Anyone else find it hard to make the time for personal admin??

[Youngatheart00]

I need to make a doctors appt for something non urgent

I’m overdue a smear test, an opticians check up, and a dental appt.

I know I should change my utility providers to either a more cost effective supplier and/or greener if not both

I need to consolidate various pension pots

The working week and life in general is just so hectic. I seem to have only 2 modes - always on and super productive (work gets 90% of that but also caring for others comes into it, although I don’t have DC due to fertility problems), or utterly spent where all I can do is lie on the sofa or in bed.

I’ve gained so much weight over the past couple of years as I don’t look after myself. My BMI is now clinically obese. But again, I can’t find the time or more correctly the energy to invest in myself.

All of this has got worse in covid times.

Any advice for getting out of this rut?

I wish I knew.

I know that action begets action, so do one small thing, makes it easier to do the next thing, and so on rather than thinking about the whole to do list when you wake up on a Saturday morning. But it is hard.

Choose one thing and do it, you'll feel better once you've started

Don't overwhelm yourself with thinking about all the things, pick them off steadily one by one

I have an admin task I've failed about with for a few weeks now. I've tasked myself with doing it tonight, no more putting it off

How funny, @Palavah, we were typing exactly the same advice at the same time

Must be good!

Please put yourself first. If you are unwell, you cannot care for others. Prioritise your health

I do know that logically. But it’s so bloody hard to access a GP appt, I just dont have 45 mins to spend on hold

Oh yes. Times a million. And the fecking list of shit to do just sits in your brain getting longer. And it's like a leaky boat that you have to keep on bailing faster than it fills if you can, but if you stop for a rest it just fills up more...
I get easily put off too. If I have an afternoon off and think right, admin time and hit the wall of slow internet; sorry no covid vaccine slots are available please try later; "To proceed you will need: - (a list of feckin bits of paper that I don't have, are out of date or lost); sorry x who handles your case is on holiday this week; forgot your username and password? we have emailed you a link. We have texted you a code. This will expire in 6.5 seconds. field not filled in What country do you live in? (Scroll past Albania, Angola, Azerbaijan all the way to U). Session has timed out I think FUCK IT ALL and retreat to the sofa and mumsnet.

I've read that you should only have a things to do list of three things and you prioritise so the most important is at the top and you don't move to the next until you have that one completed.

I don't follow this, I have about 12 things on an admin list today and I've achieved none of them

I keep a list which I add to the bottom of, then I try and tick one thing off each day. I do find it hard though because I have home admin as we have 2 DS, but also I look after my Mum and do all her admin too. Which is more difficult than my own!

PS is there any kind of data protection super override "fuck it, I'll chance it" box I can tick or pill I can take to say yes to all cookies on every website I will ever visit, tick every box to pretend I read all the terms and conditions of everything now and forever and change my password to the same one (3 letters, no caps, no numbers or symbols) and autofill it for everything for evermore. I know that's so dangerous, my account will be emptied and I'll be arrested for my identity being used to run and international crime empire or something but...fuck it.

@Youngatheart00

I do know that logically. But it’s so bloody hard to access a GP appt, I just dont have 45 mins to spend on hold

OK, so that's not the one you choose

Come on, grown up pants on, type one here for accountability then go and do it

Please put yourself first. If you are unwell, you cannot care for others. Prioritise your health

I think this is at the core of it.

I'm absolutely drained and have been for some time. Single parent to 3, busy job, no real support.

Overwhelmed with so much admin tasks from big (legal stuff) to small (order new socks for kids as we appear to have none).

I manage to get something done each day. But the list grows faster than I can do things & the 'doing' just drains me.

I am really exhausted atm, perimenopause is destroying my sleep. (GP appt Thursday to at least start the conversation about this).

The biggest regret I have right now is I have no decent time with my kids, who are growing up so fast. I am always rushing, worrying & stressed, and lately, an emotional basket case who cries & rages alternately. (Hence: GP).

Make a list, keep said list where it can be found, and chip away at it. I multitask e.g. put phone on loud speaker while doing dishes while on hold etc.

Phone at 11 or 4 when places are quieter.

Switching utilities takes 20 mins on one of the price comparison sites.

Book some time in for yourself.

Maybe you need to take a day or half day off to make some headway? Medical leave?

Yeah one job at a time.

@powershowerforanhour 😂😂😂. You made me laugh aloud. I needed it. Thank you 💐

One thing at a time is basic but very good advice. I think I tend to get overwhelmed. It hasn’t always been this way. I think I need a holiday!!!

I am better at getting that stuff done once I've done some exercise. I am sort of turbo charged afterwards.

@Irishterrier I saw something on Instagram recently that said : Right, so exercise will give me energy, but I need energy to exercise. Sounds like a pyramid scheme to me 🤣

Start with the simple things- phone calls for appointments on your list perhaps?