Is it Wise to Hire Help

Have you thought that only the rich and famous have personal assistants or hire someone to plan their parties or do their chores?  Think again!  People are beginning to realize that their time is much more valuable.  They are beginning to realize outsourcing time-consuming tasks will keep them from being exhausted, restricted and unhappy.

An average tally of work done in the home after work hours is 35 hours, not counting the 3 hours done by a cleaning service according to a 1999 Whirlpool Foundation study.  The proliferation of single-parent and dual-income households in the last 25 years makes the time squeeze even more acute.  Thirty years ago, many homes often had one person who was always available for chores at home, but today, more of us have to squeeze those daily tasks around work.  “We’re overworked compared to other workers around the world”, says Kathleen Gerson, a sociology professor at New York University.

This time squeeze may feel like a uniquely modern American problem, but “outsourcing” started with industrialization, when we began to pay others for clothing and food.  The idea of hiring someone to help us with our zillion responsibilities is just an extension of this concept.

Now that you know that you are part of the Natural Evolution of Civilization, you also might be relieved to hear it can make good financial sense, as well as a boost to your mental health.

It is the ole money-time tradeoff.   How much leisure time do I have and what’s an hour of it worth?  To get a better idea of what your time is worth plug in these basic figures:

          Income – Gross annual income

          Taxes – approximately 31.80%

          Work Expenses

                    Clothing/Dry Cleaning

                    Meals & Entertainment/Business Gifts

                    Child Care

                    Services

          Work Time

                    Paid Vacation – 2 weeks

                    Typical work week – 48 hours

                    Commute time – 6 hours

          Non-work Time

                    Sleep – 8 hours = 56 hours

                    Household chores – 20 hours

                    Child Care – 26 hours

                    Personal Care – 8 hours

Socializing – 4 hours

Result:          Zip

Would it be worth it to you to buy a hour or two of leisure time?  Calculate your hourly wage and compare it to what you might pay someone you hire (the average rate is $25-$35 per hour).  Now you do the cost-justification. 

Let’s compare the costs of not hiring help.  Dollars and cents aren’t the only way to evaluate your situation.  What may be less obvious are the costs of forgoing help – costs to your health, relationships and time.  Luckily, one of the things that has changed in the past few years is the fact than when women enter the workforce, men are adjusting their behavior by taking on more household duties.  The burden is not equal yet, however.  Your chores can cost you more than you realize, for example, time with your children, time exercising, time working on your marriage.  All of these have significant emotional and spiritual costs, which can also be costly to your wallet if left unattended.

Does the “Time Crunch” have you in it’s grip?  It’s worth considering paying someone else for a little peace of mind.

Seconds Count
What would you do if you had a bank that credited your account each morning with $86,400. It did not carry over any balance from the previous day - it allowed no cash to remain in your account, and in fact, it actually cancelled out whatever part of the amount you had not used during the day? Seems to me that you would not stay with that bank very long, you would draw out every cent.

Well, you do have a bank such as this, and it’s called “Time”. Every morning it credits you with 86,400 seconds and every night it cancels off, as loss, whatever you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carried over no balances. It allows no overdrafts. It allows no other deposits. Each day it opens a new account. Each night it dissolves all the history of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against “tomorrow”. You must live in the present-on today’s deposits. Invest it wisely, minimize your risks. Time is your capitol so get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success!

Time Out
Experts in time management say that man cannot really manage time, it manages us. I’d like to think that we could at least, take a stand against that statement. That we could rise above the bells and whistles of laptops, cell phones and palm pilots. Are you up to the challenge?

Although we all have 24 hours in each day, you’d never know it by standing back and observing the average home and office of today. We live in the most prosperous country in the world and yet we are continually robbed of the most precious commodity of all……time.

The 1980’s produced many, many efficiency experts, showing us how to keep a time log to chart our work production. There were lots of seminars conducted at retreats or at business sites to learn how to manage time more effectively. Then came the 1990’s where power suits were traded in for power tools, we began to dress casually and carry laptops in place of attaches.

And now in the 21st Century, we cannot keep up with the technology for time saving devises, as there are newer, better, smaller more intelligent gadgets every day on the market. There is a computer available anywhere you go, every student uses a beeper, every mom carries a cell phone with a camera, what executive would be without his palm pilot or Blackberry. These time-saving devises were invented to better manage our lives. But who is managing whom here? Are these time savers really turning into time bandits?

What would really happen if we turned our cell phones off during lunch, what if we flipped on the answering machine during homework time, what if we delayed that email reply for an hour. Would the world end or could you actually focus on your client or child and take just a little craziness out of your life.

These products are not the enemy, they are not here to cause stress, multi-taking or more work. On the contrary, they were invented to make routine tasks easier and simplify our lives. So use the answering machine to screen calls, use voicemail to filter solicitors. Implement these time savers to proactively manage your time – don’t just react to others managing it for you.

It’s time for a change – I think you are up to the challenge.

Wasting Time
If you find yourself all of a sudden slowing down, resisting a task, organizational lapses, inventing some insane reason for dumping the schedule…………

                                                   pay attention
You are on the verge of some major break through, you are entering a creative zone. Don’t interfere with it, be patient, bustling around mindlessly is evidence you are in a holding pattern. You will soon find the answer to a problem, or find a new way of doing something, or have a completely wonderful new idea. This is not wasting time, you are about to create more time, so let it happen.

Wishes
Tis’ the season to be………………….what the……..

It is never to early to get organized for the big holiday.
But how do I do get organized? Multitasking!

• When you are shopping and you see that “perfect” gift for someone – don’t procrastinate, put it in your cart now. You know it will be gone later and you will be kicking yourself, or you will not remember what that “perfect” gift was in a few months.

• Stay ahead at least one season like retailers do. Shop those pre-season sales or post-season sales.

• Listen for hints from your loved ones, write them down, along with sizes, colors, etc. They will be shocked by your physic ability.

• Start homemade gifts now. Grama used to make afghans all year round, you may not be able to do that but you can start a homemade item now, so you are not going crazy in December. Homemade items are not just for college students and Cub Scouts. They are one of a kind, coveted, cherished items. And don’t forget jam, salsa and pickles, they can be made now and set aside until gift time.

• Freeze, Freeze, Freeze! Goodies for sharing can be made now and stored in the freezer. How exciting for friends to receive and how exciting that you don’t have to make it right in the middle of a Jingle Bells chorus.

• The Party is at your place! Plan it now and you will be amazed at how it all falls together seamlessly.

• Plan menus for your guests here and now with their favorite treat in mind, then you will not be spinning to figure out what to serve.

• Order your Christmas cards now and address them a few at a time or at least work on address changes to print on labels.

• Get that Christmas photo taken now, and there will be no worries about it getting back on time or Suzie frowning or Bobbie’s head being cut off.

• Go to www.organizedchristmas.com for more ideas on getting your Holiday off to a faultless start and finish.

When you combine the concept of doing “Christmas” while you are doing your routine schedule, inspiration comes effortlessly.

Christmas should feel happy, warm and comfortable – just like your favorite slippers.
Enjoy your ideal Christmas this year.

Let’s have a Party or maybe a Reunion
Anytime of the year is a good time to reconnect with family members. The summer months are the busiest time for reunions because school is out for the most part. But anytime is a good time. If you have been put in charge of organizing this year’s big event, try these ideas for your affair.

It does take about a year to get the planning done. It allows time to receive the best group rates for resorts, cruises and hotels. But how do you make it memorable.

Create a newsletter to be mailed at least twice a year, better yet, blasted out by email. Make sure one goes out a month before the reunion and it includes the date, location, accommodations, what family members may need to bring and a list of activities that are planned. And make sure one newsletter goes out no later than a month after the reunion so you can include highlights from the reunion, updated information like new addresses, births, deaths, marriages, promotions, etc. and plans for the next reunion. This will keep everyone connected and excited.

Everyone loves tee-shirts, because it makes them feel a part of something special. You could have the same color tee-shirt and same logo for everyone, young and old, big and little. Or maybe a different color tee-shirt for each family with their own special personalization. You could always put a name on the tee-shirt and eliminate the dreaded name tag.

Designate someone to be the photographer and they are responsible to get a group picture of each family at a certain time. Then that one person could also get the cost of reproduction and shipping or emailing to any of the various online photo clubs, so family members could retrieve their own photos. By having one person in charge you insure that everyone gets pictures of the reunion just in case the camera gets left on a counter or dunked in the lake. Then this person will be responsible for bringing the family album to the reunion next year as well.

What about a fundraising raffle. Each family member brings an item to donate and tickets are sold for a dollar each. Have two categories, one for adults and one for the children (make sure that every child gets a prize). Similar to a raffle is an auction, which could include homemade items or some kind of donated items and see what fun you can have trying to out-bid each other. This should make you enough money for the rental of the picnic area or the meat for the barbecue or maybe a few bucks to help the “starving students” or “the newlyweds” pay for their gas to the reunion, or maybe even a new automatic wheelchair for Gramps.

What to do with the kids? Everyone loves a carnival! Have each family member bring a card table and set up “booths” for various carnival-type activities (fishpond, face painting, ring toss, sink-the-putt). Party supply stores have lots of ideas for inexpensive games and prizes. After the initial carnival, they could do these activities over and over. Then there is craft activities staffed by the teens. How about an essay about “What I Liked Best About This Years Reunion” to be read to the group on the last evening. You could trace the family tree. And don’t forget games, games games……….moving games, sitting games, thinking games, favorite games. And the ever popular sports competitions: ball games of all kinds, frisbee, tennis, golf, horseback riding, boating and skiing.

Families enjoy participating in talent shows (even if they say they don’t). It can showcase what everyone has been doing for the past year and everyone is famous! Along with that, do a sing-a-long, silly and sentimental.

You might start off or end your reunion with an award ceremony…..like who traveled the farthest, who is the youngest, oldest, most children, grandchildren.

Remember, keep it simple, keep it fun, be sure you have down time to enjoy each other, reminisce, look at everyone’s photos, get re-acquainted……….you need a balance of organized activities and just “hangin’ out” The best part of a reunion is to chuckle, giggle and laugh right out loud!

Tee Time
Definition of the Golf Term “All Square”:
A term used in match play to indicate that both teams or individuals have cheated on an equal number of holes!

According to recent survey on badgolfers.com 70% of golfers cheat at the game. Here are a few of the best cheating techniques:

“I found it”. This maneuver is almost foolproof and only detectable by a few suspicious golfing partners. This technique is used if the golfer knows for sure the ball is long gone. So, rather than search for the ball in the woods or fish it out of the creek he waits until his buddy has his back turned and he triumphantly declares “I found it”. Hey , he does not hold up play, people can stop searching and the smoke screen worked again.

“Shoddy score keeping”. This is a timeless cheating methodology, but it does take gall and guts. Despite its risqué nature, you may cloak your score if you were in and out of sand traps, did some chipping and maybe a 4 putt. Hopefully they were not paying that much attention and you can take a six or seven even if you score was really an eight or nine.

“I didn’t know the rule”. Playing dumb may work for awhile but if you golf at least once a week, your foursome will probably not believe that one. They may not be up-to-speed on most of the official USGA Rules of the Game, but you will not be able to hit your tee shot out of bounds and take a drop back on the playing surface, you will have to actually know the rules, so, you can spin them.

Hey, it is not about cheating, it is about winning…………right!!

Stop the Clock
Conquer anything with a bath. I know, I know, you hardly have time for a splash and dash shower, but how about a power bath. According to new research you can cure a variety of conditions – anxiety, cravings, clogged pores with just a 10 minute dip and dunk. Whip up a home-spa secret and take blah to ahh in a few minutes.

2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ Tablespoon pure cocoa butter
½ Teaspoon honey
¾ Teaspoon grated beeswax
Sir together in a small saucepan over low heat until blended.
Cool a couple of minutes and stir in:
2 Teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 Vitamin E capsule
When cravings begin, add 4 Tablespoons to bath and slip in and inhale the sweet aroma. It will generate a feeling of relaxation and happiness because the scent triggers the release of the brain chemical serotonin.
Store airtight.

1 Cup Epsom salts
1 Cup sea salt
15 drops peppermint oil
10 drops rosemary oil
6 drops eucalyptus oil
When muscles are achy , loosen and relax them by adding 3 Tablespoons to bath.
Store airtight.

How long should you soak?
18 minutes the optimum time to moisturize skin.
Stay in much longer and you can actually dehydrate your skin, according to researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.