What do you tell yourself day-to-day to keep on top of the drudge work?

[Schoolpickup]

Just that really. Finding the day to day deluge of housework, dishes and bedtime a sludge. There's no avoiding it. It has to be done. There isn't anything that can be stripped back. We're not perfectionists with housework, and Dh and I split the work. This is just the stuff that has to be done.

When it feels like a sludge, do you give yourself a talking to? What do you do?

*DH and I both work Ft if that adds useful info

I don't know but I feel the same and am so fed up of it. I'm a sahm of school age DC and still seem to constantly be doing chores... absolutely endless laundry, cooking, shopping, cleaning...my standards aren't especially high either

I don't tell myself anything but I listen to an audio book, sometimes even look forward to it!

There are some great YouTube channels where people show the mindfulness of mundane tasks. I like Harmimommy which is a Korean woman living in Germany. Not everyone's cup of tea but I get a lot out of it.

Podcasts, iPad in the kitchen with shows I like help.

We are living as a family of 5 without a dishwasher and it is pretty soul destroying as the kitchen is never clear for more than 5 minutes before the next dirty plate or cup is put on the side.

I whack my headphones on and listen to a podcast, audiobook or just music. If I'm cooking in the kitchen I watch programmes on the iPad to pass the time.

Podcasts, I never do anything without listening to a good true crime, ghost story, funny etc podcast. It's gets me though all the drudgery.

@comedycook I feel your pain. I seriously considered switching to paper plates and wooden knives and forks 🤣 obviously terrible for the environment

Definitely podcasts! Anything and everything that takes my fancy, want to learn about etc

@ItoldyouIwastrouble perhaps need to do more of this. I do like a cheesy thriller, that's likely to capture my interest (wish I could be classy and say BBC Radio 4!)

Some of the things I do:
Simple meals = less shopping, cooking, cleaning up.
Stuff like jacket potatoes.
Kids used to have school meals now the oldest sorts herself, youngest prefers simple lunch: sandwich, rice cakes, fruit, drink. I make sandwiches 2 at a time.
Wash most days have a vague routine e.g. 2 dark loads, 1 white, 1 mixed, 2 loads sheets and towels per week.
Minimal ironing, shirts etc have a lower spin speed. Shake, dryer low heat for a few minutes then hang up.
Reduce laundry - change beds every 10-14 days rather than weekly.
Cleaner 3 hours per fortnight so the floors and showers etc get a good going over then.
In between I’m not very thorough.
Dh has certain tasks that I mainly disregard and vice versa. Him: anything bin related, gardening, dishwasher unloading, hoovering.
Me: floors that don’t get hoovered, laundry, bathrooms, meal plan and cook.
Main shop every 1-2 weeks at Ocado, in between if I cba to do big shop I get stuff at Tesco express, co op or similar, it’s worth it (for me) paying a bit extra on way home. And prevents me eating take away.
Very basic batch cooking, e.g. at weekend cooked a load of sausages for breakfast. Leftovers turned into lunch next day (sandwiches)
Monday I quickly boiled potatoes and broccoli and made gravy so that was hot dinner for dd2.
Sometimes I focus on one or two of the worst or essential jobs. Loads need doing tonight but I will make packed lunch for dd, put dishwasher on and take pup out…everything else I will do in morning I’m off tomorrow.

Dishwasher is a massive help.
Keep meals simple.
Iron nothing.

Oh yes I also on occasion have a glass of wine whilst cooking or ironing

@onepieceoflollipop wow I am in awe of that!!

Whatever I'm doing I'm muttering:
I fucking hate work.
I fucking hate ironing.
I fucking hate washing up.
I fucking hate cleaning the bathroom.
I've got a mantra for every task 😂

@speakout the ironing is one thing we have nailed. We buy clothes that don't need ironing! Dh's shirts do but that's his problem!

@Jayaywhynot 🤣🤣 sounds like talk therapy!

If I think of it at the time, I try to remember something I heard:

Change ‘I have to’ to ‘I get to’.

Doesn’t always work, but sometimes helps me remember how lucky I actually am to have a busy home. (My own kitchen to clean, food in the fridge to cook, my little kids at home to bath etc)

Doesn’t always work of course, and I totally get the relentlessness of it all. Paired with very little sleep or down-time, life feels hard at the moment.

I’m sure I’ll look back with rose-tinted specs one day.

We’re in the ‘5 with no dishwasher’ club too.

I set a timer for ten minutes and try to beat the clock getting as much of the shit done as possible. I also try to tell myself how lucky I am to have food to cook, a home to cheek and kids to take care of.
But it is drudgery and everyone had to do it!!

Cross post @Zorya

Fucking hell, I hardly ever change the kids beds. If it's once every three weeks that's good! do mine more often but not by much. The washing pile is overflowing. The house is dirty and needs carpets replacing and redecorating. I cook freezer food mostly (luckily my partner cooks from scratch!)

Moving bed changes from 7 days to ten days made me laugh, sorry. With a full time job! I maybe get an hour a night between work and bedtime when I'm cooking dinner and cleaning up after. Then bath for kids and bed. No time in there for changing beds never mind washing and drying everything. Weekends I try to get the rest done, but it's so depressing as life is just work and cleaning/washing. Where is the merest hint of fun!

Anyway, I'm projecting. But even doing the bare minimum (and not even that apparently) it still takes up my whole life.

@Zorya that's a helpful rephrasing, I'll try that.

Life's all about perspective, eh

Think of all the calories you are burning

@Schoolpickup

In awe of the glass of wine or my list?!

Just to add, I can go days and days without doing a proper shop. Today I had to get diesel and we needed butter so I just grabbed it there. I am fortunate in that I can afford a few extra ££ per week on grabbing food locally if I am knackered.

Haven't ironed on about four years. What is it necessary for now? I can't think of anything I own that can't be hung up to dry. I guess we don't need to do work shirts anymore, that was the only thing the ironing board ever saw...

@onepieceoflollipop both!

We are forgetful and don't plan ahead so always end up nipping out for groceries.

I think we need to get better on the simpler meals and pre-prep e.g. Chopping tatties or veg during day as WFH.