New back pat list of what we managed to do today however small

[notagiraffe]

Used to have a thread like this and it died out.
This is for people struggling, either because of depression or AD side effects, to be very productive. Let's pat ourselves on the back for what we did manage to do, not what we didn't.

Today I worked at a food bank for two hours. Very busy.
Planned a lesson.
Will teach for two hours this evening.
Cooked healthy tea for family.
Tidied kitchen and put a wash on.

That's it really. Intended to go into town to run errands this afternoon but was too tired. Not a lot but not quite nothing either...

Anyone else?

[MountainDweller]

Ooh I would love to join in. Really struggling at the moment.

Well done giraffe... Big pat on back from me

Today was a reasonable day.
Emptied dishwasher and cleaned gunk out of filter
Put drops in my eyes (important and am bad at doing it)
Went to physio appointment and went in therapy pool
Did small bit of shopping
Watched tennis
Cooked nice dinner
Put more drops in eyes

[notagiraffe]

Hi Mountain
Thanks for joining in. Back pat for today - especially remembering the drops for eyes. Taking care of small health issues when fighting depression is hard. As is remembering to do anything twice in one day!
Watching tennis is fine. Doing something easy and fun is always fine.

[cutefluffyunicorn]

morning all , can I join you?
day off work today and am resisting the urge to return to bed!
so far I have:
got dc to school dressed in red , white and blue for queens bday picnic!
loaded and put on dishwasher
wiped down kitchen surfaces, table and hob
put on load of washing
cleaned downstairs toilet

I have to take dd1 to school for an exam at 11.00, then need to go do a big food shop.

may read my book for a bit now till I find the motivation to tackle the upstairs bathroom!

[cutefluffyunicorn]

meant to say, sorry, mountain and giraffe sounds like you both achieved a lot yesterday. well done.

[MerryMarigold]

This is such a good idea. Thanks giraffe.

Today so far I have been to coffee at friend's after school drop off (spontaneous, and nice to talk to people and be in company. I can go weeks sometimes without socialising at all).
Took money into school for Father's Day stall. (Struggling not to beat myself up that I forgot to give it to the kids this morning and had to annoy office, but anyway, they have it now, albeit late)
Put washing on before school which is now ready to hang out and put another wash in (need to make the most of this weather)

My voluntary work haven't been in touch this week which is nice so I am hoping they don't need me! I don't know how you guys who work can manage, am in a bit of awe. I was doing 2 half days a week and was totally shattered. Well done!

[SteelyPip]

Everyone seems to be doing brilliantly yesterday & today. It's so hard sometimes isn't it. Sending a big pat to giraffe, Mountain, Unicorn and Marigold.

I emptied the dishwasher and have cooked tea for tonight. I pulled up a few weeds as I walked up the drive this morning. It doesn't sound a lot does it, but I'm pleased.

[Straightjacketneeded]

Can I join you ladies, really struggling at the moment. Managed to get my DD to school this morning
Got Father's Day cards from the card shop.
Gave DS breakfast.
Fed dog
Put washing in
Tidied the living room.
I'm now Mnetting while DS sleeps as he didnt go to sleep until 12 last night because he's full of a cold :-(

[notagiraffe]

Hello Straight, Steely, Marigold, and Unicorn Welcome to back pat chat.

Back pats all round! Steely, I really believe it's those tiny actions, like bothering to pull up a few weeds instead of ignoring them, that makes the biggest difference. Does to me anyway as it sneaks past the CBA attitude.

[MerryMarigold]

Thanks for advice Giraffe. I cleaned the sink, taps and toilet thoroughly. I left hovering, mopping and shower. It's so much more realistic that way. I've started tidying up a bit. Dh is really stressed about what a mess the house is in, so I thought if I can just make the living room nice (full of clean laundry currently and other bits and bobs, mostly kids stuff), so started folding and putting away.

[notagiraffe]

Good for you Merry. It's true the stress levels drop when the house is clean and tidy.

Today I:
Had a long bath and washed hair instead of a 5 min shower. Lovely way to start the day.
Put on a wash and dried it.
Went to town - to bank, chemist, shops
Took DS1 to hospital appointment
Chemist again to pick up what he needed post op.
Did 25 squats, 40 side bends, 40 side lunges.

That's it. Tired today. Not much at all. Going into town exhausts me as do hospitals. DH is cooking tonight so I'll clear up after him, put away a basket of laundry (one of three!) and clear the top of my chest of drawers in the bedroom which has become dumping ground for the weirdest collection of stuff. Then watch Wallander.

[OhHolyFuck]

Today I took ds1 to school (on time - bonus!), went to the bank, went to the doctors to pick up a prescription and the chemist to cash it, the council offices to get some forms, picked ds1 back up and asked the summer scheme leader to fill in a form I need
Fed the kids and now getting them to bed, then early night for me

Am fecked now, funny how I used to do all sorts without breaking a sweat but these days it's so much work

Well done everyone

[notagiraffe]

Hi Holy. Welcome.
Same here. Wish I had loads of energy. I'm trying to research how to get it back, but keep finding loads of websites that swear by their own brand of vitamin pills. I want a proper study on low energy and how to increase it. Has anyone found one?

[MountainDweller]

Hello all! Nice to see lots more of us here.

Today I showered and washed hair
Paid some bills online
Visited a friend for tea and helped her with her CV
Watered the (only slightly wilting) pots on the terrace and did a little deadheading
Made dinner
Put eye drops in x2.... Two days running, yay! they are horrible stingy immunosuppressant ones so it's a big achievement!)

[AGnu]

I love this thread! You all seem much more productive than me though, & I'm in a good phase right now! Today I fed the DC, twice(!) & took them shopping with me. A couple of years ago just leaving the house without DH was practically inconceivable. DH had this afternoon off so he cooked dinner. We did bedtime together. Yesterday I did bedtime all by myself & it was the first time in ages that they'd gone to sleep in the same room. I was smug!

[AGnu]

About the low energy, I've found vitamin D spray really seems to help. I didn't notice the difference until I'd forgotten to buy a new one when it ran out & so hadn't taken it for well over a month. I started getting more frequent down days & remembered why I'd been taking it in the first place. Since I've started it again it took a few weeks to see much difference but I rarely have more than the odd few hours of down-ness at any one time & even those episodes are few & far between. It gives me enough of a boost that I can consider getting dressed/leaving the house which helps even more. I definitely credit vit. D with kickstarting my upward spiral! I use this one.

[notagiraffe]

Morning Mountain Nice to see you back. Back pat for two lots of eye drops. It's keeping healthy routines going that's the hardest thing I find.

Welcome AGnu. "You all seem more productive than me.' I promise you this is the least competitive thread you can find on the internet. We pat each other on the back for getting out of bed if we didn't manage it the day before. You left the house with DC and took them shopping. That's brilliant. You couldn't do it a while ago. Big back pat for that.

[notagiraffe]

AGnu - Thank You I've been looking for ages for a good Vit D recommendation. Off to get it.

I forced myself to fold laundry and put it away before bed. First time in a long time I've forced myself to do anything I don't want to do other than shower and dress. Feels like a break through.

Didn't manage the planned hour in a cafe with journal or to clear the top of my chest of drawers. But did write DS's sick note the night before, did DS2's physio with him and cleaned kitchen after dinner. And had no wine. Trying to get into a health kick too.

My biggest goal is to get back some physical energy. Enough to last for a whole day every day without collapsing.

[MerryMarigold]

I did have a productive day today and enjoyed looking at the toilet today , all sparkling. I also hoovered boys' room properly ie. moving beds and doing behind them. I don't think that has been done for nearly 6 months, so it was pretty dire (also we have wooden floors, so nowhere for the dust to be absorbed). I mopped their bedroom floor, also not done for 6 months. Took kids to park after school, but was then shattered. Totally. I spent the rest of the evening being v irritable with them, and then got really upset when dh told the kids he hadn't got me a present for my birthday today (actually he had, but I believed him and made me very angry/ sad). I went to bed at 8.45 with dd.

I'm definitely up for energy boosts. I find if I reduce my gluten/ sugar/ caffeine and aim for 6-10 fruit/ veg a day it helps. I did a detox once, started having green smoothies once a day and it made a huge difference. I need to find some decent salad recipes I think. This is a good time of year to start a health boost. I've definitely lacked the motivation but if we're here cheering each other then maybe I can do it.

[MerryMarigold]

Ooops, I meant I had a productive day yesterday.

Today:

• Prepped a skype English lesson
• Did Skype English lesson
• Drove to hairdresser and got a nice haircut - yippee
• Cooked a healthy-ish lunch

That looks good written down. I'm trying not to beat myself up about shouting at the kids yesterday.

[cutefluffyunicorn]

hello all.
Agnu I had started taking vit D but then stopped...must start again
Giraffe I HATE sorting and putting away lanudry, well done you!
Merry - well done on hairdressers, but it made you feel better.

I did ok yesterday - even managed to deadhead my roses after work, and put some washing away (usually can do NOTHING after work)
This afternoon I finished work early and made myself take the dogs for a longer than usual play in the park near dc school. They had a fab time and I was feeling very proud of myself until just before we left to get dc form school, poor ddog 1 got attacked by another dog The owner was stood the other side of the field totally ignoring her dog while ddog 1 was happily playing with the ball with me and our other 2 ddogs. Her dog ran over and tried to grab the ball out her mouth. DDog 1 growled - to warn him off- but then he just set upon her. Stupid owner came over and managed to pull her dog off and then said "no way did he start that" cue a bit of an argument. then we left the park whilst her other dog followed us all the the way back to our car with her trotting along after him calling him with no effect! The whole thing has really upset me and poor ddog 1 is looking quite sorry for herself (though not seriously injured thankfully) I will now end up dwelling on this for ages and over thinking the whole thing and feeling crap....ho hum
Going to sort tea then hopefully can do maybe one little thing before bed.
Sorry for the moan!

[cutefluffyunicorn]

merry don't beat yourself up for shouting.It's not the end of the world and yesterday has been and gone.

[OhHolyFuck]

Not really got much done today other than get ds1 to school and back (in the middle of lashing rain!) and feed everybody
Getting a puppy mid-July, partly to force me out and to do things, stop me being in my own head and making excuses, you know?
Debating ordering dessert takeaway too, trying to eat well but then I get so tired I crave sugar

Sorry to hear of your poor dog unicorn

[cutefluffyunicorn]

holy yay re puppy - dont let my disastrous doggy day put you off! HAVING to go out with the dogs has been very good for me, and I always (well nearly always!) come back feeling better once I've taken them out!

[notagiraffe]

unicorn - sorry about your dog. Hope they're OK and that you don't have to dwell on it. I am so impressed by deda heading roses. That's the sort of job I see as a sign of being on top of things. Pottering in the garden after work, doing a bit of weeding/deadheading instead of collapsing in front of TV or MN.

Merry - you sound on form. Hoovering under beds? and well done on hair cut.

Big back pats!

I had a phenomenally lazy day, after deciding to increase my energy but did:
shower
go for an hour's walk in the woods in the rain with a friend and dog
eat really healthily all day: loads of veg, water, no white flour or sugar except for two coffees and one glass of rose
write out a plan and spreadsheets for increasing energy - which took a couple of hours (happy to share if anyone else wants it)
work for two hours
grocery shop
Freecycle some massive items that clutter up our house, that have been snapped up so will be gone by weekend.
Hoping to do a bit more work tonight.

[notagiraffe]

Holy - we all have those days. But kids got to school and you fed them, so back pat for keeping up the mothering skills when you feel low.