The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-09-09
Budget Your
Time, AdUiCe
Of Expert
BY HELEN WELSHIMER,
NEA Service Writer

NEW YORK, Sept. 9.-Long be-
fore anybody thought of sitting in
a tree for the summer, or tuning his
life to a dance melody, housewives
were staging a marathon.
Somebody remarked that man
worked from the time the alarm
went of in the morning until the
factory whistles blew at night, but
that woman never asked for time
out.
But the marathon is ended now.
Women aren't trying to see how
long they can work. They've found
a better scheme.
Now they are budgeting their
time, exactly as they budget their
household allowances. And if the
hours won't stretch, they cross
task from the list.
Nine Hours a Day
Mrs. Marguerite B. Benson, eXecu-
tive of the Home Making Center
in New York City, of the New York
State Federation of Women's Clubs,
has discovered that nine hours
day will complete any woman's work
in the home-if she budgets her
time.
Sixty three hours is the weekly
amount of time that American
women are giving to their homes.
And they are accomplishing much
more than the women of other
countries where the time count goes
on and on and on.
THE statistics of the Interna-
tional Home Economics Association
show that the women of Belgium
are using from 108 to 119 hours to
do the same work which American
women accomplish in g." Mrs.
Benson explains. In France, the
time required is from 90 to lis
hours; italy, Sc to 10 hours, Po-
land. rs to 81: Rumania, 102:
Czecho Slovakia. 105 to 119; Sweden,
50 to 119; Switzerland, liz to 118;
and Spain, rs to 108.
Budget by Weeks
In preparing a time budget"
Mrs. Benson says, time must be
left for a seasonal budget and
weekly budget. For instance, in
the summer there is probably
canning to do. and in the spring
special housekeeping, Free periods
are needed to work on this.
Every week has it's special tasks
for each day. such as laundry work
on Monday and cleaning on
Wednesday. Periods for such tasks
must be allowed in the routine
schedule"
Mrs. Benson has selected a mother
with two or three small children
as the basis of the time budget
which she has devised. The Oldest
child is IL years, the next 9 years,
and the baby IA months old.
The actual budgeting has been
worked out from the laboratory ex-
perience of young mothers who have
experimental in their own families.
Schedule Is Flexible
The nine-hour schedule is flexible
enough to permit special duties. BY
doubling up a little on her daily
tasks, and enough time is permitted
TO allow her do so, the housewife
can do her seasonal work, and also
her weekly tasks.
For instance, the budget allows
one hour for preparing vegetables
more time than actually is needed.
Mrs. Benson believes firmly that
every time and labor saving device
which a woman can possibly afford
should be placed in her home. Dish
washers, managers, electric sweepers
all of these cut down the budget
and give greater time for relaxation.
Some OF the important facts for
the home maker to keep in mind in
budgeting her time are given briefly
by Mrs. Benson:
Allow one-hor divisions of time
for flexibility.
Dishes may be washed once a day
instead Of three times a day, If adj
visable, in the individual household.
Study motions necessary for each
task and eliminate waste motions
and steps.
Menus should be planned LOT the
week or several weeks.
Keep simple books and accounts
20 that others may understand
them
Eliminate tasks that tradition and
habit. rather than common sense,
dictate should be done on certain
day.
MLnHTGAN HOLMAN