How to Keep Yourself From Cringing When You Hear the "C" Word

By Joy Warfsman

What is that dreaded "C" word? Chores.

We all have them. For us SAHMs it's just everyday life from dawn to dusk. They are our "job". There are people who think that I stay home because I like to spend my day cleaning the house. Are they kidding? While I take pride in my house and try to stay on top of things there are days where zero, zip, nada, gets done. Nursing an infant and feeding a toddler, potty training, changing diapers, quelling tempers, and cleaning up messes comprises most of my day.

For moms who work and then come home to do chores and take care of the kids, my hat goes off to you. If I was still working in education where there was no end to the work since I always had papers or projects to grade or lessons to prepare, I would have probably lost it by now since I am not good at finding balance in my life. While I have no magic answers for how to avoid chores altogether, beyond hiring a maid, I do have some tips for making them more bearable.

Tips for Those Who Dread Chores:

1. Indulge yourself
Give yourself a break after you check some items off of your to-do list or reward yourself with a piece of chocolate. Sometimes it's okay to indulge.

2. Lists
It helps you focus on what needs to get done and can help you keep from feeling overwhelmed. It can also be gratifying to check things off of your to-do list. Even if the bulk of the work doesn't get done just crossing off one or two items can give you a sense of accomplishment.

3. Move it to music
Dancing around while you do some chores like dishes or vacuuming helps you burn extra calories and it provides a mood lift.

4. Get the kids involved
Involve your family in the chores. It helps provide a sense of family teamwork and it teaches your children responsibility.

5. Daydream while you work
Sometimes it helps make the chores go faster, especially for those that can be monotonous such as folding laundry, dusting, or mopping. A little "what if" never hurt anyone.

6. Switch it up
If you hate putting away clothes, don't wait until right before bedtime to do it when you are more likely to feel tired. The last thing you will want to tackle at 11 pm is a mountain of laundry on your bed – instead, try completing some chores in the early afternoon or morning. If you’re not a morning person, doing some chores at night may make you dread them less.

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