Back to full time work - how can I make life easier?

[SparklyLogic]

I had to give up work during the pandemic to care for elderly parents, have worked a couple of p/t casual/freelance jobs for the last year.

I’ve been offered a full time job this week to start in September. Will also be keeping on some of my current work so will be working between 43 and 50 hours a week.

I’m really anxious about being able to organise my time so I’m not stressed about housework/life admin and have enough energy to enjoy my time off.

Am perimenopausal and my executive function isn’t great. Did suspect ADHD but have since been diagnosed with PTSD which I’m having therapy for and feeling much better but managing such a huge change of lifestyle is still a really daunting prospect.

My sleep habits aren’t great and at the moment I’m having an afternoon nap most days - which I think is largely due to the heat so hopefully will sort itself out.

I’d be really grateful for any tips on how to make life easier when working full time and how to improve my everything levels! Would like to start establishing some good habits before I start.

TIA.

[SparklyLogic]

Energy levels…although everything levels is probably about right 🤣

[Sundaefraise]

Honestly, the most stand out helpful thing if you can afford it is to get a cleaner.

[swanling]

How long are you planning to work 43-50 hours per week for? Because that's a lot. Especially if you have crap sleep due to PTSD.

In terms of good habits, dropping the naps will be important (albeit probably uncomfortable to force yourself to stay awake at first).

What's your diet like? That can affect energy. Also, are you drinking enough water? You might be surprised how tired chronic dehydration can make you.

Will the job be regular hours? Do you have regular fun/relaxing activities in your week? If not, have a think about what you can add in to give you some decompression time from the job.

Probably plan to be tired and not doing much in your first month or so. It can be a shock to the system.

This would be daunting for anyone, so don't be too hard on yourself for feeling apprehensive.

[LoisPrice]

get a good 7 meals you can either bang out in 10/15 minutes, put in the slow cooker (slow cooker dump bags) or pop in the oven and reheat if batch cooked meal prep.

Online shopping with a regular delivery slot, or click and collect

Do 20 minutes of cleaning a day, Monday hoovering, Tuesday clean bathroom, Wednesday dust, Thursday clean kitchen, Friday laundry etc - don't leave it all until the weekend - or get a cleaner

[Cynderella]

Get up reasonably early at the same time every day for a couple of weeks. Then gradually move back to the getting up time you will need in Sept.

If you have room, buy in bulk things like cleaning products, loo rolls, toiletries, pet food etc and order a month (or more) at the end of every month. Amazon Subscribe and Save can work well for some items.

Think of snack/quick meal food you can buy in for days when cooking is too much - or batch cook and freeze meals you can get on the table in twenty mins. We always have a couple of packs of tortellini and some sundried tomato paste.

[SparklyLogic]

Thanks all!

Already do my grocery shop online and planning to batch cook. DD is off to uni a couple of weeks in so after that it will only be me and the cats.

No chance of affording a cleaner sadly, so am going to try and have a massive declutter over the next few weeks.

@swanling will see how it goes. One of the jobs is one evening a week and every other Saturday at the same place as the F/T job. It’s actually just a case of opening and locking up and being on hand if needed so not too taxing and casual so very easy to tweak if needed and they’ve said they’re happy to do that. Second job will be on an ad hoc freelance basis potentially…details yet to be ironed out. What I’ll try and do is is slot that in while I’m at the casual job (which is also fine).

@LoisPrice a bit each day is a good idea. I’ll be starting at 9 and it’s 5 minutes drive or about 20 minutes walk from home so should be manageable. Just need to sort out my levels of self-discipline.

[Viviennemary]

Only think that will make a difference is household help. Like cleaner to clean and also to deal with your laundry - ironing and so on.

[SparklyLogic]

@Cynderella

I love to cook from scratch but that definitely won’t be on the agenda as much.

I'm thinking I’ll do a monthly batch cook for 3 or 4 meals a week and get in filled pasta, pizza and a couple of decent ready meals for the rest.

Will have to try and come up with some easy lunch options too.

[SparklyLogic]

@Viviennemary

Only think that will make a difference is household help. Like cleaner to clean and also to deal with your laundry - ironing and so on.

Haha! The only thing I iron is fat quarters for quilting!

I will probably take advantage of my mums tumble drier though.

[CatchCatchThePigeon]

Yes cut the nap now if you can

Do you need to factor in a commute?

I would also get stuff like dentist/haircut E.g out the way. It's a lot less stressful doing those appointments without a full time job.

Once you're back at it, you'll look back and wonder how you wasted all that time you had when you weren't working full time

[3BSHKATS]

Well I doff my cap to you because I’ve just given up full-time work after a very short period of time, it was too hard.

What made it easier planning five outfits ahead have in them washed ironed and hung on the wardrobe or in the wardrobe ready to go in the morning each day. I bought lunch out so I didn’t have to worry too much about lunch or dinner because that would do me most days.
But I bought five of those glass jar things and made overnight oats with frozen fruit, kept in the fridge that I literally shuffled down myself whilst driving to work, finishing at my desk if necessary.
I also keep healthy snacks in the car. Protein bars etc so that I don’t get out of work. Absolutely starving and get home and sit and stuff my face before dinner is cooked.
Talking of dinner.
Sundays, I do I cook off.
Chilli, spag bol, soups, curry etc so that the foods ready more or less when I get in

[SparklyLogic]

@3BSHKATS I was hoping I wouldn’t have to go back to full time but between CoL and losing universal credit, child benefit, minimum income floor and maintenance from XH I’ll be £800 a month down come September so not a lot of choice.

The new job will cover all the essentials but if I’m working f/t I want some extra to enjoy my limited downtime!