Identify Your Bottlenecks!
In operational terms, bottlenecks are resources that are limiting the production capabilities of an organization. In a factory, a bottleneck might be an outdated piece of equipment that is holding up an assembly line. In my house, bath time is the perfect example of a domestic bottleneck. Bath time can stretch on interminably. While Puppy and Kitty splash and squeal and frolic and generally have a rip-roaring good time, while I sit cursing toilet seat lid makers for not selling a more ergonomically designed lid. During this time, the girls are so busy having fun with each other that they neither want nor need my attention.
I could be using this time to vacuum the floor, do the dishes, fold the laundry, or any number of other domestic duties screaming for my attention (so that I can put my feet up after they go to bed), but I don’t. They are, after all, only two and five years old, and I’m pretty sure that leaving the two of them alone together in a tub full of water is a bad idea. So instead of racing around the house cleaning maniacally, I sit squirming night after night on an uncomfortable toilet seat lid. A domestic bottleneck. (I’m of course completely ignoring the considerable pleasure I get out of watching their hilarious tubby-time antics in order to illustrate my point.)
The great thing about bottlenecks is that once you identify them, they can lead to real innovations. Take bath time for instance. I needed to find something to make efficient use of this time while monitoring my girls. My solution? Use this time to clean the bathroom! O.K., this idea isn’t exactly earth shattering, I’ll admit, but come on, cleaning the bathroom is one chore that all of us find impossibly easy to “miss” squeezing into any given day, week or month. Of course, I don’t do it every day (or anywhere even close to that, truth be told), but when I start to notice rings around the toilet, I know it’s time to break out the rubber ducky!
If you have any stories about domestic bottlenecks and the resulting ingenious innovations from your own household, please post them in the comments below.
Check back soon for a discussion on sunk costs!
January 10, 2010 at 1:56 pm
At my house, Mark does laundry during Marquette basketball games … Especially the close ones. It helps him burn off nervous energy and it helps ensure we all have clean underwear.
January 10, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Great tip – thanks for sharing Pat!
January 10, 2010 at 2:48 pm
I work, study, and do all things computer related with a baby/child on my lap. Especially in the early months after baby is born, nursing and typing prevents me from just sitting on my behind
January 10, 2010 at 2:50 pm
oops, that was supposed to read *nursing and typing makes me feel productive and prevents me from feeling like I’m just sitting o nmy behind.*
January 13, 2010 at 10:17 am
Great reminder. Lord knows the bathroom could use a scrub more often.
I need to take the time when my twins are playing alone (not, without the need to have me in the same room) to get some housework finished.
January 14, 2010 at 5:33 pm
I also did the cleaned the bathroom when the boys were in the tub at that age. Now I yell at them from behind the shower door and remind them that the shower is not a boxing ring.
January 14, 2010 at 10:01 pm
I curl up with a good book and let the kids splash their little hearts out. As much as I love multitasking, you couldn’t pry that book out of my hands if you tried!
January 16, 2010 at 8:14 pm
One bottleneck in our house for a long time was getting the boys dressed in the morning. They both were in stages where they’d scream and flail and it just sucked up our very limited morning time – they’re at day care by 7 a.m., so every second is precious. Plus, it just started the day on a bad note. To ease this problem, I started dressing them in their clean clothes for the following day after their bath the night before. Yes, I had my kids sleep in their clothes. Sure, they were a bit rumpled in the morning and I’d still have to change the baby’s diaper and put fresh pants on him – but it was worth it to avoid the morning struggle/bottleneck, and only lasted a few months before they both got better about getting dressed.
January 16, 2010 at 8:35 pm
LOL – that is a great idea Brooke – thanks for sharing the tip!