It’s useful to look at business management structures to see your role as “home manager” with a little more formality. You can follow a traditional hierarchy management style, where there is one “boss” who manages a few subordinates, who in turn manage those below them. [1] X Research source You can look at models of “flat” organizations who don’t let one person be on top, but rather share the top with others and have open communication with most subordinates. [2] X Research source
It does not matter which parent takes on this manager position, as long as it gets taken. True, in many homes the mother is the likely candidate, but fathers are just as capable of taking on this role. The same applies whether both parents work or one stays at home to care for the children. Whoever is home more often will be best suited as home manager. If one or both parents work from home, the parent who counts as “home more often” is the one available to give their full attention to the family most frequently.
You can be creative with how these categories get completed each week, but breaking household chores down into tangible categories makes running a home instantly easier. Making a separate to-do list for each category may help with organizing and prioritizing the household. You can organize tasks in each category in a number of ways. You can pick one category per day of the week and accomplish all tasks for that category each day. Or you can assign a category to each hour in a day, spending time on specific tasks until the hour is up—no matter how much is done, rather like periods at school.
The fact is that no one style of leadership works all the time in all situations. A good manager is flexible, adapting to each situation as it arises. Not to mention that different people (your family members) respond differently to every management style. [4] X Research source
To determine the family manager’s strengths, look at the state of the house. Are they already good at completing everyday chores like laundry and dishes, or do they abandon that work in favor of creating fabulous meals? The family manager should use this knowledge to perfect what they are good at and seek help for where they are weak. This way there is balance in all the household tasks, not just one aspect of them.
Is there clutter in family areas that makes it hard to relax? Find someone who is good at minimizing clutter and put them to work, whether they are a family member or a friend. Ask for help from your family members, but you can also read books and internet posts about how to be more flexible. You can also find friends who are good at the things you’re not, so you can learn from them.
Making this calendar a white board allows you to quickly jot down everyone’s schedule and erase it when changes arise. In other words, a flexible calendar will help you be flexible. Include a weekly menu so that family members can simply read it instead of nagging the home manager. Allow them to make changes to the menu as long as they are willing to pay for the different ingredients. Tack up an ongoing grocery list so that family members can add to the list themselves when they see a supply running out or want a particular item. You can also create a space for phone numbers near this calendar to minimize stress.
You can add a space for important papers so that when a child needs a permission slip signed or a bill needs to be filed, nothing gets lost. The family manager should check this bin each evening to sign things, and children should check it each morning before school.
Chore charts are good for many reasons, including getting help to manage the house, building confidence in children, and teaching responsibility. You can make your own chore chart or find a printable template online.
You are probably putting away warm or cool clothes twice a year anyway, so digging a little deeper makes sense.
Explain the role of the home manager, including the vision to run the home like a business. Lay out the six parts of a home for everyone so they can determine what areas of housekeeping they’re strong in. If they are strong in an area the family manager is weak, recruit that person to help the home manger. Explain if you have decided on bringing in outside help to assist the family manager with their weaknesses.
If your family has never been exposed to organization on this level, consider this family meeting a “training” session for “new employees. ” Of course, you’ll train while living daily life as well.
When people have unspoken expectations, disappoint can lead to anger and even resentment. Having a clear set of rules prevents such expectations, thus circumventing anger altogether. Less anger means a happier home, a pleasant result of truly running a household. Make sure that everyone has a voice in setting up these rules. This will prevent resentment and rebellion. Write down the rules you agree upon, perhaps even posting them near the family calendar.
For example, your mission statement could be like the Three Musketeers, “All for one and one for all. ”
