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Are you sick of doing it all?

 Survival Tips cover

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.


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