I love each and every guest we’ve had on this show, but I’m just gonna say it: for me at least, this episode is probably the most *important* one yet.
The Fair Play method and the playing cards that help you implement it help make the “invisible work” of running a household visible, and help to more equitably divide the labor of the home.
AKA, if you’re not happy with the division of labor in your home, this one’s for you.
You’ve heard me and my guests talk about the Fair Play method on multiple episodes, especially Cammie’s episode, and I got so, so many requests to expand on it. So I went straight to the source!
Today we have Eve Rodsky, the Harvard-trained creator of the Fair Play method and author of Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live).
As you’ll hear today, Eve embarked on this journey to find answers to her own problem. After becoming a mom of two, she watched as she became the default (“she-fault”) doer of the things, all while feeling sidelined in her career and “abandoned” by her husband.
Her “Sh*t I Do” list grew longer and longer without any real discussion of who should actually do what.
Fair Play is the antidote to that problem, and this episode breaks down the method in detail. You’ll come away equipped to start a conversation with your partner; identify and fairly divide responsibilities; create space for yourself; and ultimately live a happier, more fulfilled life.
Eve and I also get into:
Why household labor tends to be so unequal
Men over-reporting and women under-reporting their contributions
How to raise this topic with your partner
What Fair Play looks like in action in my own marriage
“He’s the income earner. So shouldn’t I handle everything in the home?”
Understanding the different types of labor (daily grind vs. on your own time)
Hard-to-define responsibilities like spirituality and “magic” (tooth fairy, etc.)
Why it’s so important to own a task completely
Eve’s key to staying happy even as you shoulder more responsibility in life
Links:
Fair Play book
Fair Play cards
Fair Play documentary
Eve’s second book, Find Your Unicorn Space
Eve’s podcast with Dr. Aditi Nerurkar
Listen to this episode on your favorite podcast app:
eve rodsky's "fair play" method for dividing household labor will improve your marriage