Are you sick of doing it all?
 |
If juggling work and family is stressing you out, Survival
Tips for Working Moms by Linda Goodman Pillsbury can help (it can also
help dads). The following is excerpted from the Introduction and
Getting Started chapters.
For
more information on the book, click here. |
The biggest issue facing working moms is establishing priorities. Since
there are so many things that need doing and not enough time in the day,
we have to decide what is most important. When I was in college, my friends
and I assumed we could have it allhighpowered career, good marriage,
kids, and time for ourselves. The reality, of course, is quite different.
We had no idea just how much work having a a family is. We really do have
to decide to let the housework slide in order to spend some time with the
kids, to work a little less to see our husbands, or to work more and have
no time for our own interests. I think the first hurdle is to realize you
can't do everything-and not feel guilty about it. Letting go of the guilt
is hard, but face it, worrying and feeling guilty actually take time and
energy. Wouldn't you rather use that time to read a book or sleep? The next
thing is to learn how to delegate. Get other family members to share home
responsibilities. Delegate more at work (I don't mean slack off, but share
some responsibility).
LOOK OVER THE FOLLOWING LIST and jot down who in your family is responsible
for getting it done. If more than one person does the chore, put that down.
Add any chores or responsibilities not included. Then look at your list
carefully. If you are doing almost everything yourself, it is time to start
dividing jobs among family members (or get some outside help). Admittedly,
if you are a single mom with very young children, you are responsible for
almost everything. But if you have a partner or your kids are out of diapers,
everyone can pitch in. Have a family meeting to divide up responsibilities.
A typical day
Get the children up
Get them dressed
Breakfast
Brush teeth
Brush hair
Pack backpack/diaper bag
Drive to school/daycare
Pick up from school/daycare
Drive and pick up from lessons & activities
Supervise homework
Fix dinner
Set table
Clear table
Wash dishes
Clean table
Sweep floor
Supervise bathtime
PJ's
Pick out clothes for next day
Brush teeth
Read stories
Lights out
Enforce bedtime
Sick kids
Stay home
Take to doctor
Rearrange other kids' plans
Arrange other care
Cleaning
Living room: straighten, vacuum, clean furniture
Dining room: straighten, vacuum, clean furniture
Kitchen: mop floor, run dishwasher, empty dishwasher, clean sink and counters
Family room: put away toys, vacuum
Bathroom(s): clean sink, toilet, tub/shower, mop floor
Kids' rooms: make bed, pick up toys, vacuum
Your room: make bed, straighten, vacuum
Empty wastebaskets
Laundry
Put clothes in hamper
Empty hamper
Change towels
Change sheets
kids beds
your bed
Wash clothes
Sort clothes
Put away clothes
Groceries
Make shopping list
Buy groceries
Unload from car
Put away groceries
Outside
Mow lawn
Water lawn
Rake leaves
Prune trees & bushes
Compost heap
Sweep front porch
Sweep patio or deck
Shovel steps
Shovel driveway
Put garbage out
Errands
Drycleaners
Bank
Drugstore
School supplies
Buy kids' clothes
Buy birthday presents
Doctor's appointments
Car(s)
Gas
Maintenance
Carwash
Organization
Book babysitters
Arrange playdates
Plan parties
Research lessons, etc.
School
Parent meetings
Arrange teacher conferences
Attend teacher conferences
Communicate with teacher
Fulfill "volunteer" obligations
excerpted from Survival Tips for Working Moms by Linda Goodman
Pillsbury
For more
information on the book, click here. |