Yes it’s an old classic and there are always lots of excuses not to, e.g. I really need to get this washing/cooking/cleaning done, but it’s a classic for a reason. The washing may be important, but if you are sleep-deprived then your number one priority is to catch-up on sleep, end of story. Nothing else is as important.
You can find a way to do anything else when the baby is awake by making use of slings (see below), babysitters, bouncer chairs, etc. or preferably get other people to do the chores for you.
If you are back at work then you can still do this on your days off.