Many people find themselves grappling with the demands of their busy schedules at work while trying to carve out some personal time. Balancing professional and personal life has been an increasing concern and achieving this seems to be an elusive goal.
But what if you leverage the assistance of part-time helpers? Will this become more attainable? Read on to find the answer.
The Importance of Work-Life Balance in Singapore
‘Work-life balance’ refers to the balance between a person’s work and private life. For us to say that there is a work-life balance, a person should be able to prioritise both personal and professional activities.
Employees in Singapore say that this is their top priority. In a 2023 survey, 95% of the workers said that it is important to them in their current and future jobs, even more important than salary. And they are taking action to pursue better work-life balance. If possible, they intend to leave their jobs to achieve this, even without the main factors such as low pay and lack of career growth.
This shift in priorities reflects people slowly recognising the negative impacts of an imbalanced lifestyle. The tiring working hours plus the challenge of lengthy commutes would mean limited time for personal lives. The lack of balance can then lead to problems such as heightened stress, burnout, and physical health concerns.
The Challenges of Maintaining a Clean and Organised Home
The link between work-life balance and maintaining a clean home is indirect but significant. We all know that cleaning can be time-consuming especially if you are doing it yourself. Imagine you spend a significant portion of your day on household chores, instead of resting or doing recreation during your non-working hours.
Sociology experts and human resource personnel say that the COVID-19 pandemic may have facilitated the demand for not only work-life balance but also flexible work. However, even with remote work, it is challenging to separate work and home when they are in the same space. Having to clean further blurs these boundaries, making it difficult for you to fully disconnect from work-related tasks. There is this constant feeling of being “on the clock” that may impact personal time and relationships.
What To Do To Achieve Work-Life Balance and Have a Clean Home
Here is what you should do to maintain a healthy work-life balance and a consistently clean home, regardless of the work set-up you might have.
Schedule Cleaning
Schedule the cleaning so that it does not coincide with your work or ‘me-time’. Set and strictly follow this schedule.
Batch Cleaning
It is helpful that you group similar tasks and get them completed in one session. This is one way of minimising the time you spend on cleaning.
Delegate
If you have someone with you who can help with cleaning or take charge of this responsibility, you can delegate or entrust the home’s care to them. This is also a cost-effective option.
Outsource
However we want our home to be cleaned, sometimes the seemingly expensive option tends to be the best option for you. Delegate the cleaning. Consider hiring professional cleaning services like part time helpers to keep everything clean and tidy. You will be surprised how this clears the boundary between work and personal life.
Why Outsourcing is the Ultimate Choice for Work-Life Balance?
The answer to this is because you can reclaim significant time and energy that would otherwise be spent on household chores.
- The professionals handle the cleaning. It just means that you have time to spend on more meaningful and enjoyable activities like spending quality time with family, learning a new hobby, or simply relaxing.
- You may already have a lot on your plate, work, family, and personal concerns. The added burden of thinking about cleaning and doing it can impact your mental health. When you outsource, you reduce your mental load and stressors too.
- The cleaners will do what they do best, and so should you. You get to be productive and do the things that are higher on the priority list.
- You can also notice that having a constantly clean house uplifts the quality of life. A professionally cleaned home means that pathogens or any disease-causing germs are regularly eliminated. You will have improved health and even knowing that every corner and surface is spick and span, your mood brightens up.
- Also, when you decide to outsource, you support other people who can earn a living and improve their economic situations. This may seem to be cost-ineffective at first, but you will realise that every dollar is worth it.
- Professional cleaners offer regular cleaning and one-time cleaning services. You get to choose, that’s the next best thing about hiring professional cleaners. Whether you want them on a Sunday or during a holiday, this is the kind of flexibility that significantly benefits you.
- You may be part of what we call the “sandwich generation” or adults who are caring for their children and ageing parents. If so, part-time helpers can be a valuable resource. Not only is it cost-effective, but it also takes off one burden from your responsibilities which would in any way lead to burnout, stress, and lack of time for personal and professional obligations when there are overwhelmingly too many.
Outsourcing is optimising one’s own time. So to achieve your much-desired work-life balance, you can start by leveraging the expertise of cleaning service providers.
What You Should Consider When Hiring Part-Time Helpers
There are many factors to consider when hiring part-time helpers to achieve work-life balance. Some of the most important considerations are found below.
Are they flexible enough to meet your schedule?
You should ensure that the helpers you engage can adapt to your schedule and cleaning needs, in terms of working hours, availability for urgent cleaning tasks, and the ability to adjust their services according to your changing requirements.
Do they offer affordable rates?
Perform due diligence and compare the hourly rates of part-time helpers with the monthly salaries of full-time maids. You must also consider the other costs that come along with hiring full-time maids, like accommodation and meals. This is to make sure that your budget aligns with your needs.
Are their services of high quality?
Assess the quality of cleaning services offered by the provider. You can read reviews about them or head to their list of services and check if it is comprehensive enough to meet the cleaning needs of your house.
Are they trustworthy?
Do background checks to confirm the trustworthiness of the cleaning company you plan to engage. No one would want to risk the safety and security of your home and personal belongings, so don’t forget to do a trustworthiness check.
Are their services what you really need?
Compare the personalised services offered by part-time helpers with the standardised services provided by full-time maids. Know what you need so you can choose what service is best.
Are their operations minimally or non-disruptive?
Also, think about the potential impact on social dynamics within your household. Ask yourself the following question: “Will hiring part-time helpers not disrupt my family’s dynamics or create any social issues?” Weigh and decide.
Do they fully understand your cleaning needs?
Ensure that you establish clear communication channels with your chosen part-time helpers and that they understand your needs and preferences. You should be able to reach out to them for any concerns, questions, or issues that arise.
Conclusion
You may have a demanding workload or you work excessive overtime and under high pressure. All these things are beyond your control. But doing simple things to make day-to-day living easier is something you can do. Try engaging our cleaners here at KungFu Helper and see the difference we can make by cleaning your beloved home. You might as well achieve your goal of a better work-life balance in Singapore with our help.
KungFu Helper is recognised as one of Singapore’s top part-time cleaning services by BestinSingapore. To view the full list of trusted cleaning providers, click on the BestinSingapore logo below.
