Inertia

Set a timer. It's amazing what you can achieve in 10 minutes if you know that's time allocated. When I don't feel like doing the vacuuming/floor washing/whatever I set a time for half and hour and lo and behold, it is done and I have the rest of the day free instead of procrastinating it away ... with the vacuuming/floor washing/whatever still not done ...

I allow myself little rewards if I tackle a task which I don't really want to do. For instance, if I clean the oven I might allow myself to eat a bar of chocolate or whatever.
At the moment I have a mountain of paperwork that needs sorting, so if I can get to grips with it I might allow myself a day shopping and lunch out in Exeter soon.
This seems to work for me, - most of the time!

I'm in the process of finding my mojo which cleared off sometime back along, I am making myself do stuff I really don't want to straight away, (another poster was very helpful on this subject) have been doing this only a couple of days, I know, early days, but am feeling quite chuffed with myself, think I caught passing glimpse of lost mojo this morning. Feeling flat as a fart is a miserable time, especially in this god damn awful weather, I see you forced yourself to the bank so you are on the way, maybe you could rope in DH to help? Sometimes just saying something out loud helps me, my dd had some good advice when I was moaning about having no will power about over eating, just say out loud I will have that tomorrow, that seems to work for me sometimes.... I do hope you can find something to revitalise you

Well I'm washed, dressed, have made the appointments for our B12 injections (which raised a laugh because I told the receptionist that we were due our B52 jabs), made lunch, ate it while talking to DD2 (housebound with the tonsillitis and cough virus as is DD1) as she wanted a chat. We have been forbidden to visit as they don't want us to catch the virus. So only 1 task completed from the list.

No food left apart from shortbread, sweets and mince pies so off to the supermarket, once I've got DH ready, to restock - the washing up and tidying will have to wait till later (or maybe tomorrow?)

I make lists and prioritise. That helps me to focus and also not to get too wound up about jobs that can wait. I agree though inertia is bad news. I was like that before Xmas and although I got al my tasks done there was no joy in it. I'm a bit better now by starting to plan some things to do in the spring and summer. I hope you pick up soon .

It's music with me. I need to prepare and send out the music for my choir for this term and seem to find lots of excuses not to get on with it - it involves filing away all the Christmas music - I hate that job!

And when I am singing in a concert I always learn the music in detail the day before the concert - why do I leave it so long?

Procrastination is the name of the game - knowing there is a deadline tends to ginger me up a bit! Pathetic really.

When I’m really flat and can’t face anything on the must do list I do something totally unnecessary and different for distraction. A day out, going to the cinema, anything but what I think I need to do. It always works. The next day I feel energised and generally tear through the previously avoided chores easily.

Can't seem to get anything done at the moment. Don't know why the bad weather outside makes it difficult for me to do things inside as well. I did get dressed and made up so I could go shopping today, but the rain kicked in and I decided not to go [I was intending to get some pictures framed and obviously didn't want them to get wet]. At least I then resolved to phone up and sort out my house insurance. One good thing about my current desire to hibernate is that I've started reading books again, but feel I want to go to bed now with a book and a cup of Ovaltine [and I didn't get up till 11 ]...

Spent the morning on Tuesday talking to BT. Got my problem sorted but I had been working up to the ordeal for weeks.
Now I’ve GOT to do my accounts, I saw my accountant yesterday and she mentioned that she’s waiting for them.
I know that they won’t take me all that long. Why oh why don’t I just get on with it ?

We are all in hibernation mode.
Most of us have feasted on high calorific food,
Which as well as putting the pounds on, causes (IMHO) the sloth effect
As the days lengthen our minds will become more active.
The need for food to be stodgy and warming is much less.
Energy levels return

It a blink of an eye there will be a spring cleaning thread.

Sorry. In a ..... not it

OK really silly suggestion coming up

List 6 things which need doing -roughly comparable if possible- then number them. (One CAN be make a !)
Roll a dice (or a die if you are being grammatically correct) and do the task which corresponds to the number which comes up.
Roll again when you are done, unless you feel that is enough for the day, repeat until you are totally fed up.

There was a blink of watery sun when we got back with the shopping so I took the opportunity to put all the Christmas things into the shed - another job ticked off. This created space in the back bedroom so I stacked the boxes of photos in there - Job 3 done. Put away the shopping, made the tea and then foolishly decided to search for missing passport, which I moved from the mantelpiece and put in a safe place when the sweep was coming before Christmas.

Big mistake! DH wanted to help which led to endless questions as to why I wanted my Passport. He had of course totally forgotten that he is booked into a care home for 3 nights for 'respite', as a trial run to see how he copes and familiarise him with the facility and staff, in case he has to be taken there in an emergency e.g. if I was ill or had an accident. This has been planned for 3 months and we have visited the home, been shown round, met the staff and had a visit to our home to find out all his likes, dislikes and regular routine, but, 'of course' he has forgotten all this and accused me of intending to dump him there while I run off with my widowed sister chasing men. We are in fact going on a short break to Dublin as we have Irish blood and have never been 'across the sea to Ireland' as our DH's had no interest in going there.
He went on & on about the cost, how all his loved ones would be 100's of miles away, (Both DDs will visit him and the care home is across the Park from DD2's house) Dublin is a dangerous place, our house will be empty and someone will steal the car, in short, he will not go into respite and I'll have to stay at home.

Eventually I totally lost it, locked myself in the bathroom and was 'roaring and greeting'. Strangely, I felt much better afterwards, apologised for upsetting him, calmed him down, told him it was not his fault, opened the drawer which I had already searched and found the passport. Job 4 done. Within a quarter of an hour he had forgotten the shenanigans and was calmly talking about what clothes to pack for him for his 'wee holiday'. Phew.

2.5 weeks until the respite break, I wonder how many more times we will go through this?

On a brighter note, The first, backdated payment of his Attendance Allowance, which I have been chasing up for months, arrived in the bank account today. So that's 5 things ticked off from the To Do List today.

I am trying to not eat chocolate. I have discovered it makes me very lethargic. But I do have tired days when I just want to sleep all day. I have stopped fighting it and after a couple of days of sleep, my energy levels are much higher. Always have a list of jobs and praise myself when I have done one! Pathetic really!

Granny23 well done lass ?? You’re making progress. Sometimes it seems like two steps forward and three back but just keep chipping away at it.

Lists are the answer and we all have our own methods.

When I feel overwhelmed as you did, I list two things only that must be done, then two that should be done and finally two that could be done.

Big hug, G23. Well done with the tasks, with finding the passport and just with coping. I could weep just reading of the stress you're under. Enjoy your break and don't worry about DH while you're away

Thanks all for your hints and tips and allowing me to get things off my chest - it really helps to know that there are people cheering me on.

Bags Weep away As I found yesterday a good cry was cathartic, got rid of all the angst and calmed me down. I haven't cried like that in years, so a lot of pent up feelings have been released. Taking note of suggestions, I have tackled 2 tasks this am - phoning the House Insurance Co. immediately their letter came through the letter box and fixing a problem with the WIFI. So 2 done before they even made it to the list - AND the SUN (remember what that looks like?) is shining, so out to pick sprouts and sort out the wet log pile.

Thanks all for your hints and tips and allowing me to get things off my chest - it really helps to know that there are people cheering me on.

Bags Weep away As I found yesterday a good cry was cathartic, got rid of all the angst and calmed me down. I haven't cried like that in years, so a lot of pent up feelings have been released. Taking note of suggestions, I have tackled 2 tasks this am - phoning the House Insurance Co. immediately their letter came through the letter box and fixing a problem with the WIFI. So 2 done before they even made it to the list - AND the SUN (remember what that looks like?) is shining, so out to pick sprouts and sort out the wet log pile.

Thanks all for your hints and tips and allowing me to get things off my chest - it really helps to know that there are people cheering me on.

Bags Weep away As I found yesterday a good cry was cathartic, got rid of all the angst and calmed me down. I haven't cried like that in years, so a lot of pent up feelings have been released. Taking note of suggestions, I have tackled 2 tasks this am - phoning the House Insurance Co. immediately their letter came through the letter box and fixing a problem with the WIFI. So 2 done before they even made it to the list - AND the SUN (remember what that looks like?) is shining, so out to pick sprouts and sort out the wet log pile.

Thanks all for your hints and tips and allowing me to get things off my chest - it really helps to know that there are people cheering me on.

Bags Weep away As I found yesterday a good cry was cathartic, got rid of all the angst and calmed me down. I haven't cried like that in years, so a lot of pent up feelings have been released. Taking note of suggestions, I have tackled 2 tasks this am - phoning the House Insurance Co. immediately their letter came through the letter box and fixing a problem with the WIFI. So 2 done before they even made it to the list - AND the SUN (remember what that looks like?) is shining, so out to pick sprouts and sort out the wet log pile.

Thanks all for your hints and tips and allowing me to get things off my chest - it really helps to know that there are people cheering me on.

Bags Weep away As I found yesterday a good cry was cathartic, got rid of all the angst and calmed me down. I haven't cried like that in years, so a lot of pent up feelings have been released. Taking note of suggestions, I have tackled 2 tasks this am - phoning the House Insurance Co. immediately their letter came through the letter box and fixing a problem with the WIFI. So 2 done before they even made it to the list - AND the SUN (remember what that looks like?) is shining, so out to pick sprouts and sort out the wet log pile.

Thanks all for your hints and tips and allowing me to get things off my chest - it really helps to know that there are people cheering me on.

Bags Weep away As I found yesterday a good cry was cathartic, got rid of all the angst and calmed me down. I haven't cried like that in years, so a lot of pent up feelings have been released. Taking note of suggestions, I have tackled 2 tasks this am - phoning the House Insurance Co. immediately their letter came through the letter box and fixing a problem with the WIFI. So 2 done before they even made it to the list - AND the SUN (remember what that looks like?) is shining, so out to pick sprouts and sort out the wet log pile.

Thanks all for your hints and tips and allowing me to get things off my chest - it really helps to know that there are people cheering me on.

Bags Weep away As I found yesterday a good cry was cathartic, got rid of all the angst and calmed me down. I haven't cried like that in years, so a lot of pent up feelings have been released. Taking note of suggestions, I have tackled 2 tasks this am - phoning the House Insurance Co. immediately their letter came through the letter box and fixing a problem with the WIFI. So 2 done before they even made it to the list - AND the SUN (remember what that looks like?) is shining, so out to pick sprouts and sort out the wet log pile.

Thanks all for your hints and tips and allowing me to get things off my chest - it really helps to know that there are people cheering me on.

Bags Weep away As I found yesterday a good cry was cathartic, got rid of all the angst and calmed me down. I haven't cried like that in years, so a lot of pent up feelings have been released. Taking note of suggestions, I have tackled 2 tasks this am - phoning the House Insurance Co. immediately their letter came through the letter box and fixing a problem with the WIFI. So 2 done before they even made it to the list - AND the SUN (remember what that looks like?) is shining, so out to pick sprouts and sort out the wet log pile.