Part of being a responsible grown-up is committing to a handful of routine activities and daily chores that you utterly despise but have to do anyway. Offhand, there’s cleaning the house, washing the dishes, and doing your taxes. While all are extremely important and in some cases even urgent, they are all equally irritating. Nobody enjoys driving the kids to after-school practice (except for the always-hyped-up soccer mom who does!) but still, you do it because you know that it’s part of your responsibilities as a modern-day parent.
However, this article is not about selling you on the importance of finishing your chores. It’s actually the complete opposite! It’s basically music to the ears of every burnt-out, sleep-deprived adult out there. Here are 7 reasons why you need to stop wasting time on chores.
- If You Don’t Enjoy It, It’s Better To Drop It
Simply put, why would you waste your time doing things that you don’t particularly enjoy, knowing for a fact that you’ll only do an okay job, just to get them out of the way? Like most adults, you probably face a lot of frustration in your day-to-day life already, so why would you voluntarily take on more? However, this is not a green light to leave your house an utter mess or neglect your kids’ needs. It just means that you should rethink some of the less-pressing chores. Like, for example, the hours that you waste every couple of days in your garden weeding and watering your dozen plants even though you low-key hate gardening. You’d be better off getting rid of half of those plants and investing the hours you save on something else that you enjoy. Even if it’s lounging on the couch doing absolutely nothing, it’ll still be worth it.
- There Are Others Who Can Do It Better
There’s a common misconception that home chores don’t require any special talents or skills and that anyone can do them. But that’s actually false. If you can comfortably afford it, you should definitely leave your chores to the experts. For one they’ll do a much better job than you and in less time. This is called efficiency. The professionals behind The Cleaning Advantage stress that life is too short to spend your free time cleaning your home. For professional cleaners, this is their bread and butter, but for you, it’s only an attempt to keep your life in order without even having the necessary skills. The old adage “work smarter not harder” is not only fit for the corporate world, it also applies to other areas of your life. Hiring a cleaner to take over your cleaning duties, a gardener to tend to your backyard, and a driver for school drop-offs will completely change your life and give you the luxury of free time.
- Your Mental Health Matters
Having a ten-item to-do list every single day is exhausting, to say the least. You might be physically able to get through them, but what about your mental ability? The reason you feel completely drained every night, or even a little depressed, is that you’re ignoring the toll your busy schedule is taking on your mental well-being. You’re not a machine. You’re not supposed to maintain the same level of energy on a daily basis. On some days something as small as getting out of bed and taking a shower might be all that you can accomplish and that’s totally ok and valid. Don’t think that running on empty is the normal state of being. Don’t waste the precious time you would spend taking care of your body and mind on mundane activities that eventually bring little to no tangible value to your life. Block a slot on your calendar for yoga and meditation, another one for reading, and one for spending quality time with your loved ones.
- Chores Never End
Just like work, chores never end. In fact, they only keep piling up as the years go by and your responsibilities multiply. So, as much time as you already waste on chores, you should only expect to waste even more time going forward. Learn to value your time over anything else. Prioritize what needs to be done after accounting for your mental and physical needs. Delegate or simply omit the remaining chores and you’ll be on the fast track to reaching the ever so blissful life that you’ve always imagined for yourself.
- You Need to Make Space for Creativity to Flow
When you free your mind from thoughts about what kind of detergent would work best on your baby’s bed sheets or what route to take upstate for your car service, you’ll make way for creativity to flow. Creativity here is not about painting the next masterpiece. It can be as practical as imagining a new solution to a problem that’s been lingering in your mind for a long time. Nobody can afford to live a life free of creativity.
However, sometimes people get so wrapped up in the material world of chores that taking a few minutes to let their minds run free seems like a luxury. Do yourself a favor and shove Sunday’s laundry to the side, and see how much your problem-solving skills and overall mood will improve.
- Your Dreams and Ambitions Cannot Wait
In the old simpler times, caring for your house and family was the ultimate goal for both men and women. But luckily, we have come a long way since then. Today, there are skyscrapers to build and apps to develop, and there’s no way you’ll be able to pursue such exciting ventures if you’re stuck at home every night preparing the next day’s lunch. After all, it’s a choice: you can either shelve your dream to become the youngest partner at your firm or give it all up for the sake of clean bathrooms and tidy bedrooms. There’s no in-between.
- Chores Are Boring!
If all the above reasons weren’t enough, this one will definitely do the trick. Chores are boring! Plain and simple. Nobody likes to be forced into doing anything just because it needs to be done. There are much more fun ways to spend your free time with your friends and family. There are new places to see and interesting hobbies to explore, so there’s no reason to spend your precious time doing dull and mindless tasks.
Time is such a valuable asset. While it’s important that you act responsibly and try your best to tend to your and your family’s needs, you should rethink the way you spend your time. There’s no question that chores are an inevitable part of your daily life. However, it’s your choice how you decide to have them completed. Always keep in mind that you can never get the time you waste back, so choose wisely.