Eff the Joneses, Keep Up With Yourself!

Homemaking is a 24/7 job. It is hard work and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Lately, I've felt myself slipping into a rut and if you are feeling the same way, I'm here to help you (and myself) climb back out. Everything that comes with this line of work can be a daunting challenge. Between everything you possibly have to do in a single day; childcare, food preparation, cleaning, shopping, scheduling, and maintenance, just to name a few, it's easy to lose yourself in the mix. In my own household, I only have one other person to worry about besides myself, and I still feel like I can't keep up with the mountains of dirty laundry, dishes, organization, and worst of all, personal motivation. There are a few things I've tried that have proved useful in helping me through my daily duties and I would like to share them in the hopes that it could help out a struggling friend.

1.Make a schedule. I used spreadsheet to write out daily and weekly things I need to do. Mostly just so I can remember. I scheduled all of the things that I like the least for early in the morning. That way I can kick them out of the way and do more enjoyable things in the afternoon like painting or reading. I even have a day and time where I write out the next week's grocery list so I can stay on top of that and not waste time before I need to be at the store. You don't necessarily have to keep to your schedule, either. Stay flexible and don't stress if you didn't do something on your list. You can always do it later.

2.Baby steps! You're not going to have an amazingly spotless well organized living space in a day. It takes time and even then, it is impossible to achieve perfection unless no one (not even you) lives in your home. Life is messy and it's time to accept it. Do what you can when you can. FlyLady (I apologize for the gender specificity of this but it is helpful and for anyone) is a site that can help you to get on track to making small good habits a little at a time. Got a messy counter? Set your timer for 5 minutes and get rid of everything you can in that amount of time. When the timer stops, you stop. You'll actually be amazed at what you can do with just five minutes.

3.Remember that your work is meaningful and important. If you don't work outside of the home and aren't bringing in a paycheck, it doesn't mean that you aren't contributing. Of course, if you want to contribute in this way, go for it! You can absolutely do both because you are an amazing and diverse person. For those of you who choose to remain solely in the home, what you do is just as important, if not more than a paycheck. When you take into account of the actual costs of daycare, restaurants/take-out, cleaning services, maintenance work, etc., you are singlehandedly saving your family a fortune! In addition to this, these services don't provide the love and nourishment that you do.

4.Take a break. Want to read a book or go for a walk? Do it. You deserve it. You work in the home but you are not a prisoner there. Put breaks into your schedule or just sit down when you need to. You need to take care of and love yourself before you can give it back to your family. Mental health is just as important as physical health. Don't overlook it. You are a superhero, but even superheroes have their follies. Know your body and your mind and pay attention to what they are telling you.


Health and happiness to all!