Better Organize Your Chores to Reduce Stress & Anxiety

I used to spend a great deal of my life stressed out from all of my housework, and the lack of help from my husband. I never seemed to get to sit down for a break. I kept jumping back up to do this or do that. Then when I finally became exhausted from my efforts, I’d take a look around, and notice that my house didn’t really look any better than when I started. I’d wonder how I could have done chores all day, and yet, things still didn’t get done.

I would feel helpless and want to give up, and throw in the towel. I would tell myself, “What is the point in busting my butt, when I know it’s going to look messy again by tomorrow?” As a result, I would go to bed exhausted, but too upset to sleep.

I was often frustrated, and depressed, because I was ashamed at how my house looked. I didn’t like people coming to my house to visit, for fear of embarrassment. When people would show up, I’d quickly start apologizing for the mess, and making excuses for why my house looked the way it did.

Then one day, I finally decided that something had to give. There had to be a way to manage my housework better. I started by evaluating how I went about my tasks throughout the day. I immediately figured out the major part of my problem… I didn’t stick with any one chore. I had so many to do, that I would get anxious, and hop from task to task, without ever finishing one completely. It was no wonder why I felt like I was working all day, and getting nowhere; because I really was.

I would start dishes, and walk away to fold clothes. I would start to pick up the house, and walk away to put a load of laundry in the wash. So basically, my heart was in the right place, but my brain wasn’t multitasking properly. In other words, I wasn’t doing things in the most efficient way. I needed to better organize and prioritize my chores.

I began to better plan my day. For example: Before doing the dishes, I’d first start a load of laundry. That way, I had clothes already on their way to getting clean while I washed the dishes. I would collect and sort all of the dirty clothes in the house prior to putting in a load of laundry, thus, preventing me from making several trips throughout the day, while trying to get my other chores done. I would start and finish cleaning one room at a time, rather than go all through the house, half way cleaning each.

By better prioritizing and organizing my tasks, and by following through on them; I was able to begin cleaning my house more quickly, and efficiently. This in turn, reduced my anxiety and stress level a great deal; which also reduced my anger that I often took out on my family.

My suggestions for a cleaner house and a happier you:

• Don’t procrastinate
• Focus on cleaning one area, or room of house, at a time
• Finish one task before starting another
• Multitask (have laundry washing, while you wash the dishes)
• Wash dishes while you cook supper, to avoid a larger mess later
• Reward Yourself (just like you do the kids) by allowing yourself facebook time, or some other relaxing activity, as a reward for finishing a chore.
• Have you children clean up their own messes (and husband if possible) to reduce your work load, and teach them independence.

Tagged as: doing the dishes