Working at Your Energy Level

When inactivity is about to drive you crazy, and you have to do some housework or bust, jump in gradually.

Guess what!  Today, I actually got some work done:  Laundry Basket Emptied, Laundry Dried and Folded, Washed the Coffee Pot -- it tastes better if those old oils are washed off, and I spent time decluttering a drawer.  I would like to dust;  but my ear infection has been so bad and I have so much yucky stuff still in my head, I need to buy some masks to wear or make my own washable masks. 

When trying to return to your normal activity level, rest in between jobs.

I rested between everything I did.  I did not work for 15 minutes at a time, because my body made it obvious it is not back.  I could feel the weakness and lack of energy;  however, even with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, the muscles will become weaker if not used.  Those of us with ME/CFS walk a fine line between using our muscles and not over exerting ourselves.  We need to use our muscles, then rest.  

Smile.  You accomplished something!  Then, relax and sleep well (hopefully).

I find myself more comfortable with myself if I put in a little effort, according to what I am able to do at the time.  I cannot always be thinking of myself as behind, because that is an indicator I have unrealistic expectations of what I should be doing.  I have also found I sleep better if I am active;  however, if I do more than my body is able to do at the time, I often end up unable to sleep. The fine line I do not want to cross is always there. So what is the best way to know when to stop?

Learn to listen to your body.  It will tell you when to rest if you listen.

I wish I had a magic formula to give you;  however, there is none that I know of.  This is a self-learned, trial and error ability.  Often, one runs into problems when the adrenaline rush of expecting company or wanting to do something so very much, he or she ignores the warning signs that pop up.

1. How do you know when you need to rest?  
2. Have you learned to work in short spurts with rest periods?

Making Yourself More Tired on the Internet

Image Courtesy of [stockimages]
/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This is going to be short, because I just realized I am making myself more tired on the internet.  

Now, I know this will probably ruffle some feathers.  I can hear the defensiveness now!  But, I am not tired:  I have bone-deep, muscle-deep, mind-numbing fatigue.  Yep!  I get that.  So do I.

Then, why am I sitting here, with my eyes about to close from weariness of wondering what should I read on the internet?  Being a person that runs out of energy quickly, one would think I would use a good day  to do some housework or go somewhere.  However, here I sit making myself tireder more tired on top of my fatigue, which adds up to getting nothing done.  

Therefore, I'm going to start working on the things I didn't do on my list yesterday.  It's time to put my laptop up, and do some things on my cleaning calendar.  I also have the option of working on undone things from yesterday's list.

                                                           

 Image Courtesy of [Carlos Porto]
/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How about you?

Rare Burst of Energy & the Fall Out

Image Courtesy of [Stuart Miles]
/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Last week, I had a rare burst of energy.  I wasn't sure why.  If there was something different that had caused it, I was ready to shout it out.  Unfortunately, My energy bubble burst early Saturday evening;  and by Sunday morning, I felt like I had been run over by a truck.

Just in case you are wondering about what I did that was different, here is a short run-down:

1. Saturday - I went to town with my husband and the dog.  We ate outside at a fast food restaurant, so we could let our big baby sit with us.
2. Sunday, I went to church and out to eat.
3. Monday, I took the dog to the vet, and came home with a new addition to the family, a kitten.  I went to two stores to get the things we needed.
4. Tuesday, I had to go to the store again, because Kitty had diarrhea.
5. Wednesday, I got my hair cut and I went to another store.
6. Thursday, I went to the doctor and the Habitat Humanity Thrift Store.
7. Friday was our electrical problem day and move the furniture day.
8. Saturday, my DH and I went to Walmart.  I had to walk most of the way in the store;  until I told my DH I was done, and he found an available cart.

I don't know if I was hit with new mommy gotta do it energy or what.  All I know is I was going out and doing more than I can usually do in a day.  It wasn't as if I had turned into Superwoman.  I did not get much done around the house, and I was dragging.  However, I was having a more normal daytime  schedule and going to bed at an early hour.  Now, it is a little hazy.  I cannot remember every detail -- of course!

But, I was thinking the post-exertional malaise was not going to hit, that I was suddenly pacing myself correctly.  I was in a feel-good bubble, that I did not want burst.  However, reality hit Saturday night as the fluish symptoms set in.  To top it off, I wish I had worn a depends to bed about 3 a.m. Sunday morning.  I was so tired and hurt so bad,  I had taken my new medication, which caused me to go into a deep sleep, and I did not even wake up in time to get out of bed to go to the bathroom.  

It would have been less bothersome, if I had enough energy left for church on Sunday morning.  But I had full-blown Chronic Fatigue Syndrome symptoms that morning.

If this was the first time I had been hit by an energy fall-out, I would probably be frustrated;  but, I have learned I have to go with the flow and wait until I get wound up or restocked with energy.  Meanwhile, I am dealing with numb fingers and a swollen right hand--well actually the digits on the right hand.  So, I will do my therapy for that and quit typing soon.  The pain is becoming quite annoying.

The good thing is I can still see today is a beautiful, cool, fall day.  Also, I can alternately rest and do small chores.  I added some new ones with the kitty addition;  but as she lays here quietly asleep on my chest, while I write, it is sweet to know she is  already an enjoyable part of our family.

Today, I should be able to do my 15 minutes of decluttering and fix cabbage rolls for supper.  Also, I plan to get a load of laundry going.  I haven't been able to do all the jobs on my cleaning schedule, but I have had some extra last week and this week.

Finally, this kitten seems to belong.  She is friendly with our dog, and our dog has been accepting of her presence in the household.  Also, it is forcing me to relax, instead of pushing.  I simply have to close my eyes and breathe slower.

Before and After, The Master Bedroom

My Supervisor

As promised, I have before and after pictures of the master bedroom.  As my week went downhill, I didn't think I was going to get this much done;  however, I think some prayers were up for me.  I feel better today, and I still have no idea why I felt so depressed yesterday.  Ah, the ebb and flow of Fibromyalgia and CFS hits again:  one thing I am learning to be is flexible.  

             
 Blessing our homes by cleaning up the clutter, dusting, and 
 making our beds adds an element of peace and order to our lives.        I truly hope I can keep it  this way.  One thing I noticed today is how  much easier it was  to dust and straighten, than it was  last  Saturday.

Just so you know that I am
 not perfect -- as if you didn't
know --here are the baskets on
our sweet dog's crate with clean
 clothes ready for the drawers.

Cleaning the Heart of the Home - Part 2, The Kitchen

Right now, I am considering the physical heart of my home to be the kitchen.   Since this is where three meals a day are prepared, it is easier and more enjoyable to do so in a clean, well-organized kitchen, it can set the pace for other things that happen in the home.  When my kitchen has clear, clean counters, I am more inclined to cook a fresh, healthy meal rather than put a frozen, store-bought meal in the microwave.  And those days that I am too fatigued to do anything other than put that meal in the microwave oven, there is very little clean-up to do, so it is a win-win situation.

Cleaning Hints for Today: The Kitchen 

Set your timer for 15 minutes (Do not go over 15 minutes, Rest if needed or work on another task.  I usually use this as a time to do something sitting or rest, depending on how I feel that day.):

1. Start with putting things away on your counters.  Work on one area or counter at a time (cans to pantry, dirty dishes to sink or dishwasher, trash to trash can, papers and directions in a basket--until you decide where  they belong.)  Basically, you can use the 3 rule method:  throw away, put away, give away.
2. Wipe off your counters and the splash board, as well as wiping under the small appliances, and wipe off the small appliances too.  Follow the directions for your counter surface.  My counter surface is old and light-colored, so I used bleach to get stains.  Bar keepers friend is also a good product to use for some stains, and it does not have the odor of bleach.  
3. If you have cleaned off one counter, you may want to go ahead and wash your dishes that have to be washed by hand.  If you have already wiped down your counter, you don't worry about setting a few dirty dishes or pots on them, so you have room to wash.  It will be easier to wipe the counter off after it has been wiped off once.  Note:  FlyLady likes to start with the sink, but I chose to start differently this time, because I had actually run out of room to comfortably prepare food.  I knew I could heat up the oven while I was cleaning the items that had been left unwashed.  Also, I wanted soapy water to wash some of the items that belong on my counters.
4. If you deal with post-exertional fatigue, do not get too enthusiastic and overdo.  Baby steps will get the job done, if you don't keep adding clutter to the area you cleaned. 

There is another psychological factor about having a clean, organized kitchen that is well worth mentioning.  It seems to set the tone for the rest of the house.  Even when the rest of the house could use some attention, a  clean kitchen says, "I care."  Does this ring true with you?  Have you tried working on the kitchen first, before other areas in the house are cleaned and organized?

These are pictures of areas that are bothering me.  Take into account that my kitchen is no modern show kitchen.  I have had a variety of kitchens in my life, and this kitchen is an old kitchen in an old house.  Also, we no longer own a home--we rent.  So, I am not going to spend money on anything other than cosmetic changes.   However, the one thing that rings true in any kitchen is the messy factor.  I don't care whether you have the fanciest kitchen or the most modest kitchen:  no kitchen is a pleasant, productive area when cluttered.  However, even the most modest kitchen can work when cared for.

 The area on the right side of the stove does not give me much room for food preparation.  Organization is needed here.  For those of you who feel like your kitchen is hopeless, the picture to your left, which also is on the left side of the stove, was much worse than this.  However, I wasn't going back to where it was before I got to it on Sunday afternoon.  It had scattered coffee grounds and stains that I knew I could get off if I  applied myself.  I had wiped the whole counter on this side, and I had put things away, but I confess to a little staging here to give you an idea of what it looked like before.  However, I could not bring myself to dirty the counter again.  

By the way, I am planning on some kitchen reorganization, according to how I use items in my kitchen.  I will post more on this later.  I wish I could say my kitchen always looked perfect, but often fatigue gets the best of me, and I have to stop midway in cleaning.  I try to come back, but sometimes that doesn't happen until the next day.  Also, I have to admit that once I leave that area and my mind starts focusing elsewhere, it is easy to conveniently forget. 

Sometimes, it seems I have to get to the point the kitchen is really irritating before I take action.  See, I told you I am not perfect;  and, I know there are probably hundreds of books that have been written to encourage keepers of the home in this area, but I still find this challenging.  The thing is I think it helps the rest of the family become more cognizant of keeping the area neat when we can jump in and get the area organized--no matter how long it takes us.  

Cleaning the Heart of Your Home, Part 1

Tonight, I spent some time looking for articles about the heart of the home.  I wanted to know what room the majority considered the central home of a family.  I finally stopped, because as most of you know, you could spend many tiring and wasteful hours searching the internet for information.

However, this is what I gleaned after thinking that I would probably find most articles mentioned the kitchen as the heart of the home.  And for some homes, this is a correct assumption.  Depending on the where the kitchen is and the size of it, it may very well be the heart of some  homes.  The family gathers there to eat, surf the net, play games, do homework, talk, and of course, cook. However, some  people see the heart of the home as the master bedroom, because it defines the start of the day and the end of the day.  This is where the leaders of the home (parents, grandparents, single moms, single dads) set the pace for their day.  The main point is that the heart of the home involves the people who live there.  A house is just a house without its people.  There is no heart without the living that goes on there.

Maybe, you are wondering what started me on this search.  For those of you that know my age, you know I have been a grandma for a while now.  I have 2 daughters and 10 grandchildren.  Before I went back to college and after I graduated, I have always considered my primary job to be a homemaker.  Surely, after forty-two years of marriage this woman knows what the heart of the home is.  However, I now believe there are several answers.  And, much of this depends on your circumstances;  which can include everything from your religion, the stage of your life (young married, child rearing, empty nest), the arrangement of the rooms in your house, and even your personal preferences at this particular time.

What started this quest?  My kitchen counters and my rolling cart in the kitchen were looking unkempt.  I didn't want to cook until I cleaned the kitchen.  Also, I have been thinking about reorganization;  however, there is no point in crossing that bridge until  the kitchen is clean.  So even though the whole family cannot gather in my kitchen comfortably, I feel that if my kitchen is clean and organized, it will increase the probability the rest of my house will follow.  Therefore, my focus this week will be on the kitchen.  I actually think it will not take me long to wrap up  this job, and it will boost my enthusiasm to work on other areas.

If you would like to follow along I will be posting jobs to do in the kitchen on my facebook page "Chronic Fatigue and Creative Decluttering."  

Food for Thought:

1. Have you ever thought about what or where the heart of your home is?
2. Is there a room in your house that seems to affect your moods more if it is messy?
3. Think about a time your home has been fairly uncluttered.  Which room seems to set the   tone for how you feel when you enter the house.
4. Is there a room in your house that irritates you more than any other if it is cluttered or dirty?
5. Spend 5 to 15 minutes in that room today:  1) throw away trash and 2) put objects where they belong.  Do not try to clean the room in one day.  You need to take time to rest and continue keeping the areas clean you have already been working on. 

 Remember, you can accomplish much with baby steps.