Like most Mums, my time is valuable and most days I never seem to have enough. And if there’s one thing that can intrude on my busy day, it’s time spent on the phone. Whether it’s chatting to family and friends or making other calls where I can find myself stuck on hold, being on the phone can really eat into my time. Either way, multi-tasking becomes my best friend and I try to get other things done at the same time.
Ideally the types of jobs that are suitable need to be quick, easy and not require too much brain power (or you could find yourself making mistakes) and what you can achieve will also depend on the type of conversation you’re having. If you’re talking to your accountant about this year’s tax return, you’ll need to focus and concentrate. If on the other hand you’re having a social chat, it’s easy to complete some simple, household chores.
Here are 30 simple jobs that you can do while chatting on the phone:
- Grab a cloth or feather duster and do some dusting
- Water your plants
- Clean the mirrors around the house
- Restock the toilet paper and soap in the bathroom/s
- Grab the mail from the letterbox, open and sort
- Declutter and wipe the kitchen bench
- Clean around the door handles and light switches in your home
- Load the washing machine and turn it on
- Fold some washing and put it away
- Pack or unpack the dishwasher
- Toss out old magazines, newspapers and junk mail by putting them in the recycling
- Check your emails
- Tidy the sock and underwear drawers
- Declutter, clean and tidy the cutlery or utensil drawer
- Check the fridge, freezer and pantry for expired products/food
- Wash, peel and chop some vegetables for dinner
- Pick up and tidy some toys
- Clean some windows
- Empty rubbish bins from the kitchen, office and bedrooms
- Dust and tidy bedside tables including bed lamps
- Tidy books, CD’s or DVD’s in a bookcase or drawer
- Declutter and tidy the office desktop
- Wipe down the outside of the fridge, oven and microwave
- Clean the bathroom/ensuite bench top, taps and sink
- Set the table for lunch or dinner
- Dust any blinds, venetians or timber shutters around the house
- Search for any TV remotes or cordless phones that have gone astray
- Dust and clean any TV and computer screens in the house
- Hang up or straighten any damp towels so they can dry
- Finally, if you’re feeling energetic, jump on the treadmill or exercise bike and work up a sweat
So there you have it, 30 simple ideas allowing you to multi-task while your chatting on the phone that will prevent you from wasting time. Do you have any other suggestions for small household jobs that we could add to the list?