What is life admin?
These are all the things that need to happen day to day to make our lives function. The financial tasks such as tax, bills, banking, registrations and insurance. Comparing products and services. Arranging quotes and trades people for home maintenance and car repairs. Arranging health maintenance such as doctors and dental appointments. Self-care activities such as hair cuts, beauty and yoga. Kids, school and all their activities. Family scheduling and logistics, along with the logistics of having a social life, and when you can … holidays!
A generation ago, life admin was much simpler with less choice, less information required and literally less to do. This means that there is more life admin. And yes, the mental load is real.
Can you tackle you life admin more effectively?
Do you talk to your friends about how you feel quite organised but now it just feels like somehow things have just a little bit more out of control? Do you struggle with balancing the load with your partner? Has life got a bit more complicated with kids arriving? Do you keep up with technology changes at work but at home your systems haven’t quite caught up? Is your life scattered across your phone, table, iPad, laptop, home computer, wall calendars, lever arch folders, pin up boards, a box carried from home to the farm to work and back?
Catch up after harvest cut out?
Despite being the one to work on and off farm, are you often the one keeping the house in order? Has your husband just walked in after finishing in the paddock, excited to see the family and you’re going bonkers trying to entertain kids and make dinner? Are you thinking about all the things you need to catch up on from being the cook, cleaner, mum, hostess, marketer and business woman, whilst working alongside your husband to ensure the family business continues through droughts, floods and price fluctuations? Are you feeling a like you are slipping into resentment because you feel like you’re the one doing all the things, all the time for everybody else?
You can start shifting some of the assumptions, feelings and load by:
Looking at ways things have ‘always been done’
Developing an inclusive approach
Make the load more transparent
And yes, unfortunately this means you may have to start the conversation, process and be the champion for a little bit yet!
Ali
