Work and Relax

As a parent, it is uncommon that you have a bunch of free time to simply sit down and relax. Most of the time, you are chasing after a child, doing work around the house, or trying to make a meal. If you want to watch a movie, or enjoy a few minutes off of your feet, then you are going to need someone else to make sure your kids are staying out of trouble, and even then you do not have a ton of time.

One way that you may be able to enjoy a show or movie on your own is by combining it with doing another chore that needs to be done around the house. You volunteer to do the work and then while you’re doing it, you also turn a movie or show on that you want to watch. While this may not always be an option, trying to multitask is one of the best ways to enjoy something you like to do.

One example of this is doing laundry. Depending on your child’s age and the number of children you have, there’s a good chance that you have way more laundry to fold than you really want to. You are probably doing multiple loads of laundry a week, and it takes time to get those clothes all folded. Instead of just folding laundry, you can fold the laundry in a place where you can also turn a show on to watch.

If other people want to join in watching the show, then they can help you with the laundry as well. It’s a win for you no matter what because you either get the laundry done much faster or else you get to watch something that you want to. You may find that your child is more willing to help you if they can also watch the TV - of course that will only be true if they’re interested in what’s on the TV.

This same method can be used with other forms of entertainment as well. We love audiobooks, and so putting on a pair of headphones and listening to your book for a few minutes is a great way to get through that book just a little bit faster. Audiobooks are great as well because you can keep your eyes on your child if you need to as well - you’re not missing anything on a screen when you listen.

Laundry isn’t the only task that you can use these methods with either. If the task you’re completing is safe to do while also watching TV or listening to a book, then you can go for it. We have a large living room that often needs cleaning. Turn the tv on, and clean while you work if you want (this may be harder for kids as they often get distracted by the TV, so make sure they’re working if you want them to).

Sports is also something that will often get turned on the TV while doing a task or chore in the house. Making a meal, and turning on whatever sports you’d like to watch. Picking up toys and watching a basketball game are a great combination and make a task that you probably don’t normally enjoy much easier to get through - you may find that you want to get the house spotless when you’re able to enjoy something else.

Combining chores and entertainment is a great way to get things done around the house in a quicker and more enjoyable way.