It’s been almost a month since Maria, my part-time helper of nearly 13 years, hasn’t come to work. She’s struggling with bad morning sickness, leaving her unable to continue as a domestic helper for now. While I could search for a new part-time helper, the thought of training someone else feels too exhausting. After all these years, I’ve grown weary of having to teach someone the specifics of how I like things done. So, when the going gets tough, the tough gets going! I’ve had to make some sacrifices in order to manage household chores on my own, even the ones I dread, like wiping ceiling fans, cleaning windows, and scrubbing bathroom tiles. Not to mention my daily routine of washing two toilets and mopping the floors multiple times a day (OCD, much?).
Surprisingly, I’m getting the hang of life without a helper. I’ve had live-in maids for over a decade and then part-time help ever since my last live-in maid left. Now that it’s just me, the key is pacing myself—breaking down chores into smaller, manageable tasks. For example, I don’t scrub all the bathroom tiles at once. Instead, I scrub one section of the wall in the morning when I shower and tackle another part in the evening. It might take days before the entire bathroom is done, but that’s okay. I’ve taken the same approach with wiping the blinds in my room—slow and steady wins the race. One day, I’ll clean the lower part of one blind, and the next day, I’ll clean the upper part. Little by little, I’m making progress, and things eventually get done.
Of course, this change hasn’t come without some sacrifices. I’ve had to give up regular exercise, as by the time I finish all my chores, I’m too exhausted to even think about it. And there’s still my part-time writing job to attend to. On the days we don’t cook, though, I try to squeeze in some peaceful brisk walking in the evening—it’s my form of relaxation and self-care.
As for Maria, I’m not sure when, or if, she’ll ever return to work. She’s been pretty unreliable for the past few years anyway, so even if she doesn’t come back, I’m fine with it. I’m slowly learning to live without her help, and while it requires some adjustments and sacrifice, it’s also teaching me resilience. Life without a helper isn’t easy, but it’s definitely possible. And who knows, I may find a rhythm that works just fine for me.
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