by Kara | Sep 18, 2024 | Home, Outsourcing, Parenting, Residential
The start of a new school year is an exciting time, but it can also bring a host of challenges, especially for busy parents trying to balance work, family, and school-related responsibilities. This balancing act can be overwhelming, leading to stress and fatigue. Fortunately, a personal assistant can provide the support and help you need to thrive during this hectic period. By managing school-related tasks, organizing after-school activities, and taking care of household responsibilities, a personal assistant allows busy parents to focus on what matters most—their careers and their families.
Simplifying Morning Routines
Mornings are often the most chaotic time of day for families, with parents juggling breakfast, school drop-offs, and their own work preparations. Studies have shown that a well-organized morning routine can significantly reduce stress levels and improve overall family well-being. A household personal assistant can help by preparing breakfast, packing lunches, and ensuring that everything your children need for school is ready to go. This assistance not only streamlines the morning process but also allows parents to start their day calmly and with a clear mind.
Managing School-Related Tasks
Parents often struggle to keep track of the myriad school-related tasks that come with a new academic year, from signing permission slips to remembering important dates like parent-teacher conferences. According to a survey by Pew Research, 74% of working parents report that managing these responsibilities is a significant source of stress. A house manager can take over these tasks, ensuring that all forms are signed, all deadlines are met, and that you are always up-to-date with your child’s school activities. This level of support allows you to stay organized without the constant pressure of managing every detail.
Organizing After-School Activities
As the school year progresses, after-school activities become a central part of children’s routines. Whether it’s sports, music lessons, or club meetings, coordinating these activities can be challenging, especially for parents with multiple children. A personal assistant can handle the logistics of after-school activities. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, participation in extracurricular activities is linked to higher academic performance and better behavioral outcomes, making it crucial for parents to ensure their children can participate without the added stress of coordination.
Supporting Work-Life Balance
Achieving a healthy work-life balance is a common goal for many parents, yet it often feels elusive. A report from the American Psychological Association found that 70% of working parents experience stress related to balancing their career and family responsibilities. A personal assistant can play a pivotal role in achieving this balance by taking over household chores and school-related tasks, allowing parents to focus more on their careers and personal lives. Whether it’s preparing for an important work meeting or enjoying a family outing, a Seattle personal assistant enables you to prioritize what matters most.
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Enhancing Family Time
One of the most significant benefits of having a personal assistant is the opportunity to spend more quality time with your family. With the daily grind of chores and errands managed by a professional, parents can dedicate more time to engaging with their children, whether it’s helping with homework, attending their soccer games, or simply enjoying a meal together. Research from the Journal of Marriage and Family indicates that increased family time leads to better emotional and behavioral outcomes for children, underscoring the importance of freeing up time for these interactions. For more insights on how a personal assistant can enhance your family life, explore here our other blog posts.
Reducing Parental Stress
The constant pressure to manage both work and family responsibilities can lead to significant stress, which can negatively impact both parents and children. A personal assistant in Seattle can alleviate much of this stress by handling the day-to-day tasks that often cause overwhelm. Whether it’s coordinating last-minute school changes or ensuring that the household runs smoothly, a personal assistant provides peace of mind, allowing parents to focus on their well-being and their family’s happiness.
Creating a Supportive Home Environment
A well-organized and clean home is essential for maintaining a peaceful and supportive environment, particularly during the busy school year. A personal assistant can help maintain this environment by managing household chores, organizing spaces, and ensuring that everything is in its place. Research from Princeton University found that cluttered environments can negatively impact an individual’s ability to focus and process information, highlighting the importance of a tidy home. By managing these tasks, a household manager ensures that your home remains a sanctuary from the outside world’s stresses.
Investing in Your Family’s Well-Being
Ultimately, hiring a personal assistant in Seattle is more than just a convenience—it’s an investment in your family’s overall well-being. By taking care of the details, a personal assistant allows you to focus on what truly matters: your career, your family, and your personal growth. The benefits extend far beyond the practical; they create a ripple effect that improves the overall quality of life for everyone in your household. If you’re ready to enhance your family’s life and achieve true balance, consider the advantages of hiring a personal assistant today. With their support, you can navigate the challenges of daily life with confidence and ease, ensuring that your family is well-prepared and thriving throughout the school year.
Balancing the demands of a new school year with work and family responsibilities can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Pepper’s personal assistants can provide the support you need to navigate this busy time with ease. From managing morning routines to coordinating extracurricular activities, a personal assistant can help you focus on what truly matters—your family’s well-being.
Ready to take the next step? Schedule a call with us today here to explore how our services can help your family thrive this school year.
by Kara | Aug 30, 2024 | Home, News, Organizational, Parenting, Residential
As the back-to-school season approaches, many families in Seattle find themselves juggling hectic schedules, from morning routines to after-school activities. Imagine a typical day: The alarm goes off, and you rush to get the kids dressed, fed, and out the door. But what if your mornings didn’t have to be so chaotic? That’s what a personal home assistant can help you with.
With a Pepper’s personal assistant, your mornings can start on a much calmer note. A personal home assistant can prepare breakfast, pack lunches, and ensure that backpacks are ready to go, giving you time to focus on starting your day without the stress. They can also manage your calendar, coordinating school drop-offs, work meetings, and even after-school activities, ensuring everything runs like clockwork.
In the afternoon, while you’re at work, your household personal assistant could be running errands like picking up school supplies or handling grocery shopping. When it’s time for after-school activities, they assist by preparing everything your children need for soccer practice or dance class, so you can ensure they’re ready and on time, all while staying dedicated to your professional responsibilities.
Evenings, which are often a scramble to prepare dinner and manage homework, can also be made easier. A personal home assistant can help organize your child’s study space, making sure they have a quiet, clutter-free area to focus on their schoolwork. Meanwhile, they can assist with meal prep, so you can enjoy a peaceful dinner with your family without the rush.
As the day winds down, your house personal assistant helps to plan for the next day, laying out clothes, packing bags, and ensuring everyone’s schedule is updated. By the time you head to bed, you can rest easy knowing the morning will be smooth and stress-free.
The back-to-school season is a time of excitement and anticipation, but it can also bring a whirlwind of tasks and responsibilities. From shopping for school supplies to coordinating extracurricular activities, getting everything ready can feel overwhelming. That’s where a Pepper’s personal assistant can make all the difference. Here are just 5 ways on how they can help streamline your preparations and set your family up for a successful school year.
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5 Ways a Personal Assistant Can Help You Prepare for the New School Year:
1. Back-to-School Shopping Made Simple
One of the most time-consuming tasks is shopping for school supplies, clothing, and other essentials. A personal home assistant can handle all aspects of back-to-school shopping, from creating a list based on your child’s needs to purchasing items at the best prices. They can even manage online orders, ensuring everything arrives on time. This means you can avoid crowded stores and focus on enjoying the last days of summer with your family.
2. Meal Planning and Prep for Busy School Nights
Once school starts, finding the time to prepare nutritious meals can be challenging. A household personal assistant can take charge of meal planning, grocery shopping, and even meal prep. They can create a menu tailored to your family’s preferences and dietary needs, ensuring that healthy dinners are ready with minimal effort on your part. With a personal assistant managing your kitchen, you can avoid the stress of last-minute meal planning and enjoy more family time.
3. Organizing and Coordinating Extracurricular Activities
As children return to school, extracurricular activities also kick into high gear. Whether it’s sports, music lessons, or after-school clubs, coordinating these activities can be a logistical challenge. A personal home assistant can take over the scheduling, making sure there are no conflicts and can communicate with coaches, instructors, and other parents, ensuring your child’s participation is seamless and stress-free.
4. Setting Up a Productive Homework Routine
A successful school year depends on effective study habits, and a household personal assistant can help set up a space that fosters a productive productive homework routine. They can create an organized study space for your child, ensuring they have all the supplies they need to focus on their work. By handling these important details, a personal assistant allows you to concentrate on supporting your child’s academic success without the distractions of daily household management.
5. Handling All the Small Details
Beyond the big tasks, there are countless small details that need attention during the back-to-school season. From ensuring uniforms are clean and ready to keeping track of school forms and paperwork. In Seattle, a personal household assistant can manage all these details, so nothing falls through the cracks. Their support ensures that your family is fully prepared and that the transition back to school is as smooth as possible.
As you prepare for the new school year, consider the benefits of hiring a personal assistant for your home. Whether you need help with shopping, meal planning, or managing your child’s activities, a personal assistant can provide the support you need to make this school year the best one yet. Learn more about how our services can help by visiting our blog for more tips on household management and discover the full potential of what a Pepper’s personal assistant can do for your family.
By integrating these services into your routine, you can focus on what matters most—spending quality time with your family and ensuring a smooth, stress-free start to the school year.
by Kara | May 9, 2024 | Organizational, Parenting
If your wife is responsible for raising the kids, managing the household, or working outside the home, she likely has far too much on her plate. Not only must she handle the day-to-day of a never-ending to-do list, but she also has to carry the mental load of making sure it all gets done and on time.
However, the overwhelmed mom in your life doesn’t have to manage these tasks alone. You can do a lot to support her and ensure she doesn’t feel responsible for making everything happen.
Why Overwhelmed Moms Need Support
Parenting comes with many challenges for moms and dads, and it’s not always easy for either parent. But moms often bear much of the responsibility for parenting and household management—even if they’re also working a full-time job.
A Gallup survey of married and cohabitating couples found that despite women making up nearly half of the workforce, they handle most of the childcare responsibilities and nearly all household chores except car maintenance and yard work.
Moms are often responsible for:
- Managing kids’ activities (homework help, school pickup and drop-off, play dates, and so on)
- Scheduling appointments
- Performing household chores, such as cleaning, meal prep, and laundry
- Shopping for groceries and running other errands
- Organizing family events and vacations
In any given week, full-time working moms can quickly become overwhelmed. They must keep up with laundry, cook, and manage a cleaning schedule to avoid being paralyzed by a messy house. They also carry the mental load of all the behind-the-scenes work that keeps everything running, such as:
- Managing the household calendar
- Anticipating child and household needs several days and weeks in advance
- Evaluating the pros and cons of childcare and household decisions and making those decisions
- Monitoring household operations and child-related tasks and stepping in when things don’t go as expected or new tasks come up
For many women, this constant mental juggling can lead to stress, exhaustion, and resentment, which can negatively affect their mental health. A CVS Health/Harris Poll survey found that working mothers have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression far more than the general population (42 percent versus 28 percent).
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Ways to Support Stressed and Overwhelmed Moms
With the mental load of all their household and childcare responsibilities, it’s no wonder many overwhelmed moms are also becoming frustrated. In a 2023 Skimm survey, 64 percent of women agreed with the statement, “I am tired of trying to be a super mom, super wife, and/or super employee.”
The pace of life and all its responsibilities are unlikely to slow down, but here are some ways to take the pressure off your wife to be “super” everything:
1. Acknowledge and show empathy for how she’s feeling.
Often, people struggling in any area of life want to be heard. If your wife feels stressed, overwhelmed, or burned out by the mental load of childcare and household chores, listen to her concerns and show her that you care.
You can do this by:
- Assuring your wife that her struggles are valid and understandable
- Reassuring her that feeling overwhelmed is not a sign of failure
- Reminding her that she’s not alone
2. Lighten her mental load.
Multiple studies have shown that women carry more of the mental load of childcare and household duties. While there are many causes—societal expectations, unequal division of labor, and others—it’s better to focus on possible solutions and what you can do to help.
Here are some ideas:
- Talk about it: Discuss what you can do to help take some tasks off her plate.
- Share accountability: Recognize that helping isn’t occasionally taking on a task. It’s taking complete ownership of something from start to finish, so she doesn’t have to worry about it.
- Encourage her to delegate: Help your wife understand she doesn’t have to do everything herself. When she does delegate, be consistent in your support and show her you can be relied on to follow through on your commitments.
3. Get help from a household assistant.
Outsourcing household chores helps overwhelmed moms cross more off the household to-do list without doing it all themselves. With a household assistant, the busy mom in your life also gets more time to spend with family and other passions.
A household assistant can perform tasks such as:
- Laundry
- Grocery shopping, running errands, and making returns
- Paying bills
- Making and rescheduling appointments
- Supervising repair technicians and taking deliveries
- Planning family travel and other activities
Become a More Supportive Partner
There are only 24 hours in a day, and busy working moms shouldn’t spend every minute of it planning, organizing, and performing household tasks. With your help and partnership, you can lighten the mental load of managing childcare and household responsibilities, giving your wife more time for family and self-care.
To learn more, download our e-book, What Your Life Could Look Like with a Household Assistant.
by Kara | Sep 21, 2022 | Organizational, Parenting
When the first bell rings at the end of summer, for busy working parents, it means so much more than the end of a nine-week break from school. It seems as soon as September rolls around, the shortening days close in on a landslide of seasonal commitments and back-to-school stress.
Then, add daily school drop-off and pickup, after-school chauffeur duties, homework help and the impending holiday rush to the mix of ‘round-the-clock career, home and social responsibilities.
Now you’ve got a recipe for stretching yourself too thin.
[Related: 6 Signs You Need a Personal Assistant]
For bogged-down parents who find themselves in need of an extra set of hands during this busy time, enlist a professional personal assistant (PA) to help pick up the slack. The best part? Your freed-up schedule makes room for more quality family time!
The trick is to get back into the swing of things before the holidays hit. You can use September and October to tackle your to-do list before Halloween gives way to the annual Thanksgiving and Christmas takeover. This is where your PA steps in to save the season.
Here are a few ways PAs can help lighten the load during the frenzied back-to-school season.
Meal Planning and Prep
Grocery shopping for dinner ingredients and preparing each component can eat up a lot of your spare time.
While you’re at work, hand off your shopping list to your PA. We’ll shop during non-peak hours and stock your kitchen with all the fresh and dry goods you need. We can also measure and chop vegetables beforehand, so all you have to do when you get home is assemble, serve and enjoy.
Our PAs can even pick up your favorite bottle of wine so you can pamper yourself with a glass once the kids are in bed!
As a result, you replace mealtime stress with relaxing personal time.
[Related: Burnout: What’s at Stake and What Can You Do About It?]
Scheduling
We can take care of calendar organization, including scheduling important dates:
- Upcoming doctor and dental appointments
- Yard services
- Car tune-ups
- Repair services
- Haircuts and beauty appointments
- Child and pet care arrangements
- Home delivery coordination and reception
Our PAs can also make sure that any school-related events — such as PTA meetings, field trips, concerts and other extracurricular activities — make it onto the calendar. That way, they’re easy for you to review. Never double-book again with the help of a PA.
Taking Care of the House in Your Absence
Flying out to visit the in-laws for the holidays? Your PA will take care of your home while you’re away — whether this means watering plants, cleaning up after the kitty, checking the mail, restocking the fridge or all of the above.
Event Planning
Hosting a holiday party or Thanksgiving dinner? Allow your sidekick to manage your invites and get a head start on the shopping.
Maybe your child wants a very specifically themed birthday party, and you don’t have time to research who exactly the Avengers are and what kind of cupcakes Iron Man is into. A PA can take the reins and work with your budget to plan an unforgettable event.
[Related: Do Successful People Outsource? The Answer Is Yes.]
Shopping for School Supplies
It can seem that each year, school supply lists keep getting longer and longer. And because every parent out there needs to get those items, navigating busy stores can take a lot more time than it needs to.
Pass off these lists to your PA. They’ll grab all the notebooks, pens, pencils, tissues, and crayons your kid will need this year.
Pet Care
With the increased activities of fall, one or two family members may feel a bit neglected. Let your PA make sure your furry, four-legged friends get enough care and attention on those extra-busy days when you aren’t home that much.
Our PAs can guarantee your animals are happy and entertained. They’ll feed, walk, make vet appointments and give extra belly rubs.
Balancing Career and Home Life
Own a small business? Wrapped up in a full-time consulting job? Staying late at the office as business picks up during the fall and winter?
With a PA to take care of errands, chores and home life details, you can focus your energy on workday operations for maximum success — and use your hard-earned time off to relax for once.
[Related: Case Study: How One Mom Got Back Her Time]
Relax This Fall With the Help of Pepper’s Personal Assistants
If you’re thinking of starting your PA journey, contact Pepper’s Personal Assistants today. Let’s get started!
Want to learn more? Check out the best interview questions to ask a PA, our advice for getting started with your PA and the five apps we recommend for making back-to-school time a bit easier.
Featured image via Pexels
by Kara | Mar 31, 2021 | Health, Home, Parenting
When it comes to home life and the relationships within, stress can be an incredibly damaging element. Our anxiety levels peak, our reactivity tends to rise in direct alignment. We can become snappy, short-tempered, and even aggressive, which is both confusing and upsetting for those around us. Left unchecked, this pattern can lead to long-term communication breakdown.
This is a 3-minute read and a wealth of compassion. If you don’t have the time, we understand, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter, and we will make sure you get the bullet points.
How We Operate
None of us operate at our very best when we feel under pressure. Realistically, stress is an unavoidable fact of home life that we cannot always prevent. However, there are many powerful ways to overcome its hold on our emotional balance to take better care of the relationships we care about most. Thankfully—this article is here to help!
Your natural stress response might be to avoid talking about what’s happening. However, the opposite is necessary if you want to stay connected in your household relationships. Whether it’s with a partner, family member, or roommate, an open line of conversation is necessary for all parties to feel safe and honest about their feelings. Without honesty, family bonds are threatened.
Make The Time
When home chores and family responsibilities mount up, our relationship focus can begin to dwindle. We lurch distractedly from one day to the next while telling ourselves we will eventually find time to talk. However, we must create specific times to connect to allow space to communicate effectively. Regular conversational check-ins will soon lead to ‘home-team success.
Talking about how stress makes you feel at a time when you feel calm can be enlightening for others. Set aside quality time to talk through how it feels when you’re overwhelmed. Discuss what would be helpful to you. Perhaps you prefer not to have solutions thrown at you. You might just need a listening ear. Or maybe physical reassurance, such as a hug, would be beneficial.
Communication is Teamwork
Communication is fundamental to teamwork—a family is a team, after all. Therefore, make the crucial effort to ensure you each feel heard. When you’re talking about a problem, particularly if it’s one within the home, make sure you each have space to talk. Resist the urge to interrupt when others are voicing their feelings. You might be surprised at what you learn about them.
Ensure that you allow space within your home routine or work schedule for great communication practices. Tackling a stress-loaded issue while you’re getting ready for work one morning is not going to lead to positive results. Most likely, you’ll lead your day feeling agitated and unclear about what’s happening. Choose regular time slots that suit you both to talk freely.
Put Away Distraction
There is nothing more deflating than opening up to someone before witnessing them glance down at a notification on their phone. This toxic habit can stop a great conversation dead in its tracks. Set aside those digital vices and turn to face one another. Grab some coffee to share and get comfortable. Calmer environments lead to better home communication.
Most importantly—acknowledge consciously that home communication may not always go to plan. Stress can sneak up on us. We might fail to initiate a difficult conversation at an appropriate time or say something we later regret. You are wonderfully human, and the process of relationship-building is ongoing. Be forgiving with yourself and others. You’ve got this!
by Kara | Nov 20, 2020 | General, Parenting
As a business owner and mother of two, I’ve experienced my fair share of stressful events. Acknowledging this stress – as well as the lack of resources available to truly help manage it – led me to start Pepper’s Personal Assistants eight years ago.
When a major life event occurs, people often provide a singular idea to help. “Hire a cleaning person,” they say, or, “order your groceries online.” These are valid ideas, but often don’t provide the type of solution that brings real relief. Stressful times call for a resource who can find and manage the housecleaner, as well as other home maintenance providers (e.g., gardener, handyman). They also call for someone who can go the extra mile – not just buying the groceries but also prepping meals and cleaning up. Our team of personal assistants manages these tasks for clients every day.
Here’s a list of the most stressful events where we’ve come in to assist clients. Are you or those in your network experiencing any of these? The right level of support can make a difference – here’s how:
- Moving – We all know this is a difficult process, regardless of the distance between your old and new homes. It’s especially tough if the new home is in an area where you don’t have a network of family and friends. We help clients by screening moving companies; managing day-of-move; and organizing the sale and donation of unneeded items. Our assistants also assist clients who are purchasing or selling vacation homes.
- Family Changes – Marriage, a new baby, divorce, and death all usher in major changes in the home that require adjustment and resources. Two additional changes in 2020 have increased the burden on parents: Having the entire family at home all day as we work/learn remotely during the pandemic, and making space for adult children who return to the nest. According to Pew Research, the majority of young adults – 52 percent – now live with their parents, an increase of 5 points this year. Our assistants organize workspaces; source desks and other furniture; and handle extra meal prep and chores for these full households.
- Injury and Illness – Recovering from a health issue can be easier with the right help. Our assistants prepare healthy meals, run errands, and can arrange the home so it’s easier to manage. The team follows strict Covid-19 protocols for safety and cleanliness.
- New Career – Landing a new job is an exciting change, but it often means devoting more time to work in the first few months so you can get acclimated and make an impact. Having a personal assistant handle daily household tasks means you can focus on your career without distractions. It also means that your free time is just that: You can spend it on hobbies, with loved ones, or whatever else you’d like, instead of tracking a long to-do list of chores.
- Travel – It’s easy to worry about your home while you’re away, and think about all the things that need attention. Your personal assistant can line up and supervise contractors for a variety of projects (e.g., painters, repairmen), as well as tidy your home and have a meal ready for when you return. Recently, we helped a client by sending items they forgot to pack via overnight delivery and clearing the rain and debris that blocked their outdoor security cameras.
- Holiday Season – Assistants can handle gift shopping, mailing, and decorating tasks. We recently helped a client with holiday cards – from buying outfits for each family member to selecting the photographer, scheduling the shoot, and ordering the cards. All they had to do was show up for the picture!
Pepper’s Personal Assistants is on standby to help you out and relieve stress in your life. Book your consult call today to find out how we can help you in this busy season.
