Going Home To Start The Next Shift

I love my local convenience store, the staff are always so chatty. One asked me the other day “Have you been at work?” I smiled and nodded. “So, you’re going home now to start the next shift?” She was right! I was going home to cook dinner, walk the dog, sort the kids, do the laundry and all the other things that keep my family afloat.
I had never thought of it in terms of a shift before, but that is what it is. A period of time to accomplish a set of tasks. I suddenly thought, what if I apply all the efficiencies and techniques I use at work to make my home “shift” as quick, effective and easy as possible?

Here’s what I came up with….

1. Use Services And Tools That Save Time
Syma once texted me “I love the Ocado Man”. Why? I wondered. Is this delivery man particularly cute? No, it was just that he appeared at the door with all the groceries she needed and even brought them through to the kitchen. Heaven!

2. Delegate – If you’ve got kids, use them
I’m not thinking Victorian work house here, just some simple jobs to help around the house. If your children are small, start small. Picking up their toys, putting dirty clothes in the wash basket, and hanging their coat on the hook. As they get bigger, they can do more…. make their own breakfast, empty the dishwasher, vacuum the lounge, etc. It takes some time on your part to teach them what to do, but the long term payoff can be substantial. I recently changed my morning “brush your teeth” to “brush your teeth, make your bed and pick up anything on the floor”. A simple change, but now, after they have gone to school, I walk into tidy kids rooms. I value the difference.
Don’t ever feel guilty for getting your kids to help out. Every parent wants their children to grow up to be self sufficient adults who can take care of themselves and their homes. A bit of gentle coaching and responsibility now will set them up for life.

3. Outsource!
Is there something on your list you really don’t enjoy doing? Gardening? Cleaning? Washing the car? If so, outsource it! Shop around for a good service at a good price and go for it. Again, no need to feel guilty here, you are saving yourself precious time and helping someone else have a job.

4. Get Organised And Plan Ahead
One of the best tools for this is a calendar with time slots. I’m currently using a Google calendar which I can access from my computer and my phone. I put in appointments, meetings and work dates, but I am increasingly adding in my home tasks. I have to walk the dog each day, so I schedule it in. When in the week will I do all the things I need to do? Take the kids to buy new shoes? Have the car MOT’d? All those tasks get added and then I can plan around them.

These are just a few ideas of how you can use techniques you learn at work to make your home life better. Please do comment and let us know your best tips and tricks!