Sep. 4, 2008 - Homemaker-In-Training ~ Efficiency, Motion Study, and Multitasking
If you want to know more about Homemaker-In-Training, then you can read the first post. Please feel free to join us, we would love to have you! This post has also been posted at Feelin' Feminine.
Ah, to be an efficient housewife. Or, at least an efficient Homemaker-In-Training! To be known among your acquaintances as a very efficient and capable woman. That's what you want right?
The word efficient is an adjective, and it's general meaning is to do something with little or no waste. Or, as Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary puts it, "productive without waste". The word also has a slightly different meaning, but if you want to know that one, you will have to look the word up yourself, I am only using the above meaning!
Being productive without waste. That sounds quite, well...efficient? However, how does this nifty term apply to our homes, and how we take care of them? How will this term help us even now with our chores and other daily tasks?
To be able to answer the above questions, I need to introduce you to another term. Motion Study. As you can read at this Wikipedia article, motion study is a process where the motions of a particular job are studied, and then evaluated, to see how efficient the job really is. After the job has been studied and evaluated, appropriate changes are made to increase productivity, and efficiency. It is quite an interesting subject really.
I think that you know why this would help housekeeping, or any job for that matter. If you can minimize the amount of motions in an activity, then you are also reducing the amount of effort and time it takes to do the task! It sounds pretty good, doesn't it, to be able to do your work with, well, less work.
However, I do believe there is a point where this could become ridiculous. If you became obsessed with studying every action, to see if you make it more efficient, then I think you taken motion study beyond usefulness. If this were to happen, then the whole idea would backfire. You would have no time to do the things you are supposed to be doing, because you were too busy making more time! I think that in a home, only the tasks that are time consuming, or unpleasant to do, are the ones that should be studied and worked on.
Another way to save time on things is to multitask. For some that may be harder than for others, but here are some ideas.
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Do it while watching TV or a movie. Folding clothes or sorting something could easily be done without missing hardly anything of what you are watching.
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Do it while talking on the phone. In this instance, where your eyes are not engaged with the TV, you can do a lot more, but you do want to cut down on the noise. Try dusting, or tidying your house, while chatting with your friend on the phone.
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Do it while driving. Okay, not you personally driving, obviously, but for those times when you are a passenger (younger people specifically), bring something along to do. If you have to write a speech, or a dinner menu, or something else, take a notebook, pencil, and eraser along. This is something that only some people can do though, because many get carsick if they do anything like this in while in motion.
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Do it while listening. If you like to listen to stories or sermons on tape or CD, then you probably already do something while listening to them. I knit or crochet while listening to stories. You could also do any other kind of handcraft, or clean your room. I also do the dishes while listening to my mp3 player, or while my sister reads aloud.
I am sure that you can think of many other things that you can, or already do, multitask. If you want to leave your ideas in a comment, I am sure they will be helpful for someone.
Efficiency, motion study, multitasking, they are all great time-management concepts. I just need to start using them!
If you wrote a HITT and posted it on your blog, please leave a comment and let us know!
Copyright 2008 Defective Compositions
Comments
Sep. 4, 2008 - Hello there Miss Eyebright!
Posted by hsbliteraryclub
This is Rachel. I am leaving you a comment as the HSB Literary Club because you have participated in the past with the discussions. I just wanted to let you know that we will be starting our next book tomorrow. Sorry this is such short notice. :)
We will be reading Enoch Roden's Training by Hesba Stretton. There is a post up at the Club if you want to sign the linky to join us. Posting about it on your blog would be a great way to let others know about the book we are reading and ask them to join us!
Hope to see your name on the Linky!
For the HSB Lit Club,
Rachel
Sep. 4, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
Great post on efficiency! Your right where you said that it could get ridiculous, lol I know a couple people who take it overboard... just a little :). Those were really great tips!
Thank you for your comment on the peace post! Peace is a hard thing, when I get upset I have a hard time with my temper! So I need to keep my peace and I try really hard and I pray even harder for a calmer being! Again thank you for the comment! I look forward to your next HITT post!
GB~
Sharla~
Sep. 4, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Jocelyndixon
Excellent HITT! Loved reading it. Thank you so much for posting on the FF site. I really appreciate it and I hope others do too!
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