Raising a family is a business where family dynamics are relationships among members and home dynamics are responsibilities to keep the home functioning. Because of the complexities of schedule management, church commitments, school, practices, chores, finances and more, a family benefits from applying successful entrepreneurial systems. I'm often asked, “How do you do it?” While managing family and home dynamics, I've applied principles from all types of sources. Here's a snippet from an article I wrote relating The 4 Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris to effectively manage time.

E is for Elimination

The process of elimination illustrates ways to manage time in the home. When Tim says, “lack of time is actually lack of priorities,” (p.73) he answered every parent's exasperated comments in handling the schedule. The goal is to “identify the few critical tasks that contribute most to income and schedule them with very short and clear deadlines” (p.75). Now, replace income with any home activity (cooking, schooling, cleaning, fitness, etc). How can the home be maintained to live efficiently?

For example, I love Flylady. She developed a system that focuses on 15 minute housecleaning duties. She's taken an aspect of the home and created clear, concise directions on how to perform tasks which could otherwise engulf the whole day. Other areas in which a system of elimination is effective are shopping ( Coupon Mom or Grocery Game eliminate time for coupon cutting and taking advantage of sales), menu planning once a week, combining chore runs into one day of the week, and use of a calendar to contain important obligations and fitness routines! Schedule workouts to keep your energy levels up. It's important for everyone in the family to get their physical fitness.

“Being selective — doing less — is the path of the productive. Focus on the important few and ignore the rest.” (p. 73)

What other areas can be eliminated in the home?

• Checking email once or twice a day. This is one I definitely need to implement!

• Stop answering the phone. We stopped answering our home phone 6 months ago and have only had 1 call worth returning. Our evenings are no longer interrupted by annoying telemarketers.

• There's no need to answer the door. I think this is important for homeschooling and work at home parents. Be clear with family and neighbors that “you're working during X hours.”

So, do you think you can alter the business of managing family and home in a shorter workweek. Managing the home will never end, but it helps free up your time to do more fun things, like MOMS Club Stuff!!! I do not believe the job of parenting should or will ever fit into a 4 hour workweek; however, the guidelines and fundamental steps can be applied to alleviate overworked, time strapped, anxiety ridden parents.

Finally, Thank you Elizabeth M. for running our Secret Sister Program up through June! Thank you April R. and Janet O. for volunteering for the Nominating Committee. We're looking for 3 more moms to help spread the responsibility of planning the End of Year Banquet.

Yours Truly,

Cindy

Welcome to the MOMS Club Donelson Hermitage website!

We have updated our website and will be adding more features soon! Please check back as we continue to improve our new website!!!

For those of you that are new; the MOMS Club (MOMS offering Moms Support) is an international non-profit organization specifically for at-home mothers. We include moms of all ages, as well as those who work out of their homes or part-time. We give you the opportunity to share activities with other mothers and their children.

We offer daytime support consisting of weekly activities, playgroups, special interest groups, monthly meetings, Moms Night Out, and much much more! We would love to have you visit and learn more about our group.