Late last year, my husband and I welcomed a little bundle of joy into our lives and my whole world changed. To start with, I'm home full time for a year looking after our little Monkey. My days are filled with diaper changes, nursery rhymes and loads and loads of laundry.
Now having survived the blurry-eyed first almost-six-months of my child's life, and being a born Ops Manager, I began to think of ways to streamline my day, increase efficiency, boost productivity! Inventing a real life "Rosie the Robot" seemed cost prohibitive, so instead I went back to basics. The first principals of lean manufacturing, supply chain and operations management had to work at home.
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| Christine Frederick Source: http://www.startribune.com/ local/blogs/189534231.html |
This is not a new concept, it is in fact a very old one. In my research, I stumbled upon "The New Housekeeping: Efficiency Studies in Home Management" written by Christine Frederick in 1913. Frederick was inspired by the industrial revolution and scientific management and applied the principles to her own home. Her goal was to reduce the drudgery of house work, improve the working conditions of both homemakers and servants. She also hoped to inspire young women who were embracing their new social freedoms to continue to find value in the work of a wife and mother. More on Frederick's work later.
Here's the disclaimer - this is not a parenting guide, far be it for me to tell you how to raise your kids. Nor is it Professional Engineering advice. Nor is it a feminist manifesto on the drudgery of homemaking.
This is a tongue-and-cheek personal view of the world. Enjoy, comment and explore the wonderful intersection of homemaking and industrial engineering.
Well, nap time seems to have ended.
More posts to follow.
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