Inertia

Perhaps it's the time of the year, Granny23.
I've just read in the local paper about a roof collapsing in a village and the locals were "woken from their winter torpor at 7pm" by the noise.

Ain't it amazing how much you can get done when you can't access Facebook, Gransnet, Games?
Yes, it certainly is.

Or Ancestry ..... although you could argue that going on genealogical sites is 'getting things done'

I like thinking, planning and dreaming, though, and have to give myself a metaphorical kick up the backside to actually do these things!

Sounds to me as if you don't need motivation, you seem to be getting a lot done already.

I find that simply giving in to it on the bad days is OK and getting on with it on better days is easier. Sometime I just do the things which can be done quickly so at least I can feel I have achieved something. Other days I can start at one end and work through.

Prophetic words, Jalima On Friday my Phone, Wifi and Internet were intermittent, by Saturday it was out cold. Through the night the MECS alarm kept bleating 'check your mains supply' at half hour intervals and I kept expecting them to arrive at the door to see if DH was alright.
managed to dig out the old mobile, charged it up and was able to phone the Hub and let them know what was wrong.

It was a cold but sunny day so in the afternoon I tackled task 12 - to take the car for a long run at motorway speeds to clear the exhaust of the effects of numerous short runs. That was lovely, road clear and quiet but snowy covered hills on both sides. Cup of coffee and a cake in a cafe and then zoomed home before dark.

Sunday, I enlisted SIL (both DD's familes in quarantine with virus) to find me a phone number for internet provider (why is all info re restoring internet on line, when obviously you cannot go online to access it? Spent over an hour on mobile while line was checked etc. Fault lies with BT line and Engineer booked to come tomorrow AM. Between Sunday and Monday - ALL outstanding paperwork tasks have been completed and last night, DD2 broke her self imposed quarantine to bring me a smart phone and by some technological magic beyond my ken, has given me a Wifi signal - so here I am.

Ain't it amazing how much you can get done when you can't access Facebook, Gransnet, Games?

1 Log out of Gransnet
2 Make a list
3 Read list two or three times
4 Have a shower, get dressed
5 Make a cup of coffee
6 Re-read list
7 Start going through the list and do the worst job first, then cross it off the list.
8 You will begin to feel better.

Do not log on to Gransnet until tasks are completed.

Sorry Granny23, I meant to add that I am obviously not the person to advise you regarding lack of mojo! My guilt is the only thing to drive me on these days! Being conscious of my lack of achievement and allowing a bit of deferred gratification, like just one more cup of tea, chapter of book or episode of whatever it is I am watching becomes my treat, and after that I am duty-bound to get up and do a task. Once I get started I tend to keep going for a while. My best wishes to you Granny23. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate to contend with. X

I am the world's worst when it comes to getting round to things. Retirement is absolutely wonderful in that my life became so much less stressful, but, for someone like me, lack of routine isn't good. I am sure I could spend the rest of my life reading, musing, writing, navel gazing, catching up on good TV programmes and generally idling my time away in blissful, self indulgent contentment. Retirement has meant I am less active and less organised even though I have much more time on my hands. Part of me loves it and thinks it's well deserved after a hard working life full of cares and worries but I know I have to strike a balance. I need my own sergeant major to bark orders at me and scare me into achieving once more. Quite a nice dilemma to have but I do have so much to do and little inclination to do any of it.

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

Sorry. In a ..... not 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.

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 ?

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 ]...

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.