Tiny ways to turn my life around

[Bemyclementine]

I'm feeling like pretty much every aspect aspect of my life is out of control atm. I kniw people say makes mall changes...can anyone help me with small,, ,(tiny) changes that have worked for you.

For context...
2 stone overweight
Tired. So bloody tired.(some medical issues too)
House is clean but so cluttered. Stuff
"Life admin " very behind with this
Personal - split ends, grey hairs, if I'm honest, just keeping on top of personal hygiene.
Go to bed too late
Once DC are in bed, i do mostly nothing.
Skint.

I can really relate to this @Bemyclementine ! One thing that I’ve found does work is 10/20’s, which basically means set a timer, do 10 minutes tackling a problem, then take a 20 minute break. 10 minutes is nothing, right? Then when the timer goes off, give yourself a break. If you can, repeat. Maybe some days you do a bit more than 10 minutes, or have a shorter break, but if you don’t, it’s fine, you’re still doing more than nothing.

A couple of little things that have helped me in the past with the life admin aspect:

1. Make use of the calendar/reminders on your phone. I set myself calendar entries for everything, whether that be appointments, plans with friends, even tasks I need to do like descale the baby’s steriliser every 2 weeks. I have an iPhone and use the calendar ‘widget’ I think it’s called so that the next few days of entries are showing at the top of my Home Screen all the time.
2. If something can be done inside 5 mins, do it there and then. An example is clearing rubbish out of the car when I park outside the house.
3. if you do your weekly grocery shop online, book your slot say on a Monday to be delivered the following weekend, add a few usuals to it so you can checkout and keep your slot, then add to it throughout the week as and when you realise what you need. For me this cuts down on buying unnecessary stuff.

Oh and one more thing especially in this world of post-pandemic backlogs everywhere - book your next dental/optician etc appointment each time you attend. And add it to your calendar straightaway so you don’t forget

Well, it's 10.30, I had a bath earlier. Sorted a few things for romorrow morning (kids clothes etc) watched half a film abd am I bed.

Taken 3 meds today as I should, but need to be better with iron snd also maybe a multi vitamin - I 45 soon and possibly menopausal so thinking of one specific to that.

Working tomorrow, so hoping the house stays tidy with us not being here most of the day.

I will put the clean bedding away tomorrow, drop the bag at a charity shop and sort the paddling pool out.

Well done @Bemyclementine
I hope you are feeling better! A little self care goes such a long way, but it's so hard to start when you are feeling down, or anxious, or overwhelmed
I took myself to the gp when i was same age as you, and just said I had no idea what was wrong but was shattered and breathless and foggy. A blood test proved such severe anaemia that i was close to needing a blood transfusion. Fortunately a 3 month course of prescribed iron sorted me out. I felt better within a couple of weeks.
It's definitely worth looking into!

@Solosunrise I am definitely anaemic, I'm also crap at taking the iron, it upsets my stomach so much. Also I've never really felt the benefit which doesn't help. I've put reminders in my phone for everything so will make sure I take it consistently.

I had a terrible night. Woke up feeling like it was the middle of the night with the dreaded tickly cough it was 12.30! I've been awake a lot in the night, but got up when my alarm went off. Really hope to see some positive effects ofvthis quickly!

It was glorious to go downstairs though, still a long way to go but such an improvement in the house from what I did yesterday.

I really love listening to audio books whilst I tidy/ clean/ do the garden. You can rent for free from your library usually, or you can find some free online, or a subscription like audible but that costs. Somehow makes the time go more quickly (think I'm enjoying the book so it feels more like 'down time' than doing chores) so I usually end up doing more than I'd planned. Or some good tunes if that's more your thing!

When I was in a very similar life position to you and equally knackered I used to go to bed basically right after the DC did. I’d put them to bed, go downstairs and tidy round (clear the floor, plump the sofa cushions, finish the washing up), go and have a shower/wash and get into bed and read. It’d be about 9pm! I never did anything in the evening anyway so I felt I might as well have been asleep as lying around feeling bad about not doing anything. Then I’d get up at 5.30 before the kids did and have an hour to drink coffee in peace (I even put a coffee machine in the corner of my bedroom so I didn’t have to go downstairs!) and I’d potter around sorting lunches, washing etc, but in peace and silence. Really worked well for me at that time.

If you're inconsistent with taking vitamins/medication then look at the Alarmy app. You cut a barcode off anything (eg. cereal box) and set that as the means to silence your alarm, then you stick the barcode inside the cupboard with your vitamins. You could even scan the barcode on the vitamin bottle itself.

Is there a Freecycle community where you are? You can get someone to collect your bags if so! Maybe also keep an eye out for free stuff in return

I’ve just gone back on iron tablets (deficient though, not anaemic). I mentioned to my doctor that last time I had them they made me constipated so she recommended I take them every other day with orange juice (for the vit c) or every two days if that was better. They’ll take longer to take effect but still better than not taking them at all because of the stomach issues.

I have also vastly increased the amount of fibre I’m eating and so far have had minimal issues.

Also don't drink tea (normal or decaf) with your meals as tannin has a significant negative effect on the absorbtion of iron, my midwife told me this.

@AtomicBlondeRose I do feel like I should fo that but I crave time alone after they go to bed. Its the main reason I'm up late really. I would love an hour of peace in the morning though!

Bit of an update, I'm doing well with taking all meds, vitamins etc. Also with earlier nights and earlier morning. I am SO tired. I am trying to eat properly (meals, with veg etc)rather than healthily at this stage. One step at a time.

But so bloody tired. And hone with the DC all week.

Great update. Sounds as if you're doing several small steps at once so well done. It's frustrating that there is a lag phase between starting to do the work and seeing the results. Keep it up.

Thank you. We had a day at home yesterday an it really highlighted the tiredness, so much worse when sitting around! I'm hoping to feel some positive effects after a couple of weeks. My mind feels better from starting though which is good.

I know yoga is a bit of a clichéd suggestion, but I always feel more energetic when I've done my Yoga With Adriene video. She does short 5-10 minute ones if you haven't much time.

Thanks for the suggestion , it's something I like the idea of, maybe when i have my current small changes ingrained.

Do yoga nidra in bed before going to sleep. In my experience it sends ne into a deep sleep and I wake up more rested next morning.

Well done OP. I’ve been wondering how you were getting on.

How did your weekend go OP?

Hi@Katyaadlerscoat thanks for checking in. It was ok. I'm keeping up with the meds, and earlier nights abd mornings, which is great . I havent been fully consistent with the vitamin/suplement as uts to be taken at dinner time with food so am not yet in the habit but it will cone I'm sure.

Very quickly realised that I have a long way to go abd the key is keeping on with snal adjustments.

I've been in the garden most evenings since I posted, even if one 10 minutes in the cooler air, filling bird baths, watering etc. Nothing major but a nice bit of pottering.

I have been off work abd am going back tomorrow, I am dreading this, I feel like I'm just managing life without work (barely) and will be adding a stressful job back into the mix.

Oh a d I've had a bath every day even if just a very shallow one to wash in, and a couple of times have just stood in the bath and washed all over then rinsed with a jug. Really need to book a haircut next.

I'm not sure where you are, but if you're living where the heatwave is this will take your energy, affect your sleep etc.

@Mums1234 yes we are def in heatwave territory. I may be menopausal/peri or else I just sweat q lot, I dont know. Its hard to have the energy to do anything tbh.