The more we take on the more we are loaded with and yet we manage so beautifully.
It all started when we were both working.One day we received a notice from the Energy board stating that we had exceeded the payment due date for our electricity bill .If we did not pay immediately they will cut our power.It was a wake up call for me!tUntil then, I was depending on my husband for all that was considered, not homework.
I enrolled myself in all sites where i could do online payments,here I would get regular updates on my bills and pay at the ease of a button.It was simple as that!Soon I found myself even standing in the banks for paying cheques,getting six monthly statements and doing all kinds of jobs.
So I was working 9 to 6 ,then coordinating with my maids in person and on the phone for food menu for the day(sometimes even during an important discussion i had to sneak out ),picking groceries after work,clean cupboards,pay bills and also contribute to the household with my earning.Here my husband would beg to differ,yeah he did give me money for the day to day spends but any non basic purchase would be done by me.
Of course ,now that I am not working,I do all that and more.
The tasks includes Planning ,starting from planning the menu for food for the day to how to keep the kids entertained,managing their pick up and drop to various classes ,projects etc on a day to day basis .Planning for yearly holidays,weekend breaks, various parties that have to be hosted and attended , schools will the kids study in ,the house and car that we want to buy,gifting,festivals…..there is no end to planning.
PR ,now that is required at every level and though I may suck at it,I am trying my best to learn.You have to be tolerant and nice to kids,maids,husband,even your daily helpers like car cleaner,doodhwala etc and take in their various tantrums.The other day I told the doodhwala to give milk after nine in the morning as my younger one is sleeping at the time and we had a tiff.The result, no milk from the next day.The loss is always yours,sadly.So PR hugely important.
Along with this,you also have to sometimes get into their personal lives .Like when a maid falls sick,you have to take her to the doctor,as a good employee retention policy.Now,even if you did it from the goodness of your heart,this has to be maintained across all employees,otherwise huge dissatisfaction may occur.You do this more than once then it’s a part of their CTC.Each time they have medical issues they will stand in front of you and expect you to pay or take them to doctor.There is no end to this HR profile,you can go in as deep as you want;pay for the maid’s and driver’s kids school,vaccinations,downpayment for their homes etc.
Administration-Not to forget ,you’re the replacement for all the various helpers in case they are absent or missing.Cleaning lady is sick,your job to clean the house.Driver does’nt turn up,you drop the kids to school.
Finance-Managing the household expenses has always been a ladies job ,there is budgeting,overspends ,gifting etc .But some women,like me like to get into details.So excel sheets are maintained ,planning ,budgeting all is done.Apart from that I like to also look at investments.Though mutual funds and SIPs are still not my forte,but property,FDs,insurances I like to study and invest in. Ofcourse ,in the busy superlives that my husband lives most bank work has to be also managed by me.But this is me ,most women I know are way better at this than me.
So finally,PR,HR,Planning,Administration and finance are all entailed in a homemaker’s profile.Even though I am not working,I feel my plate is full,only now from a 9 to 5 ,it’s a 24×7 job!
