Identify the most harried moments in your day and devise creative solutions to get you through them. In many homes, the hours between returning home and eating dinner are the most hectic, especially when you have wee ‘hungry’ ones underfoot. At times like this, consider hiring a child-focused neighborhood preteen to come over and spell you off so you can regain a more positive frame of mind, and enjoy some quality time with the kids AFTER the dinner rush.
Consider hiring the same preteen to entertain the kids on a Saturday when you’re trying to get some household chores done. Keeping young children out from under foot is ideal for maximizing your productivity. Not only will you be within reach if needed, but you will also be able to complete your tasks much quicker, and free up more quality time with the kiddies. You’d also be giving a young person some valuable experience and hopefully along the way, training yourself a future babysitter.
Or, you may want to hire someone to run errands for you. Grocery shopping is a biggie for most people. Having a capable person to handle this and other dreaded chores can free up a few hours a month from your busy schedule. Also look into what can be ordered online and delivered free or for a nominal charge.
While it’s true not everyone can afford the luxury of a regular student helper not to mention, a full time housekeeper, you may be able to pay for smaller services that go along way to taking some of the weight of your shoulders. Sending out shirts to the laundry, hiring a housecleaning service on an occasional basis, getting a neighborhood kid to mow the lawn or wash the windows are all good solutions to lighting your load.