something’s got to give. The salvation is delegation.
Below are Strategies to Share the Household Load:
- Establish the Workload – Determine what tasks you’re willing to ‘let go’ of and assign to others. Trust those around you to get the job done. Don’t hold back. Perfection is not the goal, but satisfactory task completion by others would be awesome. Allow yourself to alleviate your own load.
- Identify Your Resources – Resources can be found in all shapes and sizes. Survey your surroundings. The husband, kids, a babysitter, a cleaning lady, grandparents, neighbors, other mothers, etc. can all be valuable resources. You’d be surprised where you can find help if you’re willing to look. If you don’t think others outside the home are resources, you’re wrong. Neighbors, friends, and other parents whose kids share the same after-school activities as yours can aid in pick-up and drop-off so you can focus elsewhere. Check!
- Explain the WHY – Resources are more likely to offer services and perform when they understand the purpose. Communicate and explain the why. If this doesn’t make an impact, forget sharing the why (as long as you know what it is) and move forward with the plan. The ‘why’ may not resonate with children.
- Capitalize on the Strengths of your Resources – Know the strengths of your resources and delegate accordingly. Kids, for example, are a great resource based upon their level of interest and skill. My three-year old loves to refill the empty Keurig coffee caddy; she gets to stand on a chair and feel like a big girl. Basic chores like emptying the dishwasher, folding the laundry, getting the mail, and taking out the trash are great for kids. I’ve even witnessed them fight over the vacuum. Consistency is key. Motivation is key. Giving thanks is key! Keep kids motivated with kudos and rewards. The same goes for the hubby. For some reason, men appreciate a pat on the back and hearing the wife utter ‘thank you’. Imagine that.
- Demand Participation – Every member of the home must contribute to the care of the home. Period.
- Provide Instruction – Set everyone up for success; provide clear goals and specific instructions. Eliminate the guesswork. If it benefits you to have kids do homework or take baths with the babysitter, ask for help. Pay extra for value added services such as pet-care, grocery shopping, cooking, laundry, etc. Provide instruction and guidelines to ensure a job well done.
- Think Outside The Box – The ‘convenience market’ is exploding with new ways to make your life easier. Take advantage. There are fancy apps that can run errands for you… submit your list and voila, on your door step. Need food? Hello Door Dash and Uber Eats! Pet food? Chewy.com. Walmart and Target would love to ship you whatever your heart desires including basic necessity products. I met a woman who claimed to order literally everything online and spent her time at the gym instead of in retail stores. To me, this creates massive waste in the form of shipping cartons and fillers but it is keeping people employed in the world and that’s good. I can’t bring myself to order toilet paper and paper towels online but I certainly envy a person who frees up time for themselves instead of fighting a Costco crowd.
- Give & Get Feedback – Delegating and sharing any load involves giving and getting feedback. Brainstorm ways to improve and compliment a job well done. Encourage positive change.
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The Woman with a Day Dream 