Make Your Life Easier – Multi Task
Posted in Your Home on 14. Nov, 2009
These days, it seems like I’m always doing two or three things at once. It seems like every time I turn around, there is a new basket of dirty laundry, a sink of dishes, and kids who need something. In my busy life, I need to do whatever I can to make life easier. One thing that I find helpful is multitasking, something that I seem to do more and more as life goes on.
Even though I sometimes feel like I’m a blur around the house, I find that doing multiple things at the same time actually helps me to slow down. It may seem counterintuitive, but just think about it. Let’s say you have six different things to do in one day. Doing them one by one will take up a lot of time, but combining tasks is going to leave you with leftover time. This is time you can use to play with your kids, go out somewhere fun, or just sit down and read a book during naptime.
Although I’m sure most of you already do this, I just wanted to throw out a few suggestions – things that I try and do in order to save time.
- When my kids are in the bathtub, I clean the bathroom. I still pause to watch my daughter as she shows me how the Barbie Mermaid can swim, but I’m also getting something done while I’m chatting with the kids and supervising their bath. When we’re done, I have clean kids and a clean bathroom.
- Every time I go up or down the stairs, I carry something. On my way up, I’ll carry a stray toy or shoes that belong in the kids’ bedroom. On my way down, I’ll bring a basket of laundry to take to the garage. I find that I save a lot of extra trips up and down the stairs this way.
The kids know that if there is something downstairs that needs to go back upstairs, they should put it on the steps. This way, I won’t miss it.
- Clean as you go. Managing chaos in the kitchen is as simple as cleaning up while you are preparing a meal. If you’re waiting for water to boil, go ahead and start unloading the dishwasher. Do you need to stand and sauté the chicken for ten minutes? Try to use that time to wipe down counters or put away ingredients you’ve already used.
- Fold laundry while the kids watch a movie. I do this all the time. If my kids are watching a movie or a short show, I’ll sit with them and fold laundry. This way, I’m with them so we can chat about the movie and what’s happening, but I’m also getting something done. I sometimes return phone calls while I’m folding laundry, which is another opportunity to do two things at once.
- Double a recipe and freeze it for later. If you think about it, it’s not that much harder to double a recipe. Now that it’s getting colder outside, it’s time to start making soups and chowders again. Try doubling your soups and then freezing them for later on. Some good ones to try – Southwest Corn Chowder and Baked Potato Soup.
What about yourself? What are your tips on how to multi task and save yourself some time? I’d love to hear your tips!
-Grace
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