I borrowed this practical exercise from Elly Taylor’s book, Becoming Us. When a new baby comes, the little things around the house add up. For some new moms, it’s very hard to relax when things seem like they are falling apart and chaotic around the house. This exercise lets you decide what is essential—what absolutely has to get done—what is preferable, and what is forgettable. This will help to keep things in perspective, guide you to choose what you absolutely need to hire help for, and what you can let go of for a while.
Make a list of all the chores that normally need doing around the home: including caring for older children, laundry, trash, plant watering, dog walking, and so on. Work out which ones are essential (E), preferable (P) and forgettable (F). Then work out who is going to do what, keeping in mind it’s easy to overestimate and overextend, and the main priority is nesting and resting. Outsource what you can and be willing to negotiate everything as mama’s, baby’s, and dad’s or partner’s needs change over the next few months.