Are you feeling overwhelmed with life? This isn’t a new problem and a 1950’s quiz from a 1950’s Ladies’ Home Journal can help you get on track.
Recently I was reading one of my vintage magazines, the June 1953 issue of Ladies’ Home Journal, and came across an article about marriage. These are always interesting because they are so often very outdated and focus heavily on the woman.
What caught my eye in this article really wasn’t that much about marriage but more about time management and stressed housewives.
We often glamorize the 1950’s housewife but they did have a lot of pressure and were often stressed or even depressed. They dealt with being overwhelmed and feeling guilty just like many modern homemakers do.
In this article by Dr. Clifford R. Adams, there was a quiz to highlight if the housewife was doing a good job managing her life or if she was overwhelmed by her duties.
A lot of it still applies today and is an interesting quiz to take now. It also really highlights how so many homemaking struggles have stayed the same over the years.
Take the quiz below and see if can manage your life like a 1950’s housewife or if you could use a little help.
Can You Manage Your Life? A 1950’s Ladies’ Home Journal Quiz
- Usually, get enough sleep?
- Work best only under pressure?
- Pay your bills on schedule?
- Constantly find your work piling up?
- Regularly use your laborsaving conveniences?
- Forget where you put items used frequently?
- Get to work punctually – or see that your husband does?
- Get upset by minor mishaps?
- Take some time for recreation?
- Save many outworn objects?
- Rarely overlook an essential purchase?
- Find that needed repairs pile up?
- Meet obligations and engagements promptly?
- Work better in the afternoon than morning?
The article says you should answer the odd-numbered questions yes and even-numbered no. If you have eight or fewer “correct” answers “you probably find your workload burdensome.”
How to Be Less Overwhelmed
Dr. Adams also talked about what to do if you did “find your workload burdensome.” He said that you are attempting too much or your management is faulty. He suggested, “eliminate your nonessentials, then concentrate on planning your activities.”
That is still good advice. To make this a bit more practical I’d suggest tracking your activity for a few days. Write down everything, even time spent on social media.
This will help you see where your time is going and what “nonessentials” you can eliminate. You will be surprised how much time you can get back by doing this.
You still want time for yourself, that isn’t “nonessential” but there is always some wasted time that can be cut if we find ourselves feeling overwhelmed.
It’s also important to divide some of the workload. No one should be doing everything on their own. You want to find a fair way to divide the household chores.
It will take some time to find the right routines and schedules that work for you and your family. Don’t get frustrated but instead keep trying.
Additional Resources
I have some other time management resources that can help you manage your life and stop feeling so overwhelmed.
- Time Management Tips for Homemakers
- 5 Things to Do When You Are Feeling Overwhelmed
- How to Stop Being an Overwhelmed Homemaker
Need more help with managing your life? Join the Retro Housewife Goes Green Community and get advice from fellow homemakers.
Leave a Reply