“Like a boss” is my No. 1 all-time favorite phrase gifted to us by the genius of Andy Samberg and the cornucopious beast that is the internet.
I do so many things in my life, like a boss. Like be a boss. Run a business. Write this blog post. Drink my fifth cup of coffee.
Doing things like a boss is something that we’re yuge fans of here at NextGen MilSpouse. We kind of like to think you can do just about anything like a boss. Hell, we even have an article about military spousing…yes spousing…like a boss.
But what about running a household?
Can you run a house, like boss?
Do the dishes, like a boss?
Call your mother-in-law, like a boss?
Pay that phone bill, like a boss?
Pick your kids up, like a boss?
Project your future, like a boss?
Sip from your wine glass, like a boss?
The answer is obviously yes. You can run your household like a boss. Check out my pro-tips for managing your house like it’s your job.
How to Run Your Household Like a Business
Assemble Your Team
Any great business owner will tell you that the success of the business relies on the strength of the team. In order to run your house like a boss, you’ll need to recruit your housemates to join your team. Running a house isn’t a one-person job. Everybody pitches in.
Your spouse is part of the leadership team. Having a full-time job or being a student doesn’t excuse anyone from being on Team House. Depending on the skill sets, your spouse will likely serve alongside you in your c-suite or at the very least serve as a department head.
Oh, and by the way…child labor is totally part of your household plan. As a matter of fact, team training starts at age 2. The “Clean Up Song” is part of Team House’s intake program.
Determine Your Goals
Like any solid organization, your household needs direction. Both you and your spouse have a responsibility to set goals to keep Team House moving forward. From purging your kitchen of empty snacks to decluttering your attic, your goals drive your family forward.
Quarterly and annual goal-setting meetings are a great way to measure family progress. FYI…this is not a date night activity. Also, here’s another reminder – make sure you make date nights part of your goal setting.
Institute Weekly Team Meetings
We’re a dual-working family with 2 kids eyeball deep in school and extracurricular activities. Because of our daily ops tempo, hubs and I can easily become ships passing in the night and, as the Leader of Team House, I can start feeling overwhelmed really quickly.
For some reason, I’d convinced myself that my hubs just wasn’t a viable help option.
So much of my life as a military spouse has been training myself to go solo-ops at the drop of a hat that I’d virtually stopped counting him as a member of my team.
After countless arguments about how I wish he was “there for me” and how “was he supposed to know how to be there for me if I never asked him for help” we finally came to this conclusion — In order to keep communications open and provide opportunities for my spouse to jump in to assist during the weekly grind, we started Sunday afternoon meetings.
Our meetings last about 20 to 30 minutes and serve as a way to share the outlook for the coming week, set the meal plan, take a quick inventory on household goods that need replenishing, set a lunch date (#priorities) and find opportunities we can pitch in and help each other out during the week.
Maintain a Master Household Calendar and Task List
One of my biggest pitfalls in running our household was keeping a mental schedule of all the things I needed to do rather than a physical calendar. The busier a week became, the more likely it was that I would forget something that needed to be done or double-book myself.
As someone who loves technology but still values the feel of a pencil and paper, we maintain a shared Google calendar and a big desk calendar to keep track of important dates, the extracurricular schedule and work travel.
To keep our to-do lists in order, we use Trello, a free team management app. I’ve also heard good things about Cozi and Wunderlist, if you’re app-inclined.
Know When to Outsource
Time is a ridiculously limited resource, and in an active household, sometimes it’s easier on everybody’s sanity if you outsource some of your operation.
Are driving the kids to and from school or extracurriculars driving you crazy? Arrange for a carpool or split the task with your spouse.
Is meal planning stopping you from grocery shopping? Try a subscription service like Blue Apron or eMeals.
Do you need to come home to a clean house? Call in a housekeeper. (A go-to for my deployment survival kit.)
Can’t seem to make it to the commissary? Try Amazon’s Prime Pantry or order your groceries online and pick them up from your local grocery store or Walmart.
