More often than we know, we (my lovely ladies) tend to make our life difficult for no reason. We get caught in this loop of guilt and an invisible competition with our own self. Guilt of not cooking the meals ourselves, guilt of not ironing the clothes ourselves, guilt of not living to the expectations of our family members and the desire to always present the best version of ourselves tend to drain us out. We start caring more about what others would think than what we really want for ourselves. And in that bargain, we wish to do everything and everything perfectly.
I was someone who lived by the thumb rule of outsourcing what could be outsourced. I firmly believed if someone else can do a job better than he / she should be doing it be it be it at work or at home. Cooking / cleaning / managing everyday chores in the house etc. but as soon as I became a mother, things changed. I became obsessive about things around me. I wanted to do everything myself and in a certain manner (even though I had a full-time nanny). As time passed by, I watched my female colleagues and friends fall in the same trap.
Trust me, 'No one is getting a noble prize for doing everything herself'. Neither is your kid going to grow up and award you for the extra time you spent to cook that special meal for him/her. It will all be forgotten and taken for granted. As if, we were meant to do it. So stop fussing over doing everything yourself and taking that trip to guilt lane.
Do what you can do the best and outsource the rest. Taking help doesn't make you any less of a mother or wife, it's just being efficient.
We, women are born with the talent to manage (manage in-laws, husband, kids, house and even manage the way we look). So, why not use that skill to manage the home better and more efficiently by outsourcing chores that can be done better by someone else. What's more, outsourcing gives you that extra time you always needed to showcase your other hidden talents to the society or simply give you some free time to pamper yourself. Who doesn't love a little pampering?
Do let us know your about opinion on this topic. Please feel free to share your first-hand experiences / tips on how you manage your family / home.
Image Credits: Dinky Dalal
Tulika Garg
( Singapore )