Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Core Competencies Revisited: this time, a frugal win

I had the fantastic opportunity yesterday of interviewing the author of this book, also author of the blog posts I wrote about here. I am using the interview to write a piece for The Washington Times, which I will link to once it's published.

Meanwhile, let me revisit what I wrote regarding core competencies. In her book, like in the blog posts, she talks about outsourcing. I still think most outsourcing equals an epic frugal fail.

But she also expanded on the subject, adding that there is nothing wrong with simply not doing something or as much as something. For example, that time you spend vacuuming three times a day? How about only doing it once.

This is hard for me. I love vacuuming -- the process, the results, everything. But do I love it more than reading to my kid? No.

And so it really does come dow to this: priorities. ... and what, in the hierarchy of your life, is most important? If it is between vacuuming three times and vacuuming once while spending that other 15 minutes playing with that darn shape ball again, what are you going to choose? Shape ball, hands down. (We really need a new toy ... that thing is driving me nutso).

When it's between doing something not as much and priorities I rule core competencies a frugal win.

4 comments:

  1. You vacuum three times a day. Wow.
    Seriously, I think three times a month is a bit much. But, laundry...now, I would gladly do three loads of laundry a day - folding it while it is still warm! In Germany, laundry was my "get out of jail free" card though. And, our base housing did have bars on the windows so jail-like it did feel at times with a tantrum loving 2 year-old and a husband always in the field.
    I always felt my kids lacked a major childhood activity by not having a shape sorter ball, but apparently, it sounds like I benefitted.

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  2. Let me just say -- it's a pain. ha.

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  3. I'm sorry -- do you really vacuum three times a day? I think we need an intervention.

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  4. OK that's only because you dont vacuum EVER. Haha.

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