How to Get Housework Done When You Work at Home

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Working from home usually allows for a great deal of flexibility, and one might think that it would make it much easier to get things done around the house. But in reality, it can be quite difficult to juggle work and housework when you’re doing them both in the same place. Getting the housework done when you work at home requires some thought and planning. Otherwise, one or the other is likely to be neglected.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step1

Set work hours and stick to them as much as possible. You might have to work overtime sometimes, but in general you should be able to get everything work-related done during the hours you set. Then you can do housework on your days off, or before or after work, just like you would if you worked outside the home.

Step2

Get up an hour or two early and do some cleaning or laundry. Getting things done at the start of your day will keep you from having to dread doing them later.

Step3

If you find yourself with no work to do during the day, fill in the gaps with housework. Instead of sitting around waiting on calls or emails that you need to go forward with a project, do the dishes or vacuum.

Step4

Use your breaks wisely. Consider sorting clothes in the morning, putting a load in before you start working, and putting them in the dryer when you take a break. Then you can put another load in, and put them in the dryer on your next break, and so on. When the clothes are dry, put them in baskets to be folded or ironed and put away when the work day is over and enjoy the rest of your break.

Step5

Use a timer when cleaning. If you’re doing the housework before or after work, setting a time limit to spend on each task or each room will encourage you to work more efficiently while combating burnout. If you’re doing housework between work tasks, it will keep you from spending too much time on it.

Tips & Warnings

Get the kids and your spouse to help. The fact that you’re working at home doesn’t mean that you have to be responsible for all of the housework by default, unless you live alone.
Find support online. There are entire websites dedicated to helping us get our housework done, and some such as FlyLady.net will even send you daily emails to help you stay on track.