The first thing that would be appropriate to tell you as we begin this journey of learning ways to save time and strength while being our most efficient self is that “Discovering and understanding YOU is your secret to the balance you seek”
Let me explain further….
The thing is, because we do not have a domestic staff at home, there is a tendency that we would want to assume the role of one. We do not want our houses to be dirty at any point in time, we want our children well attended to when they call, we want food to be freshly prepared and so many other tasks that domestic staff tend to do. However we must understand that for a domestic staff, housekeeping is a full time job. They are paid to do what they do and the value they provide is measured by how much work they are able to cover. They do not have to worry about running an errand for a spouse or taking care of a sick child.
But for you, housekeeping is just one aspect that must be fit into your already demanding life alongside your duties as a wife, a mother, business woman or an employee in your organization. If you spend all of your time cleaning because you want a very tidy home, you will have a tidy home but probably late meals, suffering business(es), children needing your attention and most certain exhaustion..
So when I say discover and understand you, I am saying you need to ask a few questions about yourself. your home and your peculiar situation, that would help you put into perspective when what and how things should be done until you can attain that balance that you seek.
1. Your energy level: What time of the day are you most energized? E.g Are you a morning person or more nocturnal?
2. What events in your daily life right now are most predictable? E.g When the kids go to and return from school, Night time routine, sleep; which is a must.
3. What are the tasks you enjoying doing the most at home and the ones you don’t?
4. Which tasks are most time consuming for you?
5. As a work from home mum, when is the peak time for your business?
6. What are the business related things you can do even with distractions in your environment? What are the things you CANNOT accomplish without these distractions?
7. As a career woman, how many hours do you have to spend (on average) at home daily?
8. What are the daily commitments you have towards your spouse and kids that cannot be negotiated?
9. What are the things you do to relax or recharge at home?
Answering these questions may not automatically get you to your desired destination, but trust me when I say they will save you the emotional stress that comes with trial and error.
In my next blog, I will explain deeper how you can use your answers here to jump-start your time and energy saving routine to create a balanced and stress free life for you..
Thank you for reading to the end.