This is the final key in a series first published last year called How to be Disorganized and Unproductive at Home. I republished the fifth and the second key this week — you can find the rest of the keys here.
Photo by Heidi
Now stick with me on this one, because you might have rolled your eyes at the computer screen at first. In fact, this is the most significant key in this series, because if it’s there, the other five keys are only intensified in their strength.
The number one key to a disorganized and unproductive home is to not have any fun on the job.
I hear your thoughts now, because they’ve played in my head. What’s fun about doing the dishes over and over and over and over and over again? What’s fun about being the only one who sees the crusted jelly on the kitchen table?
The answer to those questions lie in the questions themselves. They’re the wrong questions to ask, because the answer to those questions is a resounding “Nothing’s fun about it!”
The right question to ask yourself is this:
“This job has to be done. How can I make it enjoyable?”
You Choose Your Attitude
If you’ve ever worked outside the home, or if you still do while managing your home, then you know first-hand that there are always downsides to every job. Even your dream job has a negative side to it. For awhile, I thought it would be fun to run a bed and breakfast with my husband. It’s so quaint and cozy, you get to provide a comfortable place for people’s vacations, and you get to practically live like you’re on vacation.
Not so much. You have to wake up early every morning to make breakfast for strangers. You get to wash a lot of linens and dust a lot of furniture. You get to balance accounts and deal with reservations and marketing in hopes of making a profit. I’m sure it’s a fun job, but there’s a lot of work behind the scenes that deflates the aura of that job for me.
Photo by kbcanon
Being a work-from-home mom is one of my dream jobs, so I’m ecstatic that I get to do it. There are indeed negatives, like the eternal dishes, not getting a ton of adult interaction, and being sticky for most of the day. Oh, and let’s not forget the less-than-stellar pay rate. But for me, the benefits far outweigh the negatives.
A Few Benefits of the “Home Manager” Vocation:
• You work directly for the most important people in your life. You’re not working for “the Man.”
• You choose your priorities. No one is telling you that you have to fill out TPS reports, and you don’t have eight bosses to report to. The responsibility and privilege of planning your job is yours.
• Along those lines, you can cater to your preferences, gift mix, and skill set. How to find the career you were made for? Make the career you have – a home manager – be the ideal job crafted for you. Are you inately a planner? Then go for it! Are you more of a spontaneous, fly by the seat of your pants kind-of home manager? Embrace that preference, and make it work for you instead of against you. Basically, your job works for you, not the other way around.
• There are a lot of freedoms. You can wear what you want, listen to whatever music you want, be as silly as you want, as creative as you want. Who else gets to finger paint at work? Okay, maybe a preschool or art teacher – but not many other people.
Photo by Sono Tamaki
• You’re the first-hand recipient of your kids’ milestones and memories. The first steps, the writing her first letters, the singing of that hilarious song – you’re there for it.
Make the Painful Stuff Fun
Yeah, but all those wonderful things don’t make the dishes do themselves, you’re probably thinking. True – you need to do them. But who says you can’t make them fun? We procrastinate the things we don’t enjoy doing. The solution to not procrastinating is to make the things you have to do more enjoyable.
• Listen to your favorite music while you do your least favorite chore. Or play the podcast you’ve been meaning to listen to while you do the monotonous, brainless stuff.
• Divide up the work in manageable chunks of time, so you’re not too overwhelmed.
• Make it a game with your kids, and race to see who can put something up the fastest. Hide some pennies under the mess, and make a game out of who can find the most pennies. But the rule is – when you pick something up, you have to put it away.
• Mop with old socks on your feet. Your kids will probably want to help.
Photo by Rob
• Just be silly. Hop like a kangaroo while you dust. Sing into the spray bottle while you clean. Twirl and gallop while you vacuum.
• Try to find the inherent joy in the chores that have been labeled as tedious. I actually enjoy doing the laundry. I hate doing the dishes, however, so I dwell on the idea that I’m taking care of the possessions God has given me. I get to be the one to put up the dishes wherever I want, and it’s a joy to have a kitchen full of well-organized, stacked dishes.
• Smile. It sounds corny, I know, but it does make a difference. You’ll feel better, you’ll talk in a more pleasing tone, and your kids will love seeing their mama happy.
• Take pride in your work. You’re the queen of your castle! Enjoy the place you manage, and aim to make it pleasing for everyone living there.
• When you feel down about your job, take a moment to journal a list of things for which you’re thankful. You can even get the kids involved in this, and write your list on a big piece of butcher paper taped to the wall. My mood instantly improves whenever I do this.
When you truly enjoy your job, so much falls into place. You tend not to procrastinate as much, you find the best ways to manage your time, and you find the inherent joy in doing something well, even if it’s not perfect. This is why the number one antidote to a disorganized, unproductive day at home is to find joy in your work.
What do you like most about your job as a home manager? What’s your favorite perk? Have any fun tips on making the tedious stuff more enjoyable?
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This is a great post, Tsh! I love keeping track of my daily blessings, and find that it really does help to maintain a positive outlook throughout my day with a 6, 5, and 4 year old.
And there is NO other job I would rather be doing right now, even in the hard times. How many other people can say that?
Living out our dreams is such a privilege, and a huge responsibility, too.
Jamie
steadymom´s last blog ..Celebrating….
great post, thanks for the reminder
Beth Young´s last blog ..Decorating with Kids
Agreed…being a mom who is at home most of the time with my kiddos is the best job in the world.
I find that at my girls’ young ages (4 1/2 and 1 1/2) they love being involved in chores. Even though it means things take a bit longer, it makes me smile to have them “help” me, whether it is swishing the toilet brush, wiping furniture with a dust cloth, or washing veggies in the sink. They are a constant reminder of taking joy in simple things.
Paula´s last blog ..These Are a Few of My Favorite Blogs
That was a great post. I definitely needed that reminder. I have struggled being an “at home” mom but when it’s all put into perspective, it’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever been able to do.
Thanks for the great ideas about making it more fun, too. I strive to keep things light, fun and musical around this household, which includes (but is not limited to) lots of booty shaking to great tunes!
CynthiaK´s last blog ..Pretty fly for a white guy…erm, toddler…
I’m not a stay-home mom, but listing blessings always helps me avoid feeling stressed with the day job bleeds over into the evening and keeps me from accomplishing what I deem the most important things, like laundry and clutter removal and dishes.
Jenn´s last blog ..Loving Each Other
this is a great post, i often forward these types of things along to my other mama friends… one of the songs my 3 year old and i clean up to is “the happy working song.” she loves it and it makes me laugh… if you haven’t seen it or just need a laugh… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb2si7fClqA
My husband and I, just this morning, were talking about the fact that our 13yo daughter (very sweet, artistic, all advanced classes, great grades) has said after high school she wants to go to “chef school” and open her own restaurant. She said some of her friends are floored she doesn’t want to go to college. Our thoughts are, “do what you like to do; what’s going to make you happy; stay motivated and pursue your dream.”
That’s what my stepson is doing now. After going to a racing school, he has put college on hold so he can travel the US as a racing mechanic – doing what he likes to do!
My husband has been an AWESOME example to our kids – he left a highly paying, “degreed” profession and now does hard, manual labor – just so he can be more available to his family. And God has blessed us even more by allowing him to start a sprinkler business so our children can work alongside. They are growing up knowing how important they are, and seeing the value of hard work, and that money isn’t everything.
All my life, I only wanted to be a mommy – and I’ve had my dream job for 16 years now!
Hi Simple Mom!
I’ve been reading for a while now and I absolutely love your blog. It is such an inspiration to me and gives me so many awesome ideas about how to be a better home manager. I always look forward to checking it to see what’s new. Keep up the awesome work, you are an encouragement to so many!
Mallory ´s last blog ..Moving on up
Thanks — I needed to hear this today. I’ve been down on myself and my job lately. This was a great boost. I’m off to smile and sing while I clean up the dishes from lunch. Thank you!
Rachel´s last blog ..NYR#15, Swing Arm Lamp Installation
LOVE IT!! Thank you so much for posting this. I will keep this in my inbox to read when I need a pick-me-up then journal all that I am thankful for. WHAT A WONDERFUL JOB I HAVE!!!
This is exactly what I needed to hear today. It’s given me the extra boost I needed to push through the chores and have fun with the kids. Thanks.
Love your site . Look forward to visiting again.
Greenearth´s last blog ..Daisy Feet
I was very encouraged by this post!!! That’s exactly where I’m working on in my life right now…Learning to love what I have refuse to do for long time…going from being totally active out there to be at home…
I pray that God help me to learn more and more! Thanks so much! I love your words of encouragement!!!!
Why I didn’t find it before…
Ah and remember when you get a chance, visit my country: Dominican Republic! Simplemente Bello!
That is great and very encouraging. A few weeks ago, I felt so bored and I can’t do right. Then I realized these things, maybe I don’t love what I am doing, that’s why I can’t exert passion and productivity, or maybe God has its purpose. Now I have discovered something that I really want to do even before. Maybe I could add to seek God for His guidance, and let’s see what happens.
Great ideas! Our attitude also sets the tone for our little ones attitudes towards tasks! Chloe loves to help around the house but we sing and play as we do our tasks.
Jenn @ Beautiful Calling´s last blog ..I Can! You Can?