---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Housework is a treadmill from futility to…"
description: "\"Housework is a treadmill from futility to oblivion with stop-offs at tedium and counter productivity.\" — Erma Bombeck"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/erma-bombeck-780_chores_housework-is-a-treadmill-from-futility-t_2837311.png"
---

#  Housework is a treadmill from futility to oblivion with…

![“Housework is a treadmill from futility to oblivion with stop-offs at tedium and counter productivity.” quote by Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/erma-bombeck-780_chores_housework-is-a-treadmill-from-futility-t_2837311.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/erma-bombeck-780_chores_housework-is-a-treadmill-from-futility-t_2837311.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/erma-bombeck-780_chores_housework-is-a-treadmill-from-futility-t_2837311.png)

> “Housework is a treadmill from futility to oblivion with stop-offs at tedium and counter productivity.”

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Domestic chores feel endless, moving from one futile task to another.

**In simple terms:** Housework is endless.

Key Takeaway

Find humor in routine chores

Themes

mundane humor routine

Mood

wry lighthearted

Type

personal humorous

When to use this quote

- cleaning
- laundry
- grocery shopping

Key Concepts

Comedy social commentary

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you break monotony?
- What chores bring you joy?

A Different Perspective

Can be draining.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Futility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/futility/) [Housekeeping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/housekeeping/) [Housework](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/housework/) [Memorable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memorable/) [Oblivion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oblivion/) [Productivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productivity/) [Tedium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tedium/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/)

## Related quotes

> [My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/my-idea-of-housework-is-to-sweep-the-room-with-a-glance/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [Housework can kill you if done right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/housework-can-kill-you-if-done-right/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [The Rose Bowl is the only bowl I've ever seen that I didn't have to clean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-rose-bowl-is-the-only-bowl-i-ve-ever-seen-that-i-didn-t-have-to/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [On graduating from school, a studious young man who would withstand the tedium and monotony of his duties has no choice but to lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-augustin-de-coulomb/on-graduating-from-school-a-studious-young-man-who-would-withstand/)

Charles-Augustin de Coulomb

> [The United Nations emerged as a temple of official good intentions, a place where governments might - without abating their transgressions - go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/the-united-nations-emerged-as-a-temple-of-official-good-intentions-a/)

[Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/)

> [Quotation... A writer expresses himself in words that have been used before because they give his meaning better than he can give it himself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-watson-fowler/quotation-a-writer-expresses-himself-in-words-that-have-been-used/)

[Henry Watson Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-watson-fowler/)

> [“tedium is the worst pain. the mind lays out the world in blocks, and the hushed blood waits for revenge. all order, i've come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-champlin-gardner-jr/tedium-is-the-worst-pain-the-mind-lays-out-the-world-in-blocks-and/)

[John Champlin Gardner Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-champlin-gardner-jr/)

> [“(To those who are themselves unhappy, the contentment of others can sometimes be mistaken for tedium.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/to-those-who-are-themselves-unhappy-the-contentment-of-others-can/)

[John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/)

> [“...it was worth the tedium of visitors to experience the pleasure of their going.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/it-was-worth-the-tedium-of-visitors-to-experience-the-pleasure-of/)

[Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/)

> [Despite his reputation as one of America's foremost "serious" filmmakers, Oliver Stone's name under the "director" caption does not guarantee a good movie. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/despite-his-reputation-as-one-of-america-s-foremost-serious/)

[James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/)

> [The nowadays ruling that no word is unprintable has, I think, done nothing whatever for beautiful letters. The boys have gone hog-wild with liberty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/the-nowadays-ruling-that-no-word-is-unprintable-has-i-think-done-2/)

[Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/)

> [A reviewer's lot is not always an easy one. I can remember flogging myself to finish Harold Brodkey's 'The Runaway Soul' despite the novel's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dirda/a-reviewer-s-lot-is-not-always-an-easy-one-i-can-remember-flogging/)

[Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dirda/)

> [Tedium is the bane of immortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-lowe/tedium-is-the-bane-of-immortality/)

Neil Lowe

> [The gain in self-confidence of having accomplished a tiresome labour is immense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-gain-in-self-confidence-of-having-accomplished-a-tiresome-labour/)

[Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/)

> [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/)

[Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/)

## More by Erma Bombeck

> [Cats invented self-esteem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/cats-invented-self-esteem/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [To my way of thinking, the American family started to decline when parents began to communicate with their children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/to-my-way-of-thinking-the-american-family-started-to-decline-when/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [The woman who says, 'My kids are all speaking to one another and they love us' is a psychopathic liar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-woman-who-says-my-kids-are-all-speaking-to-one-another-and-they/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [The term 'working mother' is redundant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-term-working-mother-is-redundant/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [To say, "Well, I write when I really get into it" is a bunch of bull. Put the paper in the typewriter, stare at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/to-say-well-i-write-when-i-really-get-into-it-is-a-bunch-of-bull-put/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [I used everything you gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-used-everything-you-gave-me/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [Just think of all those women on the Titanic who said, 'No thank you' to desert that night. And for what?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/just-think-of-all-those-women-on-the-titanic-who-said-no-thank-you-to/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [The mole rat is the only rodent born without a fur coat. With a good lawyer, someone would pay for that little oversight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-mole-rat-is-the-only-rodent-born-without-a-fur-coat-with-a-good/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [God created man, but I could do better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/god-created-man-but-i-could-do-better/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [If the nest is truly empty, who owns all this junk?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/if-the-nest-is-truly-empty-who-owns-all-this-junk/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [Housework, if it is done properly, can cause brain damage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/housework-if-it-is-done-properly-can-cause-brain-damage/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [Making coffee has become the great compromise of the decade. It's the only thing "real" men do that doesn't seem to threaten their masculinity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/making-coffee-has-become-the-great-compromise-of-the-decade-it-s-the/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [I have a friend who lives by a three-word philosophy: Seize the Moment. Just possibly, she may be the wisest woman on this planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-have-a-friend-who-lives-by-a-three-word-philosophy-seize-the-moment/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/when-i-stand-before-god-at-the-end-of-my-life-i-would-hope-that-i/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

> [Before we sent kids to computer camps and told them they were having a good time, there was imagination among the human species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/before-we-sent-kids-to-computer-camps-and-told-them-they-were-having/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

[Explore all 372 Erma Bombeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

## More Chores quotes

> [I don't enjoy killing, but when done righteously, it's just a chore, like any other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua/i-don-t-enjoy-killing-but-when-done-righteously-it-s-just-a-chore/)

[Joshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua/)

> [I actually recommend as little actual counting as possible in a life partnership. But, when there's a sense of injustice brewing between you, some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-hax/i-actually-recommend-as-little-actual-counting-as-possible-in-a-life/)

[Carolyn Hax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-hax/)

> [Naive optimism and pervasive pessimism are both to be avoided, therefore. It's not an easy balance to maintain, to be asked to work away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/naive-optimism-and-pervasive-pessimism-are-both-to-be-avoided/)

[Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/)

> [If you can, start your own business while you're working another job so that your bills get paid. Choose something that you love, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-roy/if-you-can-start-your-own-business-while-you-re-working-another-job/)

[Rachel Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-roy/)

> [I'm a big advocate of a work-for-pay setup rather than an allowance that isn't attached to chores - it's a great way to impart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-m-a-big-advocate-of-a-work-for-pay-setup-rather-than-an-allowance/)

[Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/)

> [If I'm home with no chore at hand, and a package of books has come, the television set and the chess board and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-stout/if-i-m-home-with-no-chore-at-hand-and-a-package-of-books-has-come-the/)

[Rex Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-stout/)

> [I have fun writing. I don't make it a chore. I don't have to struggle with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-have-fun-writing-i-don-t-make-it-a-chore-i-don-t-have-to-struggle/)

[Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/)

> [I was very academically inclined. But my inner life was in such turmoil. I'd go home and my home life was so miserable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-sohn/i-was-very-academically-inclined-but-my-inner-life-was-in-such/)

[Sonja Sohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-sohn/)

> [I long for the bulbs to arrive, for the early autumn chores are melancholy, but the planting of bulbs is the work of hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/i-long-for-the-bulbs-to-arrive-for-the-early-autumn-chores-are/)

[May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/)

> [Thinking critically is a chore. It does not come naturally or easily. And if the fruits of such efforts are not carefully displayed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-deangelis/thinking-critically-is-a-chore-it-does-not-come-naturally-or-easily/)

Perry DeAngelis

> [Reading is awesome and flexible and fits around chores and earning money and building the future and whatever else I’m doing that day. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/reading-is-awesome-and-flexible-and-fits-around-chores-and-earning/)

[Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/)

> [Helping others isn't a chore; it is one of the greatest gifts there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liya-kebede/helping-others-isn-t-a-chore-it-is-one-of-the-greatest-gifts-there-is/)

[Liya Kebede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liya-kebede/)

> [My idea of superwoman is someone who scrubs her own floors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/my-idea-of-superwoman-is-someone-who-scrubs-her-own-floors/)

[Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/)

> [Actually, what will be shown from here to eternity will be Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr cavorting on the beach. From Here to Eternity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-farber/actually-what-will-be-shown-from-here-to-eternity-will-be-burt/)

[Manny Farber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-farber/)

> [“Please report to Supreme Commander Leo for your superfun list of chores!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/please-report-to-supreme-commander-leo-for-your-superfun-list-of/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

Browse all 249 Chores quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Housework is a treadmill from futility to oblivion with stop-offs at tedium and counter productivity.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Erma Bombeck"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/housework-is-a-treadmill-from-futility-to-oblivion-with-stop-offs-at/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Chores"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/housework-is-a-treadmill-from-futility-to-oblivion-with-stop-offs-at/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/erma-bombeck-780_chores_housework-is-a-treadmill-from-futility-t_2837311.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/erma-bombeck-780_chores_housework-is-a-treadmill-from-futility-t_2837311.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/erma-bombeck-780_chores_housework-is-a-treadmill-from-futility-t_2837311.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Housework is a treadmill from futility to oblivion with stop-offs at tedium and counter productivity.” — Erma Bombeck",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Erma Bombeck",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Housework is a treadmill from futility...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/housework-is-a-treadmill-from-futility-to-oblivion-with-stop-offs-at/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/housework-is-a-treadmill-from-futility-to-oblivion-with-stop-offs-at/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```