kokomo37
Full Member
Posts: 168
Apr 17, 2022 21:03:36 GMT
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Post by kokomo37 on Jul 29, 2024 2:40:06 GMT
Hi friends, I need help setting up a routine . I feel I need and routine to help maintain motivation.
A little back history, I was a nurse for 44 years working all types of shifts, but never full time. I am a night not morning person. My husband is still working. I have chronic pain. Left sided sciatica and knee pain.
Problem area as I see it. I wake up at about 9:30 . I can only clean in 20 minute increments during the day. I d love to swim and do often .Pretty much every day at the late when I am up north
i I am slightly down in my mood as I am so tired of the pain . I do take an antidepressant but I think it needs a change.
i spend way to much time on my iPad . Grandkids are my joy, but then I need a day to recover.
i am becoming more of a introvert but do love spending time at the beach most of the afternoon
i have never had a routine nor a budget but could use both.
I am a bigger reader when I can concentrate so if you have any suggestions please share. I dread going back home as I really need to spend the fall decluttering and then I need to find the motivation to sale things on marketplace
Please give me your best tips. Starting tonight I am getting off my IPad by 11pm and will work on getting off eventually by 9 pm and lights out by 11pm instead of 1 am
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Post by calgaryscrapper on Jul 29, 2024 3:26:55 GMT
I find taking fifteen minutes of time works better for me whether it is yard work, decluttering, cleaning etc. When I declutter I put items in boxes right away (sometimes I take pictures first). I like to list them for sale within a couple of weeks. If they don’t sell within five or six months we donate items we listed. We donate funds raised from some items we sell. This helps to motivate me to declutter. If we donate over two hundred dollars a year to charities we get money back at tax time. Right now, the Government will match donations to the Jasper fire relief fund. Every dollar we donate they match with two dollars. Have you tried Robaxacet? I occasionally use a Costco brand of Robaxacet.
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Jul 29, 2024 11:10:24 GMT
I am more content and my life feels better, if I have a routine.
I have certain things I do that contribute to my overall wellbeing.
Hydrating. Drink a lot of water.
Moisturizing my skin and hair.
Getting enough sleep (usually in increments, I have never been a solid straight through sleeper).
Quiet time. I have sensory issues and too much noise cause me stress and anxiety. I need decompressing time.
My evening chores (wash dishes, sweep floor, straighten up purse and wallet contents, wipe kitchen counters, rinse sinks, check bank account-credit card, etc...) help me have order and organization.
I have put together a home that I love. It is my refuge from the external (crazy, busy, noisy) world.
I function best with lists.
Daily to do lists, of more immediate tasks and errands that need to be done within a day or two (or three).
A general to-do list, of lesser priority things to do.
Grocery list.
A project list (go through clothes closet, straighten up car trunk, check for new books by favorite Authors, etc..).
Not an actual list....but I always have a focus on my finances and budget.
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Post by compeateropeator on Jul 29, 2024 11:46:37 GMT
I am so sorry about your pain. I totally understand your position and probably would be someone who would also benefit from a routine at times. However, I have never been a routine type person so have never gotten into the habit and I think would find it hard to change that now.
I am more of a night person, though, and have worked 2nd shift for the last 23 years. I do find that I am more productive if I can do what I want on what seems to be my normal internal clock. I am often just really getting into what project I am trying to work on when it is time to go to work. But when I try and reset my internal clock to earlier that really doesn’t work for me. So that is a long winded reply to say unless there are specific reasons you want to change when you go to bed and when you wake up, I would not work on that but more on getting things done and off the internet during the times that I am up/my body’s natural schedule. But that may be awful advice so take it with a grain of salt.
Good luck and I hope you are able to get on the track that you are hoping to.
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Post by jeremysgirl on Jul 29, 2024 12:16:13 GMT
If you are retired I see no reason to fight with your internal clock. I am wasted tired by 9am and I am up at 5am every morning. That's just how my clock works. I have a terrible time, even on the weekend fighting to stay awake until like 10pm. So I just don't fight it unless we have like friends over late or something. But most of my friends know we are early birds. I do my best work between 7 am-1 pm. So knowing that, I schedule the hard stuff between those hours. I even try to make sure all of my work meetings are scheduled during that time. Of course, I can't control what other people try to add to my calendar, but I can control my own meetings. I have some brain downtime usually from 1-4pm. I try to limit myself to doing very rote things even at work. Then at 4pm, I drink some coffee (decaf) and focus on a hobby until I get up to make dinner at 6. After dinner, I am trying to go for a walk. And then I clean up my kitchen and get ready for bed.
Now, I'll just say that I do schedule, but I build in a lot of downtime. In other words, I overestimate how long something will take me. If I schedule an hour and it's only 40 minutes, that's 20 minutes that I can either surf the net or just sit down and close my eyes or when the weather is nice, take a mini break out on my deck.
But I would say, at first really consider what you want to accomplish. Set a few time targets each day. Like I'll wake up by 10 am and have some coffee for an hour and then go for a walk. When I come back, I'll shower and eat breakfast. Then from 1pm-3pm, I'll clean in 15 minute increments. At 3, I'll have lunch. Then I will hold open 3-6 for hobby time. And at 6, I'll begin prepping for dinner with mini breaks in between. By 8, I'll have dinner and then for the evening, I'll spend another 2 15 minute sessions cleaning up my kitchen. By 9:30, I'll sit down and read the newspaper. At 11pm, I'll lay down with a book and read for several hours until I'm tired. I mean just something loose like that. And don't punish yourself if pain gets in the way some days.
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pantsonfire
Drama Llama
Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
Posts: 6,294 
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Routines
Jul 29, 2024 12:23:59 GMT
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Post by pantsonfire on Jul 29, 2024 12:23:59 GMT
Since you love to swim, find a YMCA or gym that has a pool. Swimming is good for chronic pain as it is easy on your joints and allows for movement. That could be one thing to schedule in.
Have you thought about volunteering somewhere? Something that is easy to do for a few hours and would get you out and off the iPad. That would help with scheduling.
Any bookclubs you could join?
Any new hobbies you want to try? Schedule that in during the day.
Nothing wrong with waking at 9:30 if that works well.
As for tasks, break them up and add them when pain is less bad for you.
For myself that is early morning. By 3pm I am done. I'm a up at 5 in bed by 9 person.
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Post by melanell on Jul 29, 2024 12:32:46 GMT
If you are retired I see no reason to fight with your internal clock. I absolutely agree with this. I always tell DH that one thing I look forward to when there are no more work/school schedule to follow is settling into a sleep pattern that comes naturally to us, and if that includes an afternoon nap, fine by me.  *************************************** Also, one thing that caught my attention in the OP was this: "I dread going back home as I really need to spend the fall decluttering and then I need to find the motivation to sale things on marketplace. " If you need the funds from those sales, then I hope you can find the energy to tackle that, and I hope you get the prices you are hoping for. But, if you do not require those funds, consider if it's worth it to you to have the stuff sitting around, making your home less enjoyable to you, while you wait to sell them. Maybe it would be a bigger help to you to just let them go to make your space more calming again. Or, perhaps consider selling just the easiest items, or the most valuable, and letting a local charity/thrift store have the rest. Best of luck. |
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lesley
Drama Llama
My best friend Turriff, desperately missed.
Posts: 7,342
Location: Scotland, Scotland, Scotland
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Post by lesley on Jul 29, 2024 13:16:07 GMT
I completely agree with melanell , unless you need the money from selling things, just donate them or bin them. It takes way more effort than I have the energy for to appraise, list, sell and ship those items I don’t want. (I’m exhausted just writing that!) I try to visualise how a space will look without all the clutter and that helps me to decide what should go and what can stay. And as far as I can, I let my body clock do its own thing. I’m usually awake until 3 or 4am, and get up between 10am and midday. It harms nobody! 😁 If I have morning appointments, then I try to get more sleep the night before, but usually I catch up by going to sleep earlier that night. |
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Post by mikklynn on Jul 29, 2024 14:30:46 GMT
I agree with the others. If you don't need the money from selling items, donate them. Or, is there a teen neighbor you could help you for 1/2 of what you sell the item for? They are good at listing stuff!
I find I get a lot done just during tv commercials. I get stiff if I sit too long in the evening, so I get up and unload the dishwasher, dust, run the vacuum, clean a toilet - whatever, during commercials.
My other routine is to get stuff done in the morning, then do whatever I want in the afternoon. You can adjust that to fit your schedule, as I am an early riser.
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kokomo37
Full Member
Posts: 168
Apr 17, 2022 21:03:36 GMT
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Post by kokomo37 on Jul 30, 2024 15:41:23 GMT
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I have started making lists of things to get done . I was a little over enthusiastic yesterday and will be more realistic today . Stayed up way too late last night so I have slept in longer than planned . Gotta work on that
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Post by Susie_Homemaker on Jul 30, 2024 16:43:24 GMT
Since motivation will come and go, you need to find your WHY for wanting to change and create a routine. It should be something that gives you a sense of purpose and will keep you determined to change and then continue with the new routine.
Why do you want to change your sleep schedule? Why do you want to declutter? Why do you want to swim or put down the ipad? It sounds like being mentally and physically fit and healthy so that you're able to spend time with and do fun things with your grandkids might be one of your WHYs.  |
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Post by rst on Jul 30, 2024 18:15:01 GMT
I found that an app has helped me keep on track with creating a workable routine very specific to my stage of life.
It's called Tody.
The format is designed to go room by room through your house with specific tasks at intervals you choose. It's mildly gamified in that you get points for tasks done, and you are battling a dust bunny. I've expanded on the original intent of the app for my own purposes by creating a "self care" room with prompts to regularly follow through on my workouts, pedicures, massages, haircuts, spa days, etc. I've been thinking about adding a category of social interactions to prompt me to schedule coffee dates, walks with friends, dinner, etc.
As for offloading stuff and getting rid of clutter, we have a very active Buy Nothing community in our neighborhood and that's proved a great way to let go of stuff. It's also a good reality check. If nobody is interested in an item on Buy Nothing, chances are high that it's not really worth donating either, so I feel free to just throw it out. I've enjoyed meeting some new neighbors when they pick up stuff I'm giving away, and it's been just the right amount of social interaction for me most of the time. A pleasant 5 minute conversation, general good-will toward someone I see out and about, and occasionally it leads to some text exchanges relevant to the conversation or follow up gifting of related items. I do recognize in myself that social interactions are more draining than in the past, and I have to kind of push myself to engage, despite intellectually believing that it's important to have healthy social networks.
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caangel
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,734
Location: So Cal
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Routines
Jul 30, 2024 18:41:40 GMT
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Post by caangel on Jul 30, 2024 18:41:40 GMT
My BN is almost all porch pick up so no socializing at all! Highly recommend, plus easier scheduling.
If you like to read I'd recommend a dedicated EReader (kindle Paperwhite or Oasis, NOT kindle Fire which is basically a tablet). Not having other apps and web surfing helps me read more than on my phone.
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