To Multitask or Not to Multitask?

Multitasking. It's what gets us by, isn't it? The only way to get everything crossed off our lists. At least that's what all of us big-time multitaskers seem to think. But according to several studies, multitasking is not very productive. (See http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/a/costs-of-multitasking.htm)

Upon hearing this, my brain immediately went to work. Maybe this is why I am not as productive as I'd like to be. Maybe I just need to learn to stick to one task at a time and I'll get a lot more accomplished. So, of course, I discussed this with some friends who basically told me I was wrong. That being a parent and a stay-at-home-mom requires multi-tasking. When I considered this, I realized they were right. Why? Quite simply, it comes down to the kids. There is no way to know when children are going to need help. Dirty diapers don't come at the top of the hour. Sibling arguments are not scheduled. 4-year olds are constantly interrupting with their many questions. Because of this, moms will always be multi-tasking.

So, then it becomes a question of how. How should a mom multi-task? What is going to be the most effective way to get everything done while still taking care of those dirty diapers, answering those questions and stopping those fights. After discussing this issue with a few moms, I've come up with an idea. It is a combination of multitasking and singletasking. I call it small-tasking. And this is how it works.

If I were to clean my kitchen, it would take me 30-45 minutes. This task is probably too long to complete in one session because the children will inevitably need something during that time. But if the tasks of the kitchen are broken up into smaller tasks -- things such as cleaning off the table, clearing the counter, sweeping the floor, emptying the dishwasher, etc -- then there will probably be enough time to do one or more of those tasks before an interruption. Focusing on one small task allows for a lot of flexibility in one's day. Have 5 minutes? Clean off the table. Have 15 minutes? Do the dishes. Have 30 minutes? Do the dishes, clean off the table and sweep the floor. 

This method will not completely eliminate the need to multitask as a mom. Obviously, if the 3-year old needs to go to the bathroom, the task you are working on will have to be left until that is taken care of. (While writing this, I've had multiple interruptions!) But it should eliminate the procrastination and frustration that comes from feeling like the kids never give you enough time to complete anything. 

So, go make your lists! Happy small-tasking!

Why am I doing these dishes anyway?

A week ago, I read an article that I've been planning to write about since I read it. I've been thinking it through over and over in my mind because it fundamentally changed the way I think about this topic. So, what was the article about? Surprisingly. . .housekeeping. The article, entitled, Daily House Cleaning Schedule For Homes with Children (http://www.household-management-101.com/house-cleaning-schedule.html) describes housecleaning as cyclical. "Life Moves In Rhythms And Cycles And So Should Your Housekeeping". This simple statement transformed my entire view of housekeeping.

For some reason, housekeeping has always been confusing to me. What I am supposed to clean? How often should I clean? What time of day should I clean? How am I supposed to pick up and put things away when I've got so much daily cleaning to do?!?!? In recent years, I have come up with some routines that have helped me get to a better place with my housekeeping. Every morning, I clean my kitchen, and tidy my bathroom. However, the "clean" only lasts until the next time we need to use the kitchen or the bathroom. At that point, everything seems to stay dirty until the next morning, when I clean again. I have to admit that having the room feel dirty for half of the day has not helped me to feel very motivated to do my daily cleaning recently.   The author of the before-mentioned article starts off by saying, "A house cleaning schedule will keep your home basically clean and tidy at all times.That is much better, in my opinion, that just cleaning your house when it is filthy, because you get to enjoy it being cleaner a much larger percentage of the time that way." As you would probably think, at this point, I was hooked. But I had a house cleaning schedule and it didn't seem to be keeping my house clean and tidy. What was missing?

"The theme for all daily household chores is that they all are about putting things away, or returning them to their original state so they can be used again in the next turn of the cycle." So, the purpose of daily cleaning is to put things in readiness for the next time they are needed? Ding, ding, ding!! I know this sounds very simple, but I have to admit that I've never thought of cleaning in this way. Usually, when I clean, I'm thinking, 'Better clean up this mess' or ‘How does it get so messy so fast?’. And if the point of cleaning is to just clean up a mess that has somehow developed, it can be done at any time. However, this new thought -- that cleaning should be about getting things back to a state of usefulness -- helps me to answer the questions I've always had. What am I supposed to clean? Clean what you have just used so it can be ready to be used again. How often should I clean? Clean whenever you have used something and made it too dirty to be useful the next time.  What time of day should I clean? See the previous answer. How am I supposed to pick up and put things away when I've got so much cleaning to do? By combining daily chores and pick up. In other words, the use of a room or item is not completed until it has been put back into a state of readiness.

For example:

When the dishwasher finishes running, unload it.

When breakfast is done, put away the cereals, rinse the dishes, put them in the dishwasher and look around quickly to see if anything else is not ready for the kitchen's next use.

When playtime is over, put the toys away.

When laundry finishes, fold and put it away. Check quickly to make sure the room is ready for laundry the next time you do it.

After using the bathroom, check to see if it is clean and ready for it's next use.

Certain things will be used every day, so they will be cleaned every day or close to it. Other things will be used more sparingly or at least will get dirty less often, so they can be cleaned less often. And what do you do if your baby interrupts you in the middle of cleaning? Just come back to it when you are done helping the baby. One of the great things about this type of thinking is that it can be adapted to any room or situation. In theory, keeping things clean on a continual basis should make each cleaning session less arduos. In reality, it might not make much difference. Only time will tell! If this is successful for me, you can expect to read something about it in my blog.