We always find the grass greener on the other side. It is a basic human nature to perceive that her own life is a circus and she somehow juggles her choices to work things out. While she finds every other woman she meets throughout the day living a happy go lucky life. Wherein, practically, I feel all women are born eligible for managerial jobs, but she usually underestimates herself.
Be it a stay at home wife or a career-oriented individual, women have grown smarter in managing skills. Yet we all feel disoriented and baffled from time to time. We need a pat on our back to know we are doing just great. We also need assurance when things are momentarily out of sync that they will eventually fall back in place.
Gathered from experience, others, and mine, I have formulated some tips to simplify and manage our life a bit to enjoy more. These might come in handy in the hustle and bustle of the everyday affair.
Home, Job and Managing Skills
Maid Management
There are no such maids as made in heaven. So feel lucky if you have a helper who does not take extra leaves and is happily flexible with your timings. Asking for more can have a disastrous outcome and can be summed under a life-threatening emergency. If you can somehow get a 24 hours maid to try and retain her every year for as long as you can. She is an asset.
Another option could be 12 hours helper for all the household work. Those ways you can get enough time for yourself. Utilize that time for work from home or for your hobbies.
If you are working you can have a set up of two maids working simultaneously in the morning before you leave for work. That divides the workload and minus the time is taken. They can be called again in the evening for cooking and cleaning.
Time Management
Being awesomely alive is all about managing time. I realized it’s not just me who feels a day should have at least 36 hours. 24 hours in itself feels so less. There are others too with the same opinion. The fact remains we cannot do anything about the number of hours available, but we surely can use the time wisely. Waking an hour before our usual time helps start the day with a calm and positive approach.
Spend 15 minutes in the bed praying or contemplating how you wish to spend your day today. Set your emotional meter. I firmly believe that whatever emotion we feed our mind with when we wake up will decide the course of our day. So wake up happy!
Remember life is not a battlefield, and you are not a soldier. So do not wake up in a haste to begin the day or end it without actually living it at the moment. Always have your emotional meter set to happy in the morning. Feel good to be alive and don’t forget to tell yourself every day that ‘you are awesome’.
Unwind each day knowing and feeling thankful for what you have accomplished.
Master the Art of List Making
The art of list making comes in handy with time management. Set your priorities for the day. Make a list of things that need your immediate attention. The visual impact is usually powerful than just memorizing things. Remember a minute has 60 seconds and an hour has 60 minutes. A lot can be attained when we have our priority list ready first thing in the morning.
Husband and Kids – Delegate Work
Let your house become a home for all who stay there. Do not under any circumstance let others in the family feel it is okay to be a spectator while you work alone. Be smart, delegate work. Kids are usually happy to help. Teach them about household chores when they are still young, like helping you with the laundry, setting up the dinner table, and help you clear hence after. Giving them brownie points, if they clean their room and keep their toys and books in the places assigned. Give them the opportunity to earn self-worth and learn good habits.
Now comes the tough part, how to get your husband to help. Though a simple request should work, I believe it is more of a responsibility that needs to be shared among the partners. Requests and favors are asked from friends and neighbors, not family.
Husbands can perform simpler tasks, like buying groceries. Make a list of things you need. Set aside his off day for grocery shopping. While he does the shopping, you can finish a lot of other chores that require your attention or maybe just use that time for a quick nap. Some men also enjoy cooking. Give them the opportunity to show their culinary skills. Let the Sundays brunch and dinner be cooked by your husband while you take a break from the kitchen. A day off from cooking can be very rejuvenating.
Kids in School, Make the most your Time
The time when kids are off to school is a very special time for sit-at-home and work-from-home moms. Ask me, I have a list of the whole week ready in advance every Sunday evening. Whether it’s shopping, wardrobe cleaning, house cleaning, kitty party, coffee with friends, extra sleep requirement or just lazing around on some days, I have it all planned. I am sure most of us have practical goals to fulfill while our kids are in school.
Just one good piece of advice, make the most of the time you have at hand. Challenge your limits, learn something new, read your favorite book you had been postponing, walk your dog, catch up with a friend, listen to your favorite songs, do whatever makes you feel awesomely alive!