December 12, 2024 • 26 mins
A few weeks ago, on our parenting podcast This glorious Mess, we dove into the topic of end-of-year overwhelm, and so many listeners shared they were feeling the exact same way!
With endless to-do lists, days that feel too short, and barely a moment to breathe, finding time for yourself can feel impossible. That’s why we’ve put together some simple, practical hacks to help you reclaim your time. From clever apps to outsourcing tips and learning the art of letting go, we’re here to help you win back those precious hours in your week.
Like what you heard? You can listen to more of This Glorious Mess wherever you get your podcasts.
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CREDITS:
Host: Tegan Natoli, Annaliese Todd and Sarah Marie Fahd
Producer: Grace Rouvray
Audio Producer: Lu Hill
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
You're listening to another Mia podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Mamma Mia acknowledges the traditional owners of the land. We
have recorded this podcast on the Gatagoul people of the
Eur Nation. We pay our respects to their elders past
and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and
torrest Rate islander cultures.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Hi, it's Annalise Todd, host of Mamma MIA's parenting podcast
This Glorious Mess, and this time of year is a
lot for all of us and the one thing that
we're really lacking in is time. So I wanted to
share this episode with you, and it's ten simple hacks
to get your time back. And it was really born
(01:03):
from a desire to cut corners and maybe just being
a little bit lazy in nature.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
But we also crowdsourced some.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
From the Mamma Mea community with some really great life
changing and time saving hacks. I hope you enjoy and
I hope you get some time back. Hello, and welcome
to this Glorious Mess. We are embracing the chaos together,
ditching the judgment.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
I'm tigging it, Tolly.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
And if you haven't ordered your Cristy presence.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Yes, Snap Snap, chop chop. Sorry, guys, I.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's
the ninth of December and I'm Annalise Todd in denial
about the impending festivities. Yes, you're the person I need
to remind you. I'm a single mum, working full time
and one thing I am lacking in this life is time.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Hm.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Well funny that, because today on the show, we're here
to help. You are not going to help for once.
We're going to try to. Yes, we'll do a bit
of event first, because what's a TGM episode without a
little event. But today's episode is all about getting you
some time back. We had a lot of feedback on
our episode a couple of weeks ago about the end
(02:21):
of year overwhelmed, and it's clear that a lot of
parents are feeling stretched thin. So we are not alone.
You are not alone. The to do lists seem endless,
the days or two short, The idea of having even
a moment to yourself seems absolutely impossible. So we have
put together some hacks on how to get your time back.
(02:42):
We end our community. Yes, obviously it's not just us alone,
because we needed You're needed to hear from the people
and We're going to bring you all the golden juice,
just game changing time, giving back, just life hacks. I
love hack, same for anything that just makes time quicker,
not quicker, but it gives you more time.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Mine is a shit to do.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Mine isn't so much born out of hack. I think
I'm just inherently lazy. Yes, and I like to cut corners,
so I've developed a few things just naturally like evolution. Yes,
I agree I'm not lazy. But when it comes when
it comes to domestic shit.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
I hate it. It's the core of my anger.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Like washing, cleaning.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Do you know what I feel like?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Even putting clean clothes or wag?
Speaker 1 (03:33):
That's the worst, don't.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
I don't even mind washing it. I hate folding it
and putting it away. I won't even fold it, won't
even do that. But I've always said that I feel
like I was born in the wrong life. I was
meant to be royal. I would like someone to come
in and dress me eighteenth century.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
See, I'd hate that. I just want to put my
arms up and just be Do you want to be
cause ated? Yes? Iren't something to brush my hair?
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Oh god, I want to do anythry She goes again
for goodness sake. Yeah, and of course, amongst other things,
we will also hear from our friends Sarah Maurice. But
first here is what's happening in my group chat. Two
mothers days ago, I promised my mum a little night away,
like a holiday together, because I feel like with my mum,
(04:24):
the only time we really see each other is like
me dropping my kids to her or her swinging pass,
like it's never really quality time. Or there's like the
whole family there and seven grandchildren and my brother and
my dad and my husband, and like, I can't remember
the last time that my mum and I just had
a nice time together, and there's always other people around, Yeah,
(04:47):
like I can't. So finally, two and a half years later,
because within the family, we've had a few deaths, she's
gone on a few holidays, and I've gone on a
few holidays, So it's taken us two and a half
years to actually tee this thing up. One night, that's
all I'm talking about. One night, So I took my
mum for a little stay cake in a little hotel
with just her and I. So I took her for
(05:07):
lunch and then we had this little sleepover and it
was so nice, you know, when you don't get a
chance to talk to someone so much, like you go
from conversation to conversations so quickly, and you're like, oh
my gosh, we got to go back to that one.
But remind me to tell you about this. You know,
it was so nice just to have free rain, no
children interrupting or asking for snacks or whatever.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
And did you do like girly things. We did lunch,
and then we laid by the pool. We went for
a walk.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
It was a little bit windy, but the people staying
next door to us, Oh no, decided to have a
four a m bender, didn't they. Oh okay, I was
thinking maybe it wasn't just mother and daughter, it was
more romantic. No, oh no, well God, like I did
say to that would be all goodn't with you? I
seemed to be paper paper thin. And I literally spent
(05:53):
my whole night like here I am thinking, oh, glorious,
like a night away from the kids.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
I'm gonna be such a good sleep.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
This hotel has the best beds and pillows, and I'm
going to be in heaven. And instead I spent the
whole night listening through the paper walls like I might
as well have just joined them.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
I should have not died. I would have said, you
know what, here.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
If I'm gonna sit here listening to you until.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Four am, you can't mean I'm a glass Okay, I.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Totally Where did Jargia.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
The whole is?
Speaker 3 (06:20):
And I brought this up because I was telling my
group chat. It's definitely one to do if you've got
your parents around, and if we're still so lucky to
do that, make the most of it. Take them on
a little night or a lunch or a date.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
It's just so cute, and just maybe look into the
wall down. Yeah, just make.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Show make sure you've got a non adjoining room, all right.
So recently we had Lauren Thornborough from the Village on
an episode and we've talked all about end of you
overwhelm and it is just such a common thing for
parents at the moment, like crawling to the finish line. Yeah,
crawling like like I don't even know, can you.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Not even begged the feet?
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Yes, it's a very very long couple of weeks when
you hit December. There's so much on and there's so
much to do. There's so much mental load present school
things like, not just for yourself, it generally becomes everyone
else's family things.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Everyone just tries to cram everything into December.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Yes, I'm such a January girl. I'm like, can we
have our Christmas party in January?
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Yes, we thought, let's instead of just talk about the crap,
let's come up with some solutions. Yes, and some ideas
that might help, and some little hacks to help you
through this period.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
To give the gift of time.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
We need to get time back.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Yes, so then we've got time.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
To do.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
We have to do.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
I want to hear yours teaks. What are your time
giving hack? Look, everyone knows that I'm an outsourcer. Look,
and I know it's not for everyone, and I even
understand financially it's not for everyone. But if there's any
time to do it, now's the time. It doesn't have
to be for forever, but it might just be. You
(08:09):
know what, for the three weeks before Christmas, instead of
doing two loads of laundry a week, I'm going to
drop those two loads off at the laundry mat and
then they're going to come.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Back to you, wash folded and ready to go.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
And also, in your defense, you are a busy business woman,
like you own two other businesses and run them yourself,
and this is like one of your busiest periods.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
You need that.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
It's not like you're around. It's not. No, it's not
as though I'm just not doing laundry because I don't
want to do it. Because also I still do several
loads of washing, but I take my kids, like all
the undies and knickers and socks and pajamas, sheets, towels,
the stuff that are annoying. I'll do like one or
(08:51):
two bags a week, like just dump it off, pick
it up, or sometimes there's you know, pickups and drop
offs whatever.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
It doesn't mean I'm still not doing washing a.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Week, but those two little loads of washing just save
my folding a rainy day.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Then you got to leave it out.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
And the gift of time is the gift of time
saying doing it all the time, but I absolutely promise
you'll if another one is if you're going on a holiday,
if you've just come back from a holiday, you know
when there's.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Like seven suitcases worth of washing, that's.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Another one where you just take it to the laundry mat,
get them to do it, and then it comes back.
It will save you hours, and no one likes to
do laundry. No, how about you? What have you got
for me? My first one is really it's a silver
lining of having children getting older, and that is I
no longer do school drop off?
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Can we just have a preach?
Speaker 3 (09:43):
Well, we definitely get at the moment in my life
because school drop offs are not the greatest at the moment,
especially being end of year, they get harder and harder.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
There's lots of emotions I would love.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Can I them?
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Can I outsource them? Is there a service? There is?
Speaker 3 (10:00):
Actually there are ubers for children. That's something to look into. Sheba.
Is that a sheba? I don't know what it's called,
but it does exist? Oh my gosh, so I'm inventing
that and it already exists. It does exist. They use
like nannies and stuff googling. I'll google it and send
it to you late.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
So mine just I just pop them out the door
on the bus.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Off you go.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
The first time you did that? Now here we are,
it's it's just a thing. Now, I don't just school
drop off?
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Oh how about the thick up?
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Well, so I've got to like after care, like out
of care, days where I have to pick them up
late and unfortunately an adult has to do and otherwise
i'd literally every second Friday they catch the bus home
as well.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
That is a game change.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
It's a lot of time back, it's a lot of
time age kids. Yes, done, send them on their way.
Do you have like a navigation device on them?
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Not yet, but I'm looking into it. Yes, I know.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
I think one of those space talk watches. I am
a little bit free range for my own good. Yes,
what's your next one? Okay, I am all about a
family calendar, but I'm not talking about digital. I'm talking
about the old, old school school paper family calendars. So
if you're a big family like mine, you've got five
people to coordinate, get it out of your head, get
(11:12):
it off your phone or device, and put it on
the paper. I get mine from kikik. Is that what
it's called. And it's got the month, but with for
each person in the family, so per day, so like
you can say, like, oh Sammy's got dancing on Tuesday,
Oh Tiggan's got a meeting that day. Oh Jason's got
(11:34):
Jason's got dancing that day too. But you can see
everyone and you can just like, look at your week.
Just get it out of the head, because I think
that mental load of like, oh, what days that thing? Oh,
I've got to check when that, things do for that
or whatever.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Like I can just sing it in the kitchen, Yeah,
I put in my kitchen. Yeah, put in my kitchen.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
So as I'm packing lunches every morning, I'm looking at it.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Yeah, that's a good idea. I are real calendar.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
But I tell you what I've been seeing on Instagram,
those digital photo frames, but like for calendars.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
And I'm like, that's guys.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
We have our phones, we've got our devices, and now
they're creating like the digital frames, but just for calendars.
And I'm like, no, guys, ever heard of a pen
and a paper old school? But that's just one less
thing to get it out of your brain, because I
think when you're always like, oh, when'sday?
Speaker 1 (12:20):
What's that?
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Let me just check my calendar on my phone. You
know what, No, it's there. Yeah, it's good to see
every day and just go, oh, yep, that's right, I've
got that appointment tomorrow or whatever. So I live alone
half the time, and when I don't have my children,
I eat like a cat and I don't have food
in the house, so when I get my children back,
it's literally kind of at box level, like there is
(12:43):
nothing to feed them. So instead of going to the
grocery store before they arrive back, I just get all
the school snacks and all the food you know that
they actually need to eat.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Just delivered to the door.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Yeah, cutting out they're getting in the car, oh parking
as going to the shops.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
I just get it delivered. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
I think it's like a five dollar delivery fee. Yeah,
and that is worth all of that save time. I'm
all for a delivery and I know, look, not everyone
lives in wonderful deliverable accessed areas. My kids love up
and goes so like I buy them in the dwelf
back and I'm always like, I'm not carrying that shit. No,
So it's so great it gets delivered to my door
(13:23):
to the door, thank you, and like laundry detergent, yeah,
all those big things. Yeah, I can't carry that same,
same but different a meal delivery service for this time
of year. Sometimes there's so much going on that you're
not actually sure when you're going to be home cooking
or what you need or when you need it, So
maybe you do do like a Hello Fresh or a
(13:43):
Muscle Chef, where they're already actually pre made and you
just whack them in the microwave or oven or whatever,
just so that you've got something there in the fridge
if you need it. If you don't, you can pop
it in the freezer whatever. I just think things like that.
You've got to eat anyway, so it's not actually changing
any scenario, just to make it a little bit easier
and one less thing you have.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
To prepare a line approved.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
So circling back to washing, I don't have as much
as you because no I can't because half the time
it's just my washing silver lining. Half the time I
have my children, So I still do need washing to
get through. But I don't like doing washing on weekends.
So what I do is that I'll do a load
after work at nighttime only, and then I'll hang it
(14:26):
up at night or put it in the dryer. I'm
a nighttime ourl washer, and then first thing in the
morning washer. No, because it's too happy annoying. Yeah, lifetimes
it annoying because I'm like, oh my god, there's so
many other things I've got to do. Yeah, that's why
you do it at night when you just otherwise you're
on Instagram's.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Some of the half of the shit I need for
the next morning, you know. See, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
If I'm doing your school uniform, I'm like, oh, damn it.
Or sometimes I wash it in the morning but forget
to hang it out until the night, and I'm like, oh,
I hate my past self. No, hang it out okay, well,
or just take it down the road. Let's be realized
a gill and don't do it at all. My other
hack is, if you happen to be going on a
(15:06):
family holiday over the next month or two, start slowly packing.
Oh like, I know that sounds so neurotic and silly.
Start a little area where you're putting the things that
you won't need between now and then, like your sun
screens and your Toiletry.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
No, I'm a night before packer.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
No, I bet you forget everything and you're very stressed
the night before.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Not at all. Yeah, but is that for yourself or
that's including that's including children.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Oh yeah, Well, I'm trying to light in your mental
load so that if you just do little bits and pieces.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
No, I don't want to think about it. That long.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
No, you don't have to think about it, like do
your medical box, do your sunscreen, toilet try box. Maybe
put some undies aside.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Oh I don't have that many undies. No, well maybe
you should.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
This is just I like this. But if this is
not what I'm aligned on, I'm packing for five people.
I think I need to start now for July next year. Okay,
I've got another one, teagus. I didn't know that I
needed to vaccinate my soon to be thirteen year old
(16:14):
who's heading off to high school for hooping cough again.
Just didn't know because you know, like I'm past that
stage of life and everyone gets so busy, there's so
many things to remember. But there's actually a free National
Immunization Program schedule and you can get it from the
Health dot gov dot AU website, and it's actually does
(16:34):
the mental load for you, so you can keep track
of your kids vaccinations without having to think about it,
and of course importantly, so you don't miss them. Well,
we asked the people, because we're not the only ones
with the great hacks, tips tricks we outsourced. We asked
(16:57):
the mum and mea family Facebook and Instagram, and here's
a few of what they recommended, don't buy clothes that
need to be dry.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Cleaned or ironed.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
That's fabulous. Yeah, that's a really good I hate ironing.
Oh I don't even have an iron. I don't have one.
And do you know what? Do you know what my
mum told me when she had my kids one weekend
that my kids looked at her eye in and said, Nana,
what's that?
Speaker 1 (17:25):
Hah?
Speaker 3 (17:26):
They've never even seen one far out?
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Yeah, like an old school phone. Like, okay, what else
have we got?
Speaker 3 (17:35):
So this one I like, and I do a version
of this. They said, if you like to read, get
an audio book. You can flip it on while driving,
folding laundry, and showering. That's very smart because sitting down
to read is usually reserved for holidays. Yeah, or aeroplanes
in my life. And so one thing I do I
like to listen to a lot of podcasts. And so
when I met the Little Athletics, which is two to
(17:56):
three hours standing around a field making small talk with
other parents, I very very unapologetically wear headphones and listen
to podcasts while standing on a field avoiding small talk.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
You're welcome. That is a great idea, isn't it? An
extremely recluse.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Yes, love it, I love it. Say look there's another
outsourcer here hurrying a cleaner.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Oh yes, yes, oh my god. If you can, yeah,
of course, I mean that's true, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Even if I can't, I'll start an only fans to
be able to Because.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
I had just seen your feet, I don't think.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Look, it would have to be for the ugly feet page.
But let me tell you, like I would sell my
soul foret my cleaner. Like, there's nothing I wouldn't do
to be to have a cleaner, like I just it's
just not my thing. I can't do it. Well, it's
not one of my qualities. Or train the children. There
you go another look, maybe the older they should clean.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
This one I love because it.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
It's between clean and clean, you know.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
But when they're older they should be cleaning toilets. Anyway.
This one I like because it's avoiding dishes. Yes, oh
tell me.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Paper plates and cups on nights where you've had a
huge day and our exits. Ah, that's genius, and recycle
them and bob your uncle. That is genius. I should
do that. Like, just have a stash in the cupboard
ready to go. I know that, like around this time
if you you know you, when your friends come over
or their kids come over, I'm like paper plates, only.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
So many cups and glass won't do it.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
No paper plates. I apologize every and I'm like sorry,
I'm watching up.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
No, I love it. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
This one I cannot relate to more in my life.
A robot vacuum. Yes, so my robot vacuum mops and vacuums. Wow,
that's high tech. It's very old and I think she's
on her last legs.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Good old avert.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
This person said save my marriage, and I will strongly agree.
You put it on and you leave and your house
is clean. I've never used one, oh babe, Like I would.
You know how many would get me on for Christmas? See,
this is the type of thing I would froth over
for Christmas.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
I like if your husband got you.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Like you know how there's people that so offended.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Yes, I would be like.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
I want this diceon, I want this air fryer, I
want this anything that will make my life easier. I
want a pah I do want a pa an organizer.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
So this one is.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
More it is space dependent, but I really like the
thinking here and it's, you know, a segue. In terms
of saving marriages, Claire wrote, two bathrooms. Husband has the
en suite and it's up to him if he ever
wants to clean it. The door remains closed and I
never go in there. My bathroom is a glorious clean retreat,
and I've never been happier. Separate bathrooms saving her time
(20:49):
by it not being her. Well, she doesn't have to
clean up after a man. I love that, and it's
just you using it.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
I like that.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Separate bathrooms, if there's two, you have one, Can we
just do separate bathrooms, bedrooms, closets, See I have I've
got two bathrooms in my house and one is mine
and then the children have one. And I also feel
this is a similar vein yucky boys bathroom and then
glorious mum's bathroom. It's lovely and don't touch my product,
don't use the toilet, put the seat down.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
If you do.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
This is a wonderful one and maybe great for the
silly season to help connect, be present and just enjoy life.
Is delete Instagram off your phone? Oh is that going
to go down?
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Just like you drive your live? Yeah? Maybe last day?
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Look, I can't even say I would do it myself
because it's my job part of the time, but.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
It would save so much time.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
Oh my god, the time saved, The time saved. Look,
I think I've got a girlfriend who's definitely like, oh,
I'm just having some downtime, Like she's so easily on
and off with it, and I think it's great and it's.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Free, and yeah, I mean all you know, deleting Instagram
off your phone, but.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Even if it's for just a portion of from Christmas
day to oh yes, couple of days, like a festive break.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Yeah, from the gram. I tell you what.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
I always love though on Instagram, where people are like, guys,
I'm just taking some time.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
I probably wouldn't have noticed. Or they're like, hey, guys,
welcome to me, welcome back to myself, and I'm like, oh,
I didn't even realize you left. Never do that, guys,
still do it. You don't have to announce.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Don't announce it. You can just drift in, drift out.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Yeah, we don't need to get it an update and
use update. No, we're happy for you. Go be present, enjoy,
and give us a little update once you're back. No,
don't don't do like I would like like lately carousels
lately and they're just like ten photos of lately. So, guys,
I did a thing. I had a break from Instagram.
No no, no vomit. That's grit.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
And now it's time to hear from our friends. Sarah
Marie Solving your deliver.
Speaker 4 (23:04):
Hi at Sarah Marie Quick question, Sarah Marie, does your
partner take time off work to help with the kids
when you're on well. I'm feeling really rough after a
medical treatment and I could really use some rest, but
my partner's at work and he won't take any time off.
I'm exhausted, I've got the eggs, I've got a fever,
and I just want a bath and some sleep. How
(23:24):
do you handle this?
Speaker 5 (23:26):
This is a hard one because I don't know what
your husband does for work. With my husband, it's very
hard for him to take that time off. There's always
exceptions to the rule. There's been times where he has
had to take a day because I was extremely unwell
and it was one of those days where in laws
when available day care is not a like literally, there
(23:47):
was nothing I could do. Nanny's weren't free to even
come to give an assisting hand and he's had to
like take that day off, So it is it's a
really personal thing here. Is it a case of he
won't because he just doesn't think you need it, or
is the case of you won't because he feels like
he can't at work and he's feeling that pressure to
(24:08):
go into work.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
It's very personal.
Speaker 5 (24:11):
This is one area where you can't ask your friends
for advice on this because they don't know your relationship
like you do, and you might get the wrong advice
and be like, oh, you need to do this and
you needed to that, whereas he's probably feeling a lot
of pressure he can't. Is there any way you can
get someone or a friend to come and help you
(24:31):
out if you really can't. You really just need to
sit him down and say, listen, I really need you
to speak with your boss.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
I physically can't do anything.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
It's not a matter of me just being dramatic. These
are the reasons I really need your help here, and
I'm sure their boss would be understanding to that particular situation.
Just communicate that and see what he says.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
So I hope that helps.
Speaker 5 (24:53):
I don't know, actually, if that's very helpful like advice.
I think that's the most honest opinion I can give,
because it's very easy to be like, yeah, your partner
should take the day off, and then suddenly you have
issues in your marriage.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
So I hope that helps.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
Well, look, we hope those have helped you. We hope
if there's a few little helpful hints. All it's about
cutting corners. Yeah, and look one team wondering. We all
kind of have our own little bits and bops that
we do. Yeah, it's not earnest. It's actually just laz
and some will work for you, some won't. You know,
take take what you will. I feel like the standout
(25:36):
for me from the suggestions was the paper plates and cups.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Yeah, I'm going to get some. That's genius. That's a
good I just to even have.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
Yeah when the friends come home, because otherwise there's like
eighteen glasses. Yeah, you know what I love like micro
kids love two minute noodles, and usually I cook them
all up and stuff. But then I've just realized, like
those cup one yes, I'm like, oh.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
My god, And it's just a fall I literally game changer.
I don't have to use a.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
Bolt and then put them in the microwave and then
do this and then clean that and that. I'm like,
from now on, cup cup, paper cups.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Yep, we're right.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
And we're environmentally friendly.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
Well yeah, I think if you looked at the dishwasher
use I reckon. Probably yeah, yeah, there you go. You're welcome.
You're welcome. Guys.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Well, that brings us to the end of our amazing hacks.
We hope you get some time back and we hope
you enjoyed listening to this glorious smith. If you did
love listening, please leave us a review for the show,
And if you have a dilivera you'd like Sarah Marie
to solve, you can leave us a voice note by
following the link in the show notes, or get in
touch with us at TGM at mamamea dot com dot au.
(26:41):
This episode was produced by Grace Ruffrey, with audio production
by Lujah Cho Cho
You're listening to another Mia podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Mamma Mia acknowledges the traditional owners of the land. We
have recorded this podcast on the Gatagoul people of the
Eur Nation. We pay our respects to their elders past
and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and
torrest Rate islander cultures.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Hi, it's Annalise Todd, host of Mamma MIA's parenting podcast
This Glorious Mess, and this time of year is a
lot for all of us and the one thing that
we're really lacking in is time. So I wanted to
share this episode with you, and it's ten simple hacks
to get your time back. And it was really born
(01:03):
from a desire to cut corners and maybe just being
a little bit lazy in nature.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
But we also crowdsourced some.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
From the Mamma Mea community with some really great life
changing and time saving hacks. I hope you enjoy and
I hope you get some time back. Hello, and welcome
to this Glorious Mess. We are embracing the chaos together,
ditching the judgment.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
I'm tigging it, Tolly.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
And if you haven't ordered your Cristy presence.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Yes, Snap Snap, chop chop. Sorry, guys, I.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's
the ninth of December and I'm Annalise Todd in denial
about the impending festivities. Yes, you're the person I need
to remind you. I'm a single mum, working full time
and one thing I am lacking in this life is time.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Hm.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Well funny that, because today on the show, we're here
to help. You are not going to help for once.
We're going to try to. Yes, we'll do a bit
of event first, because what's a TGM episode without a
little event. But today's episode is all about getting you
some time back. We had a lot of feedback on
our episode a couple of weeks ago about the end
(02:21):
of year overwhelmed, and it's clear that a lot of
parents are feeling stretched thin. So we are not alone.
You are not alone. The to do lists seem endless,
the days or two short, The idea of having even
a moment to yourself seems absolutely impossible. So we have
put together some hacks on how to get your time back.
(02:42):
We end our community. Yes, obviously it's not just us alone,
because we needed You're needed to hear from the people
and We're going to bring you all the golden juice,
just game changing time, giving back, just life hacks. I
love hack, same for anything that just makes time quicker,
not quicker, but it gives you more time.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Mine is a shit to do.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Mine isn't so much born out of hack. I think
I'm just inherently lazy. Yes, and I like to cut corners,
so I've developed a few things just naturally like evolution. Yes,
I agree I'm not lazy. But when it comes when
it comes to domestic shit.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
I hate it. It's the core of my anger.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Like washing, cleaning.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Do you know what I feel like?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Even putting clean clothes or wag?
Speaker 1 (03:33):
That's the worst, don't.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
I don't even mind washing it. I hate folding it
and putting it away. I won't even fold it, won't
even do that. But I've always said that I feel
like I was born in the wrong life. I was
meant to be royal. I would like someone to come
in and dress me eighteenth century.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
See, I'd hate that. I just want to put my
arms up and just be Do you want to be
cause ated? Yes? Iren't something to brush my hair?
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Oh god, I want to do anythry She goes again
for goodness sake. Yeah, and of course, amongst other things,
we will also hear from our friends Sarah Maurice. But
first here is what's happening in my group chat. Two
mothers days ago, I promised my mum a little night away,
like a holiday together, because I feel like with my mum,
(04:24):
the only time we really see each other is like
me dropping my kids to her or her swinging pass,
like it's never really quality time. Or there's like the
whole family there and seven grandchildren and my brother and
my dad and my husband, and like, I can't remember
the last time that my mum and I just had
a nice time together, and there's always other people around, Yeah,
(04:47):
like I can't. So finally, two and a half years later,
because within the family, we've had a few deaths, she's
gone on a few holidays, and I've gone on a
few holidays, So it's taken us two and a half
years to actually tee this thing up. One night, that's
all I'm talking about. One night, So I took my
mum for a little stay cake in a little hotel
with just her and I. So I took her for
(05:07):
lunch and then we had this little sleepover and it
was so nice, you know, when you don't get a
chance to talk to someone so much, like you go
from conversation to conversations so quickly, and you're like, oh
my gosh, we got to go back to that one.
But remind me to tell you about this. You know,
it was so nice just to have free rain, no
children interrupting or asking for snacks or whatever.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
And did you do like girly things. We did lunch,
and then we laid by the pool. We went for
a walk.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
It was a little bit windy, but the people staying
next door to us, Oh no, decided to have a
four a m bender, didn't they. Oh okay, I was
thinking maybe it wasn't just mother and daughter, it was
more romantic. No, oh no, well God, like I did
say to that would be all goodn't with you? I
seemed to be paper paper thin. And I literally spent
(05:53):
my whole night like here I am thinking, oh, glorious,
like a night away from the kids.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
I'm gonna be such a good sleep.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
This hotel has the best beds and pillows, and I'm
going to be in heaven. And instead I spent the
whole night listening through the paper walls like I might
as well have just joined them.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
I should have not died. I would have said, you
know what, here.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
If I'm gonna sit here listening to you until.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Four am, you can't mean I'm a glass Okay, I.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Totally Where did Jargia.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
The whole is?
Speaker 3 (06:20):
And I brought this up because I was telling my
group chat. It's definitely one to do if you've got
your parents around, and if we're still so lucky to
do that, make the most of it. Take them on
a little night or a lunch or a date.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
It's just so cute, and just maybe look into the
wall down. Yeah, just make.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Show make sure you've got a non adjoining room, all right.
So recently we had Lauren Thornborough from the Village on
an episode and we've talked all about end of you
overwhelm and it is just such a common thing for
parents at the moment, like crawling to the finish line. Yeah,
crawling like like I don't even know, can you.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Not even begged the feet?
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Yes, it's a very very long couple of weeks when
you hit December. There's so much on and there's so
much to do. There's so much mental load present school
things like, not just for yourself, it generally becomes everyone
else's family things.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Everyone just tries to cram everything into December.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Yes, I'm such a January girl. I'm like, can we
have our Christmas party in January?
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Yes, we thought, let's instead of just talk about the crap,
let's come up with some solutions. Yes, and some ideas
that might help, and some little hacks to help you
through this period.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
To give the gift of time.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
We need to get time back.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Yes, so then we've got time.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
To do.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
We have to do.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
I want to hear yours teaks. What are your time
giving hack? Look, everyone knows that I'm an outsourcer. Look,
and I know it's not for everyone, and I even
understand financially it's not for everyone. But if there's any
time to do it, now's the time. It doesn't have
to be for forever, but it might just be. You
(08:09):
know what, for the three weeks before Christmas, instead of
doing two loads of laundry a week, I'm going to
drop those two loads off at the laundry mat and
then they're going to come.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Back to you, wash folded and ready to go.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
And also, in your defense, you are a busy business woman,
like you own two other businesses and run them yourself,
and this is like one of your busiest periods.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
You need that.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
It's not like you're around. It's not. No, it's not
as though I'm just not doing laundry because I don't
want to do it. Because also I still do several
loads of washing, but I take my kids, like all
the undies and knickers and socks and pajamas, sheets, towels,
the stuff that are annoying. I'll do like one or
(08:51):
two bags a week, like just dump it off, pick
it up, or sometimes there's you know, pickups and drop
offs whatever.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
It doesn't mean I'm still not doing washing a.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Week, but those two little loads of washing just save
my folding a rainy day.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Then you got to leave it out.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
And the gift of time is the gift of time
saying doing it all the time, but I absolutely promise
you'll if another one is if you're going on a holiday,
if you've just come back from a holiday, you know
when there's.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Like seven suitcases worth of washing, that's.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Another one where you just take it to the laundry mat,
get them to do it, and then it comes back.
It will save you hours, and no one likes to
do laundry. No, how about you? What have you got
for me? My first one is really it's a silver
lining of having children getting older, and that is I
no longer do school drop off?
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Can we just have a preach?
Speaker 3 (09:43):
Well, we definitely get at the moment in my life
because school drop offs are not the greatest at the moment,
especially being end of year, they get harder and harder.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
There's lots of emotions I would love.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Can I them?
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Can I outsource them? Is there a service? There is?
Speaker 3 (10:00):
Actually there are ubers for children. That's something to look into. Sheba.
Is that a sheba? I don't know what it's called,
but it does exist? Oh my gosh, so I'm inventing
that and it already exists. It does exist. They use
like nannies and stuff googling. I'll google it and send
it to you late.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
So mine just I just pop them out the door
on the bus.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Off you go.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
The first time you did that? Now here we are,
it's it's just a thing. Now, I don't just school
drop off?
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Oh how about the thick up?
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Well, so I've got to like after care, like out
of care, days where I have to pick them up
late and unfortunately an adult has to do and otherwise
i'd literally every second Friday they catch the bus home
as well.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
That is a game change.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
It's a lot of time back, it's a lot of
time age kids. Yes, done, send them on their way.
Do you have like a navigation device on them?
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Not yet, but I'm looking into it. Yes, I know.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
I think one of those space talk watches. I am
a little bit free range for my own good. Yes,
what's your next one? Okay, I am all about a
family calendar, but I'm not talking about digital. I'm talking
about the old, old school school paper family calendars. So
if you're a big family like mine, you've got five
people to coordinate, get it out of your head, get
(11:12):
it off your phone or device, and put it on
the paper. I get mine from kikik. Is that what
it's called. And it's got the month, but with for
each person in the family, so per day, so like
you can say, like, oh Sammy's got dancing on Tuesday,
Oh Tiggan's got a meeting that day. Oh Jason's got
(11:34):
Jason's got dancing that day too. But you can see
everyone and you can just like, look at your week.
Just get it out of the head, because I think
that mental load of like, oh, what days that thing? Oh,
I've got to check when that, things do for that
or whatever.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Like I can just sing it in the kitchen, Yeah,
I put in my kitchen. Yeah, put in my kitchen.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
So as I'm packing lunches every morning, I'm looking at it.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Yeah, that's a good idea. I are real calendar.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
But I tell you what I've been seeing on Instagram,
those digital photo frames, but like for calendars.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
And I'm like, that's guys.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
We have our phones, we've got our devices, and now
they're creating like the digital frames, but just for calendars.
And I'm like, no, guys, ever heard of a pen
and a paper old school? But that's just one less
thing to get it out of your brain, because I
think when you're always like, oh, when'sday?
Speaker 1 (12:20):
What's that?
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Let me just check my calendar on my phone. You
know what, No, it's there. Yeah, it's good to see
every day and just go, oh, yep, that's right, I've
got that appointment tomorrow or whatever. So I live alone
half the time, and when I don't have my children,
I eat like a cat and I don't have food
in the house, so when I get my children back,
it's literally kind of at box level, like there is
(12:43):
nothing to feed them. So instead of going to the
grocery store before they arrive back, I just get all
the school snacks and all the food you know that
they actually need to eat.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Just delivered to the door.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Yeah, cutting out they're getting in the car, oh parking
as going to the shops.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
I just get it delivered. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
I think it's like a five dollar delivery fee. Yeah,
and that is worth all of that save time. I'm
all for a delivery and I know, look, not everyone
lives in wonderful deliverable accessed areas. My kids love up
and goes so like I buy them in the dwelf
back and I'm always like, I'm not carrying that shit. No,
So it's so great it gets delivered to my door
(13:23):
to the door, thank you, and like laundry detergent, yeah,
all those big things. Yeah, I can't carry that same,
same but different a meal delivery service for this time
of year. Sometimes there's so much going on that you're
not actually sure when you're going to be home cooking
or what you need or when you need it, So
maybe you do do like a Hello Fresh or a
(13:43):
Muscle Chef, where they're already actually pre made and you
just whack them in the microwave or oven or whatever,
just so that you've got something there in the fridge
if you need it. If you don't, you can pop
it in the freezer whatever. I just think things like that.
You've got to eat anyway, so it's not actually changing
any scenario, just to make it a little bit easier
and one less thing you have.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
To prepare a line approved.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
So circling back to washing, I don't have as much
as you because no I can't because half the time
it's just my washing silver lining. Half the time I
have my children, So I still do need washing to
get through. But I don't like doing washing on weekends.
So what I do is that I'll do a load
after work at nighttime only, and then I'll hang it
(14:26):
up at night or put it in the dryer. I'm
a nighttime ourl washer, and then first thing in the
morning washer. No, because it's too happy annoying. Yeah, lifetimes
it annoying because I'm like, oh my god, there's so
many other things I've got to do. Yeah, that's why
you do it at night when you just otherwise you're
on Instagram's.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Some of the half of the shit I need for
the next morning, you know. See, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
If I'm doing your school uniform, I'm like, oh, damn it.
Or sometimes I wash it in the morning but forget
to hang it out until the night, and I'm like, oh,
I hate my past self. No, hang it out okay, well,
or just take it down the road. Let's be realized
a gill and don't do it at all. My other
hack is, if you happen to be going on a
(15:06):
family holiday over the next month or two, start slowly packing.
Oh like, I know that sounds so neurotic and silly.
Start a little area where you're putting the things that
you won't need between now and then, like your sun
screens and your Toiletry.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
No, I'm a night before packer.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
No, I bet you forget everything and you're very stressed
the night before.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Not at all. Yeah, but is that for yourself or
that's including that's including children.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Oh yeah, Well, I'm trying to light in your mental
load so that if you just do little bits and pieces.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
No, I don't want to think about it. That long.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
No, you don't have to think about it, like do
your medical box, do your sunscreen, toilet try box. Maybe
put some undies aside.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Oh I don't have that many undies. No, well maybe
you should.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
This is just I like this. But if this is
not what I'm aligned on, I'm packing for five people.
I think I need to start now for July next year. Okay,
I've got another one, teagus. I didn't know that I
needed to vaccinate my soon to be thirteen year old
(16:14):
who's heading off to high school for hooping cough again.
Just didn't know because you know, like I'm past that
stage of life and everyone gets so busy, there's so
many things to remember. But there's actually a free National
Immunization Program schedule and you can get it from the
Health dot gov dot AU website, and it's actually does
(16:34):
the mental load for you, so you can keep track
of your kids vaccinations without having to think about it,
and of course importantly, so you don't miss them. Well,
we asked the people, because we're not the only ones
with the great hacks, tips tricks we outsourced. We asked
(16:57):
the mum and mea family Facebook and Instagram, and here's
a few of what they recommended, don't buy clothes that
need to be dry.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Cleaned or ironed.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
That's fabulous. Yeah, that's a really good I hate ironing.
Oh I don't even have an iron. I don't have one.
And do you know what? Do you know what my
mum told me when she had my kids one weekend
that my kids looked at her eye in and said, Nana,
what's that?
Speaker 1 (17:25):
Hah?
Speaker 3 (17:26):
They've never even seen one far out?
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Yeah, like an old school phone. Like, okay, what else
have we got?
Speaker 3 (17:35):
So this one I like, and I do a version
of this. They said, if you like to read, get
an audio book. You can flip it on while driving,
folding laundry, and showering. That's very smart because sitting down
to read is usually reserved for holidays. Yeah, or aeroplanes
in my life. And so one thing I do I
like to listen to a lot of podcasts. And so
when I met the Little Athletics, which is two to
(17:56):
three hours standing around a field making small talk with
other parents, I very very unapologetically wear headphones and listen
to podcasts while standing on a field avoiding small talk.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
You're welcome. That is a great idea, isn't it? An
extremely recluse.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Yes, love it, I love it. Say look there's another
outsourcer here hurrying a cleaner.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Oh yes, yes, oh my god. If you can, yeah,
of course, I mean that's true, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Even if I can't, I'll start an only fans to
be able to Because.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
I had just seen your feet, I don't think.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Look, it would have to be for the ugly feet page.
But let me tell you, like I would sell my
soul foret my cleaner. Like, there's nothing I wouldn't do
to be to have a cleaner, like I just it's
just not my thing. I can't do it. Well, it's
not one of my qualities. Or train the children. There
you go another look, maybe the older they should clean.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
This one I love because it.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
It's between clean and clean, you know.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
But when they're older they should be cleaning toilets. Anyway.
This one I like because it's avoiding dishes. Yes, oh
tell me.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Paper plates and cups on nights where you've had a
huge day and our exits. Ah, that's genius, and recycle
them and bob your uncle. That is genius. I should
do that. Like, just have a stash in the cupboard
ready to go. I know that, like around this time
if you you know you, when your friends come over
or their kids come over, I'm like paper plates, only.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
So many cups and glass won't do it.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
No paper plates. I apologize every and I'm like sorry,
I'm watching up.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
No, I love it. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
This one I cannot relate to more in my life.
A robot vacuum. Yes, so my robot vacuum mops and vacuums. Wow,
that's high tech. It's very old and I think she's
on her last legs.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Good old avert.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
This person said save my marriage, and I will strongly agree.
You put it on and you leave and your house
is clean. I've never used one, oh babe, Like I would.
You know how many would get me on for Christmas? See,
this is the type of thing I would froth over
for Christmas.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
I like if your husband got you.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Like you know how there's people that so offended.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Yes, I would be like.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
I want this diceon, I want this air fryer, I
want this anything that will make my life easier. I
want a pah I do want a pa an organizer.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
So this one is.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
More it is space dependent, but I really like the
thinking here and it's, you know, a segue. In terms
of saving marriages, Claire wrote, two bathrooms. Husband has the
en suite and it's up to him if he ever
wants to clean it. The door remains closed and I
never go in there. My bathroom is a glorious clean retreat,
and I've never been happier. Separate bathrooms saving her time
(20:49):
by it not being her. Well, she doesn't have to
clean up after a man. I love that, and it's
just you using it.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
I like that.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Separate bathrooms, if there's two, you have one, Can we
just do separate bathrooms, bedrooms, closets, See I have I've
got two bathrooms in my house and one is mine
and then the children have one. And I also feel
this is a similar vein yucky boys bathroom and then
glorious mum's bathroom. It's lovely and don't touch my product,
don't use the toilet, put the seat down.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
If you do.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
This is a wonderful one and maybe great for the
silly season to help connect, be present and just enjoy life.
Is delete Instagram off your phone? Oh is that going
to go down?
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Just like you drive your live? Yeah? Maybe last day?
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Look, I can't even say I would do it myself
because it's my job part of the time, but.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
It would save so much time.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
Oh my god, the time saved, The time saved. Look,
I think I've got a girlfriend who's definitely like, oh,
I'm just having some downtime, Like she's so easily on
and off with it, and I think it's great and it's.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Free, and yeah, I mean all you know, deleting Instagram
off your phone, but.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Even if it's for just a portion of from Christmas
day to oh yes, couple of days, like a festive break.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Yeah, from the gram. I tell you what.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
I always love though on Instagram, where people are like, guys,
I'm just taking some time.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
I probably wouldn't have noticed. Or they're like, hey, guys,
welcome to me, welcome back to myself, and I'm like, oh,
I didn't even realize you left. Never do that, guys,
still do it. You don't have to announce.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Don't announce it. You can just drift in, drift out.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Yeah, we don't need to get it an update and
use update. No, we're happy for you. Go be present, enjoy,
and give us a little update once you're back. No,
don't don't do like I would like like lately carousels
lately and they're just like ten photos of lately. So, guys,
I did a thing. I had a break from Instagram.
No no, no vomit. That's grit.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
And now it's time to hear from our friends. Sarah
Marie Solving your deliver.
Speaker 4 (23:04):
Hi at Sarah Marie Quick question, Sarah Marie, does your
partner take time off work to help with the kids
when you're on well. I'm feeling really rough after a
medical treatment and I could really use some rest, but
my partner's at work and he won't take any time off.
I'm exhausted, I've got the eggs, I've got a fever,
and I just want a bath and some sleep. How
(23:24):
do you handle this?
Speaker 5 (23:26):
This is a hard one because I don't know what
your husband does for work. With my husband, it's very
hard for him to take that time off. There's always
exceptions to the rule. There's been times where he has
had to take a day because I was extremely unwell
and it was one of those days where in laws
when available day care is not a like literally, there
(23:47):
was nothing I could do. Nanny's weren't free to even
come to give an assisting hand and he's had to
like take that day off, So it is it's a
really personal thing here. Is it a case of he
won't because he just doesn't think you need it, or
is the case of you won't because he feels like
he can't at work and he's feeling that pressure to
(24:08):
go into work.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
It's very personal.
Speaker 5 (24:11):
This is one area where you can't ask your friends
for advice on this because they don't know your relationship
like you do, and you might get the wrong advice
and be like, oh, you need to do this and
you needed to that, whereas he's probably feeling a lot
of pressure he can't. Is there any way you can
get someone or a friend to come and help you
(24:31):
out if you really can't. You really just need to
sit him down and say, listen, I really need you
to speak with your boss.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
I physically can't do anything.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
It's not a matter of me just being dramatic. These
are the reasons I really need your help here, and
I'm sure their boss would be understanding to that particular situation.
Just communicate that and see what he says.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
So I hope that helps.
Speaker 5 (24:53):
I don't know, actually, if that's very helpful like advice.
I think that's the most honest opinion I can give,
because it's very easy to be like, yeah, your partner
should take the day off, and then suddenly you have
issues in your marriage.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
So I hope that helps.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
Well, look, we hope those have helped you. We hope
if there's a few little helpful hints. All it's about
cutting corners. Yeah, and look one team wondering. We all
kind of have our own little bits and bops that
we do. Yeah, it's not earnest. It's actually just laz
and some will work for you, some won't. You know,
take take what you will. I feel like the standout
(25:36):
for me from the suggestions was the paper plates and cups.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Yeah, I'm going to get some. That's genius. That's a
good I just to even have.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
Yeah when the friends come home, because otherwise there's like
eighteen glasses. Yeah, you know what I love like micro
kids love two minute noodles, and usually I cook them
all up and stuff. But then I've just realized, like
those cup one yes, I'm like, oh.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
My god, And it's just a fall I literally game changer.
I don't have to use a.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
Bolt and then put them in the microwave and then
do this and then clean that and that. I'm like,
from now on, cup cup, paper cups.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Yep, we're right.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
And we're environmentally friendly.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
Well yeah, I think if you looked at the dishwasher
use I reckon. Probably yeah, yeah, there you go. You're welcome.
You're welcome. Guys.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Well, that brings us to the end of our amazing hacks.
We hope you get some time back and we hope
you enjoyed listening to this glorious smith. If you did
love listening, please leave us a review for the show,
And if you have a dilivera you'd like Sarah Marie
to solve, you can leave us a voice note by
following the link in the show notes, or get in
touch with us at TGM at mamamea dot com dot au.
(26:41):
This episode was produced by Grace Ruffrey, with audio production
by Lujah Cho Cho
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