Many customers of professional maid agencies, such as Molly Maid and American maid, think that maids are unskilled laborers with little more than their cleaning skills in their favor. But this is such a shameful line of thinking! Keep in mind that maids have a specialized skillset that deserves the respect, if not the admiration, of every customer.
In the following section, we will take a look at three things that maids can do that have applications in our own lives.
Time Management Skills
Maids have to apply effective and efficient time management in the performance of their work lest they find themselves dealing with backlogs. This is especially true for part-time maids who have to clean several houses in a day, usually just a couple of hours for each house.
Time management in itself requires a proactive attitude instead of a reactive approach. Maids have to know where they have to go, what they have to do there, and what time they have to finish, among other aspects. They must then plan their day accordingly, from the travel time to the job completion timeline.
Smart Planning
Maids aren’t just cleaning ladies although it’s the image that has stuck in the general public’s mind. Instead, they have to be smart planners in the sense that they have to set goals, timelines, and evaluation methods based on the SMART criteria:
- Specific – The specific areas for cleaning must be identified
- Measurable – The level of cleanliness must be quantified or an indication of progress should be applied
- Assignable – The persons who will do specific tasks will be determined
- Realistic – The goal and period of achievement should be realizable so that both the customer and the maid agency will be satisfied with the results
- Time-bound – The period for each cleaning job should also be specified
Of course, maids will not actually make a project management document and the like before starting a job. Instead, they will coordinate with their supervisors and customers so that smart goals can be set.
Prepare for the Unexpected
Plans are good but life including the work we do has a way of throwing curve balls – and we have to be prepared for them as best as we can. The work of maids may seem routine, even boring, but they also have to deal with surprises – and they usually do so with grace under pressure.
You, too, can take the same approach in life so that you don’t get discouraged or disappointed with the curve balls in your life. You can just take them and change your plan but keep your eyes on the prize.
Hopefully, your perception of maids will change for the better after reading this article!
