Part II in a Possibly Never-Ending Series on How I’m Managing My Home
Now that I’ve discovered that Managers of Their Homes might as well have been titled How To Give Yourself Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in 300 Difficult Steps, I feel much freer than I did before picking up the book. In fact, I’m glad I read through it, just because it opened my eyes to how unnecessarily complicated people can make things. I like simplicity. I’m not smart enough for all this intricate detail.
If you read through the MOTH handbook the way I did–that is, with wavering intentions and a skeptical eye–you’re bound to notice that there’s an awful lot of paper-shuffling involved. Anyone who likes things documented before, during, and after a task is going to love this. That person probably should also apply for a job at the DMV, because that’s just how exciting this stuff is. (Now, don’t go away mad, Type-A readers. I know that some people can only truly flourish under hyper-organized conditions. This post is for the rest of us who aren’t so skilled in the art of orderliness.)
I can’t help noticing that the author’s day looks an awful lot like mine, with the exception of the rigid time-keeping and consulting of lists, master lists, and sub-lists. The biggest difference is that she took a chunk of her limited time to make and maintain the system. Managers of Their Homes appears to me to be a tool of self-discipline for moms who are nervous in the absence of a written plan. In that way, it is a useful tool for some personality types. Eventually, though, (here’s the punchline) you’ll rarely even need to consult the chart!
So why waste your time with all that flotsam?
If you cut out all the busy-work, three principles remain: routine, discipline, and priorities. My next post in this series will be on structuring a relaxed but productive day. I’ll tell you what’s working for me, anyway. I’m not like most people, I admit, but I can’t be so weird that it will only work for me!
