After Julie's third child was born, she started feeling overwhelmed. She had the house of her dreams, but it was also huge, and she found the cleaning routine to be exhausting. In addition, she desperately wanted to take an extended family vacation, but she had no one to housesit. The daily grind took its toll, and Julie found herself battling depression.



With her mother about 120 miles away, Julie decided she had no choice but to "outsource" some of her work on the homefront. And it's made all the difference in the world. Julie is finally enjoying life again, her husband is happier, her children appear to be calmer--and grandma is no longer worried about the family.

Lawrence is a single father who has sole custody of his seven-year-old daughter. As a teacher, he finds that his work day often lasts longer than the 9-to-3 school day. That leaves him with little time to make summer plans--including vacation by the shore and day camp for his daughter. As a result, he's decided to outsource his vacation planning and camp researching chores and he believes he is a less-stressed father as a result.

Pete is an entrepreneur who left the television news business in order to devote himself full-time to a home-based medical supply business. While he's confident that he's made the right decision for himself and his family, he needs to find a way to gain a competitive edge. He'd also like to generate more sales from the clients he currently has on his roster. Consequently, he's seriously considering outsourcing so that all business-related duties don't fall on his shoulders.

There was a time when the only ones who could really afford to outsource their errands and other personal duties were the Donald Trumps and the Paris Hiltons of the world--but no more. In fact, a number of families are finding that they're better off--financially, emotionally, even career-wise--if they hire someone to take on some of the chores that are depleting their energy, time, and resources. Add to that the fact that many business executives today--even owners of small businesses--have discovered their company profits can rise if they hire outside concierge services to assist themselves or their employees attain a better balance between their professional lives and their personal lives.

A study by the Whirlpool Foundation conducted in 1999 found that the average woman with children spends 35 hours a week doing housework. That means that household chores have become almost a full-time job--even for those who already have full-time employment outside the home. Both women and men--whether they're married, single, married with children, or single with children--are experiencing a major time crunch. Sociology experts, in fact, say Americans tend to put in more hours at work than other workers around the globe, meaning that there's less time available in American households to devote to routine maintenance, relocation chores, and other tasks.

Of course, it's one thing to hear about your neighbor or competitor outsourcing personal and business chores. It's quite another to consider following suit. Still, rest assured that there are numerous reasons to employ someone to handle some of those duties:

o You could end up actually saving money. If you work in a professional field, such as medicine or law, your time is so valuable that it is undoubtedly worth your while to hire a one-stop-shop moving service, rather than to handle those details yourself.

o Your stress level may plummet. Once you de-stress your life, you might find that you have lower doctor's bills, less time off from work due to illness, and fewer anxiety-fueled binge eating sessions.

o You'll have more time for recreation. Playing sports, gardening, hiking, or just spending time going to the movies with your children can greatly enhance your quality of life, making you a happier, healthier spouse, parent, friend, and worker.

o You may find you'll encounter fewer hassles in your family life. Let's face it--the stress and strain of your "to do" list can really take its toll on family life. You may find that communication with your spouse and your children suffers because of time pressures.

By outsourcing, you'll be making your family life simpler--and more satisfying. And, by giving some of your work to someone else, you may re-discover some of the finer things in life--like sleep!