Closing the gender gap on domestic duties: How to split the workload without splitting your relationship - Women's Agenda

Closing the gender gap on domestic duties: How to split the workload without splitting your relationship

This story first appeared on August 15 2012.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that women who work full time still do more housework than their full time working male partner. According to Oxford University Australian women can look forward to housework parity in 2050. If you can’t wait till then try these tips to manage the chores between two.

Get organised
The less stuff you have then the less stuff you have to clean. Declutter your life with the help of professionals who aren’t as attached as you are to the things you think you can’t live without. Try companies like www.declutterhome.com.au or www.clutterrescue.com.au

Perfection is not reality
Is the world really going to end if the dishwasher isn’t emptied? If you and your partner have different levels of cleanliness then compromise in the middle because the dirt you see may be invisible to him and vice verca.

Sacrifice for a cleaner
A cleaner can take the load off even if you just employ them once a fortnight or only to do the bathroom and the kitchen or to wash and iron your laundry. But make sure you and your partner financially pay equally for this or you’ll be setting up another out of balance dynamic.

The internet was invented for a reason
There’s not much you can’t buy online from organic groceries to organic grass fed meat direct from the farmer . You can even set up the same weekly shop to be delivered to your door on the same day every week from the big supermarket retailers.

Go a step further and pre-order pre made nutritious dinners for the working week from companies that understand the meaning of the word busy. Try www.choicefreshmeals.com.au or www.gourmetdinnerservice.com.au

Life is about choice
What cleaning chores do you actually enjoy? Ask your partner the same then agree who will do what and which chores are no man’s land then divide those up or outsource them. Do not take over your partner’s undone chores, it will feel like you are nagging and no one loves a martyr.

Break it down
A long list of chores is daunting. Break it down when asking your loved one to pitch in. When they’ve done one focused chore, thank them and ask them to do the next one. One small step for man can be a giant leap for woman’s household kind.

Lie back and enjoy the romance
The Journal of Family Issues gives one good reason for the men (or women) in your world to pitch in more – better sex. Thankfully we don’t need a study to prove that resentment over housework kills libido. Now you’ve got him pulling his weight expect more time in the bedroom.

Don’t forget to check the Women’s Agenda Help! Directory for handy services that will provide an extra helping hand

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