Getting Back Into Your Routines

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Getting back into our routines is hard after Christmas and New Years.  I wonder if you do what I sometimes do.  Do you start thinking about the things you said you were going to do in the new year, but you haven't finished them or even gotten started?  Do you plan to clean the house, so it doesn't lose the spit and polish it had during the holiday season?  If this happens, don't feel like you are all by yourself;  and, prepare yourself to jump right in where you are.  

Don't worry if you have been feeling off.  You can clean your house, baby step by baby step.  If you feel depressed, it will help your depression every time you accomplish one of those steps -- at least, it seems to do that for most people.  Here is a quote from my April 21, 2013 post, Perfectionism, Procrastination, Or Both?

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I know the chronic illness is often the thing that gets in the way.  When we are in pain and unrelenting fatigue assails our bodies, our routines often fly out the window.  We wonder how to get started up again, as we compare what we used to do with what we get done now.  I understand.

The best example I can think of ... comes from my own personal life... I started getting rid of the clutter in my dining room, which is also my  workroom, and the most used entry into our house.  I had a goal, which included having the table and sideboard decorated for Easter.  However, as I worked, I realized I needed to organize my arts and crafts supplies or box everything;  also, I was working on a couple of blog posts... I had other things that had to be done too:  laundry, bathrooms that needed to be cleaned, blogs and Facebook pages to tend to.

 "What's the point?",  you may ask.  The point is not finishing the dining room did not kept me from working on it a little bit at a time.  I have done the necessary everyday things, which I can rarely finish in one day... I jump in where I am.  I try to do a little bit everyday.  On the days I feel better, I may do a little more.

An example would be the bathrooms I cleaned on Saturday.  I cleaned the sinks and counters in both bathrooms, and in one I wiped down the toilet.  I had done the inside and outside of the half bath toilet two nights before, so I concentrated on the things that needed cleaning the most.  I didn't do the shower in the big bathroom, because  it was too big a job for me to tend to that day.  Nor did I do the inside of the toilet bowl in the master bath, because I was plumb out of energy...  

The point is I have not let perfectionism keep me from cleaning my bathrooms.  It is not an all or nothing thing.  My house is cleaner than it was a month ago.  In fact, I was able to rest comfortably when I needed to, because I had cleaned the toilet bowl  less than a week ago.   I feel good about what I'm doing, because I am making progress.  Truthfully, I doubt my house will ever be as clean as I used to keep it when I was healthy.   But, that does not mean I have to give up.  Nor do I have to compare myself with people that are physically able to do more.  I am doing what I can do, baby step by baby step.

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Are you with me?  Are you ready to work on those bathrooms this week?
If you have enough energy, you can do this in more than one bathroom;  but, I recommend choosing the bathroom that you think needs the most attention.

Tuesday:  Pick up the things that do not belong on the bathroom floor:  dirty towels, discarded clothes, shoes, and toys.  Put those towels in the washing machine if you have a load.  

Wednesday:  Clean off that counter and the back of the toilet.  Put away the things that do not belong there.  Throw away any trash you see in the bathroom.

Thursday:  Assemble your tools for wiping off your bathroom counters and the bathroom sink.  Wipe it down.  Dry it off.  Doesn't it look nice?  Hint:  Keep your cleaning tools in a carrying container like a bucket or under your sink.  If you have small children, be sure to childproof your cabinets.

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Friday:  Soak and Scrub the toilet with your toilet brush.  With a rag or paper towel, wipe off the back, the tank, the cover and seat, and underneath the seat.  If you have little boys, you may need to wipe all the way down to the floor, otherwise use your discretion.  I am still looking for a long handled tool to do this, because it is quite painful for me to bend and get in the spaces I use to clean.  Sometimes, I clean the bottom of the toilet with my mop, while doing my mopping. 

Saturday or Monday:  My shower could use a wipe down.  How about yours?

Tuesday:  Are you sick of working on the bathroom?  Here is an optional task:  Mop, depending on how long it has been since you mopped the bathroom floor or whether it needs it. 

Hint: If you take a handi-wipe and wipe off that sink, counter-top, and toilet now and everyday -- your job will be easier every time. 

This is a way of spreading out your work in an area and making it easier.  I like to set a timer for 15 minutes;  however, if I am too fatigued, I set the timer for 5 or 10 minutes.  

We can do this together!

Hugs, 

Deborah

P.S.  One day, I am going to put wiping down the cabinets on that list.  

Transitions or Back to Basics

August seems to be a time of transition for many people.   Summer is nearing it's end;  teachers are going back to their classrooms for preparation;  or in many places, children are back in school this week.  I'm sure each of you could add a list of transitions that have occurred in  your lives:  many are similar  and others are unique to each individual.

One of the best thing about transitions is this is an excellent time to direct focus back to the basics.  FlyLady is doing this by working on the laundry habit this month.  One load a day really does make laundry easier to handle.

A transition I have worked on is doing more of the grocery shopping.  I  also make conscious efforts to strengthen my legs and knees when I go from  a sitting position to standing.  Those may  seem like small things, but it is all part of my "effort"  to get out more.  In turn, I am also cooking more meals from scratch.

Find a couple of things you would like to work on in your home or life, and stick  with  it this week.  If you don't finish the job, you can extend it to next week.