9 Benefits to Accomplishing Household Chores

• Undemanding Tasks Leave Room for Creativity
  1. When your body is set in a familiar routine it leaves space for the mind to wander. Creative thinking is stimulated more often during undemanding tasks than it is during demanding tasks – or even just resting.
  2. According to this study “Inspired by Distraction: Mind Wandering Facilitates Creative Incubation.”

• Chores are linked to lower dementia risks 1 – Learn More
  1. Through research studying 500K participants in the UK they found that those who engaged in household chores more than others had a 21% lower risk of dementia.
  2. While these results don’t point to a causation, they are related and show how lifestyle changes can have significant impacts on health.

• Improve Overall Health by Encouraging Physical Activity 2 – Learn More
  1. Studies show that interrupting sedentary actions like sitting by either standing or walking can improve various aspects of health. Standing can improve glucose levels and a short walk can improve glucose and insulin levels. 

• Accomplishing Small Tasks Can Increase Motivation
  1. Small wins and minor setbacks can have a significant impact on overall motivation and happiness but only if the work matters to you. Reduce daily hassles and focus on the small wins. Making progress in keeping a healthy home can keep you motivated.

“The Progress Principle: Of all the things that can boost emotions, motivation, and perceptions during a workday, the single most important is making progress in meaningful work. And the more frequently people experience that sense of progress, the more likely they are to be creatively productive in the long run.” Harvard 3 – Learn More

• Chores can Positively Impact Your Children 4 – Learn More
  1. Household chores can instill responsibility, and studies show that happiness increases when children feel like they are making meaningful contributions to the family.
  2. Take the time to teach your children how it’s done. Being matter of fact about can help to instill a proper routine i.e. it’s Friday so all the trash has to be collected.

• Mindful Practices can Reduce Stress
  1. Imbue more mindful practices into housework. Light candles or other aromatics while folding the laundry. Clear your mind and meditate as you dry the dishes. 

• Chores Create “Me” Time
  1. The chores you accomplish alone are also time dedicated to yourself. In a chaotic household wiping down the countertops can be a needed respite.

• These Tasks Leave Room for Family Bonding
  1. With younger kids take the time to teach them how it’s done; show them how to make their bed and compliment them on smooth sheets or artful pillow arrangement. 
  2. For older kids – have family meetings to discuss chore division. Have them be responsible for creating the chore chart. 

• Dividing Housework Fairly Decreases the Risk of Divorce
  1. Studies show that when there is a perceived inequity in splitting household chores this can lead to a buildup of resentment, stress and unhappiness.
  2. A 2016 study showed the uneven distribution in paid and unpaid labor was the leading economic risk factor for divorce.

In Short;

Household chores don’t need to be split 50/50 but 

“Evidence suggests that couples who believe the work should be evenly divided are happier than those who don’t.” 5 – Learn More

It benefits everyone in a household to pitch in and help. It can improve your mental and physical health, overall wellbeing, increase creativity and create moments for bonding. Older women in particular can suffer the ill mental and physical effects of an unequal distribution of household chores. 6 – Learn More

Now that you know what benefits chores can have on your physical and mental health. How do you go about actually completing them?

 

Tackling Chores Head On

Prioritize and Compromise. 

As a household, discuss what your needs are. Do both of you want a spotless bathtub but hate cleaning the drain? Find ways to compromise by tackling those tasks together or hiring outside help. Being messy is okay. Your home does not need to be spotless, it only needs to suit – your family’s needs. Discuss what works best; 

“…my theory on housework is if the item doesn’t multiply, smell, catch fire, or block the refrigerator door, let it be. No one else cares. Why should you?” -Erma Bombeck

Check in and make a time table each week;

Are your kids coming home from college with mountains of dirty laundry and you’re out of detergent? Do the toilet rolls need a replacement for that dinner party you’re hosting on Sunday? Your needs and availability to meet them will change each week. Chores are a SHARED responsibility: re-evaluate what works for you and what doesn’t and get the entire family involved.

Lifestyle Adjustments.

As your priorities in life and physical/mental capabilities shift so should your lifestyle. If you hate using the iron, get rid of the clothes that need to be ironed. If no one mows the lawn, plant wildflowers that don’t need to be mowed. If you have no space to put the objects cluttering your house it may be time to get rid of some things. The objects in your home should have a hangar, drawer, box, shelf, or somewhere else to live. 

Ask what CallSheilah! can do for you.

At CallSheilah! we assist with; downsizing, decluttering and clean outs. Sometimes you might need a full declutter before the rest of chore management seems possible. 

We approach decluttering with compassion. Allowing things to build up can make cleanup seem overwhelming. Some people need a spotless home, others function better with a modicum of mess in their homes or don’t have the time/help needed to constantly keep things clean. 

“As if you can tell anything about someone’s character from a shot of their home while it’s messy. Care tasks, like cooking & cleaning, they’re morally neutral – the way you do them, how often you do them, whether or not you keep up to them. It’s not a reflection of whether or not you’re a good or bad person, or if you’re a hard worker or a lazy person, whether you’re worthy of love and success, or a failure. These are not moral obligations, they’re just functional tasks, they serve a function. That function is to care for you. The only reason to do them is because you’re a person that deserves to function.” –KC Davis 7 – Learn More

As Davis puts it, chores are there as functional tasks meant to serve you. And you deserve to live in a decluttered space.

 

Resources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/attention

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/changepower/202208/8-surprising-psychological-benefits-of-routine-daily-tasks

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-022-01649-4#Sec11

https://hbr.org/2011/05/the-power-of-small-wins

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/growing-friendships/201303/chores-and-children

https://www.verywellmind.com/chores-conflict-in-marriage-2300980

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7374043/

https://www.minimizemymess.com/blog/messy-people-quotes?srsltid=AfmBOoqyBiTQanHLRkEdIvNYz_HO51ggVDUQp6v1utBN8Y9fn2cysdge