The work-life balance for today’s woman can be a challenge. So much to balance from being an employee, to a wife, to a mother, counselor, employer…amongst many other roles. That is today’s woman. Outsourcing for services through the busy schedule then becomes a must. These are in relation to handling the day to day chores of the house as well as taking care of the children.
And that brings me to the story of my house manager. I took the employer’s role and hired a new house manager. Having had issues with the previous one, I decided to learn from my mistakes and lay out the terms very clearly from the onset. We agreed and yes she was hired as the new house manager in town. They say new brooms sweep clean, and she lived up to this saying. From a spotlessly clean house; to chores completed in time and the children well taken care of, what more could one want after a hard day’s work and having to deal with endless traffic. By all means, we were doing fine. I was home, set and dry thanks to my new house manager. A month went by, two months, three, four…I mean things were good.
Then in the fifth month, little tell tale signs of a bad attitude and general slackening in duties began to show. As would be any other good employer, we talked things out and the house manager promised to reform. After a few weeks incomplete chores, half-way done tasks and a bad attitude became consistent with the new house manager’s character. It was always one thing after another. It finally dawned me that I had officially contracted a catalyst to effectively raise my blood pressure. She was driving me bonkers.
It is said that “you never miss the well till the water runs dry.” And for sure, I missed my old house manager. Her shortcomings were nothing compared to the new broom that had given all indications of sweeping really clean. I missed my pro-active, nice natured and organized manager. How I wished she could return but as the story would have it, she was long gone.
Despite the odds, I purposed that there was need to correct the current situation and save myself before it was too late. Too often we stick to the wrong options thinking that there will be no replacement but for this, I had to let go. Not knowing how events would unfold, we had a chat with the house manager and agreed that is was time to separate her from her duties. She had to leave if not for anything, but for my sanity and peace of mind. I was done with being a slave in my own home. I took up her role for a few weeks as I continued to hunt anew for another house manager.
As if God had heard my prayers, my good old house manager called requesting to return. My heart did a jig. That was my ticket to normalcy right there and refuting was not an option. I agreed to have her back.
Moral of the story:
- Sometimes you are better off with the devil you know than the angel you don’t.
- Don’t burn your bridge because you might just need to use it on a different day.
- As an employer, treat others like you would want to be treated.
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