plant
06-16-2008, 06:51 AM
The worst for me is watching TV or getting online. I can stay up all night that way. Rarely do I feel like reading in bed, though it helps when only a little sleepy. When wide awake, I sometimes clean & clutterbust. At least I feel like I'm accomplishing something:angel:, as long as it doesn't wake neighbors. ;)
I take a big stack of papers, put it on the bed, and sort the papers into piles: Do, Read, File, Toss. I sort the stack quickly, then toss the Toss pile - a great feeling.
What do you do?
-plant
I take a big stack of papers, put it on the bed, and sort the papers into piles: Do, Read, File, Toss. I sort the stack quickly, then toss the Toss pile - a great feeling.
What do you do?
-plant
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bethsheba
06-17-2008, 11:27 PM
Oh, Plant, I do so wish I could clutterbust!!!! I don't currently have a problem falling asleep, but when I did (med side effect) I tended to do compulsive activities...puzzles, that sort of thing.
Unfortunately, when I don't sleep well, clutter quadruples at my house. Normally a neat freak, I can tell when my sleep is poor because dishes pile up, clothes are on the floor, and it takes me FOREVER to get anything done.
Sounds like you use your time well!
Bethsheba
Unfortunately, when I don't sleep well, clutter quadruples at my house. Normally a neat freak, I can tell when my sleep is poor because dishes pile up, clothes are on the floor, and it takes me FOREVER to get anything done.
Sounds like you use your time well!
Bethsheba
TexMom85
06-18-2008, 04:54 PM
Bethsheba,
Welcome to my world!! The clutter in my house gets worse and worse as my fatigue and ailments worsen. I consider it a major accomplishment to bathe. (And I'm sure my husband appreciates it lol)
I simply do not have the energy most days to tackle anything major, like cleaning or even grocery shopping. It makes it easy to get a bit down, but I try not to think that way.
When I do have those rare energy bursts, I clean to the best of my abilities, but it's short-lived.
Funny!
Tex
Welcome to my world!! The clutter in my house gets worse and worse as my fatigue and ailments worsen. I consider it a major accomplishment to bathe. (And I'm sure my husband appreciates it lol)
I simply do not have the energy most days to tackle anything major, like cleaning or even grocery shopping. It makes it easy to get a bit down, but I try not to think that way.
When I do have those rare energy bursts, I clean to the best of my abilities, but it's short-lived.
Funny!
Tex
bethsheba
06-20-2008, 08:45 PM
Tex,
It is somewhat comforting to know you and others understand. I just remember a friend dropping in unexpectedly, and visually assessing my home. She didn't have to say a thing as I knew exactly what she was thinking. It's a difficult thing to explain to someone who gets quality sleep!
...The clutter in my house gets worse and worse as my fatigue and ailments worsen. I consider it a major accomplishment to bathe. ...
I remember when it was a major accomplishment to bathe...I would shower, wrap my hair and my body in a towel and lay down for a 1-2 hour nap before getting up to dry myself off and to dress....this immediately after getting up in the am...My cure was simple once I found it...3 years later. Med side effect....so I stopped taking the med! You've got a complex med hx that you're dealing with but I do hope, that you, too, will find your cure!!!
...I simply do not have the energy most days to tackle anything major, like cleaning or even grocery shopping. It makes it easy to get a bit down, but I try not to think that way.
Entirely understandable!! Priorities change rapidly. I got to the point where I mentally had a list of things that I could do when I was braindead or tired, and things that I could do when somewhat alert. It took me awhile to get to that point, but it was better than the all or nothing thinking I was used to engaging in. I learned to be happy having a clean sink, versus a clean kitchen and a clean house. Do you have any suggestions for coping when mentally or physically exhausted? I ask because I still have days like that and I have so much to do.
Bethsheba
It is somewhat comforting to know you and others understand. I just remember a friend dropping in unexpectedly, and visually assessing my home. She didn't have to say a thing as I knew exactly what she was thinking. It's a difficult thing to explain to someone who gets quality sleep!
...The clutter in my house gets worse and worse as my fatigue and ailments worsen. I consider it a major accomplishment to bathe. ...
I remember when it was a major accomplishment to bathe...I would shower, wrap my hair and my body in a towel and lay down for a 1-2 hour nap before getting up to dry myself off and to dress....this immediately after getting up in the am...My cure was simple once I found it...3 years later. Med side effect....so I stopped taking the med! You've got a complex med hx that you're dealing with but I do hope, that you, too, will find your cure!!!
...I simply do not have the energy most days to tackle anything major, like cleaning or even grocery shopping. It makes it easy to get a bit down, but I try not to think that way.
Entirely understandable!! Priorities change rapidly. I got to the point where I mentally had a list of things that I could do when I was braindead or tired, and things that I could do when somewhat alert. It took me awhile to get to that point, but it was better than the all or nothing thinking I was used to engaging in. I learned to be happy having a clean sink, versus a clean kitchen and a clean house. Do you have any suggestions for coping when mentally or physically exhausted? I ask because I still have days like that and I have so much to do.
Bethsheba
TexMom85
06-21-2008, 01:13 AM
Bethsheba,
I've gotten a lot better at coping with the exhaustion and stress of sleep issues. The biggest factor that helped me was leaving corporate America. It's not that I didn't like my job (well, actually I hated the last one); I'd enjoyed my career for 25 years and worked while raising my daughter. It was ironic to her that I quit working after she graduated from high school. But I know that the stress of corporate politics, commuting, worrying about getting up in time for a meeting, etc., was contributing to my sleep issues. Now, unless I have an occasional appointment with a doctor in the morning, I don't have to worry about getting up and that has helped me a great deal. Not all the time, but at least on those really bad nights, I comfort myself with the thought that nobody is relying on me being anywhere at any time the next morning.
Up until recently, my husband was working out of town all week. This was both a good thing and a bad thing. The good was, I didn't really feel compelled to clean the house until later in the week. I also settled for eating cereal for dinner instead of cooking for him. And, I rarely did my hair or makeup, unless I was feeling a burst of energy or was going out for a dr appointment or to the grocery store.
The bad was, there was no one else to take care of my pets (a dog and three cats). I had to make sure they were fed, dog out, cat box cleaned, etc. Had to drag myself to the mailbox every day, take the trash out myself and go to the store by myself. Also, if I was having a very bad night, there was no one else in the house to comfort me. Or if there were bad storms, no one else to keep an ear open for tornado sirens, keep the candles ready or herd the animals into the bathroom (with a can of tuna and dog treats). It is a lonely feeling.
God had blessed me in so many ways, though. We had new neighbors move in on both sides of us, and while they are younger than me and still raising their kids, they aren't into keeping "House Beautiful" and are down-to-earth, with their priorities on their families instead of showing off their homes. I have become especially close with one of the gals, and she and her family check on me often, careful not to call too early, inviting me to dinner or sending one of the kids over with a plate of whatever she's made. I can go over there and just hang out, without being too energetic, and they all understand. My greatest blessing is an understanding, compassionate husband who truly cares much more about my health than the clutter and dustbunnies accumulating. His only fault is that he can fall sleep sitting up and sometimes his eyes will close while I'm talking to him....aurgh!!
I try to make the most of the days when I've had a good night's sleep and am not feeling too much pain...those are the days I jump on the laundry, go through the piles of mail and maybe even vacuum. Since I've been battling tendonitis in my dominant arm, there hasn't been much vacuuming lately, and it's even difficult to do the dishes. But, since hubby is working locally now, he gets a workout on the weekends. (Honey-do list is getting longer!)
Some days I just try to push through the fatigue, but years of doing that helped get me to where I am now, so I try not to do it very often. I would recommend a good vitamin, but for me personally, they interfere with my sleep...bummer. I've worked out 3 times in the past MONTH....not too good. But the sleep thing is just so intrusive into your daily routine, not to mention my pain issues (I post often on the Pain Management boards...)
So, make the most of your good days, and cut yourself a break on the others. Remember your health is the most important thing. If someone really cares about how clean your house is, then I'd be spending less time with him/her. Kick 'em to the curb, if you have the energy!:)
Blessings to you, my friend!
Tex
I've gotten a lot better at coping with the exhaustion and stress of sleep issues. The biggest factor that helped me was leaving corporate America. It's not that I didn't like my job (well, actually I hated the last one); I'd enjoyed my career for 25 years and worked while raising my daughter. It was ironic to her that I quit working after she graduated from high school. But I know that the stress of corporate politics, commuting, worrying about getting up in time for a meeting, etc., was contributing to my sleep issues. Now, unless I have an occasional appointment with a doctor in the morning, I don't have to worry about getting up and that has helped me a great deal. Not all the time, but at least on those really bad nights, I comfort myself with the thought that nobody is relying on me being anywhere at any time the next morning.
Up until recently, my husband was working out of town all week. This was both a good thing and a bad thing. The good was, I didn't really feel compelled to clean the house until later in the week. I also settled for eating cereal for dinner instead of cooking for him. And, I rarely did my hair or makeup, unless I was feeling a burst of energy or was going out for a dr appointment or to the grocery store.
The bad was, there was no one else to take care of my pets (a dog and three cats). I had to make sure they were fed, dog out, cat box cleaned, etc. Had to drag myself to the mailbox every day, take the trash out myself and go to the store by myself. Also, if I was having a very bad night, there was no one else in the house to comfort me. Or if there were bad storms, no one else to keep an ear open for tornado sirens, keep the candles ready or herd the animals into the bathroom (with a can of tuna and dog treats). It is a lonely feeling.
God had blessed me in so many ways, though. We had new neighbors move in on both sides of us, and while they are younger than me and still raising their kids, they aren't into keeping "House Beautiful" and are down-to-earth, with their priorities on their families instead of showing off their homes. I have become especially close with one of the gals, and she and her family check on me often, careful not to call too early, inviting me to dinner or sending one of the kids over with a plate of whatever she's made. I can go over there and just hang out, without being too energetic, and they all understand. My greatest blessing is an understanding, compassionate husband who truly cares much more about my health than the clutter and dustbunnies accumulating. His only fault is that he can fall sleep sitting up and sometimes his eyes will close while I'm talking to him....aurgh!!
I try to make the most of the days when I've had a good night's sleep and am not feeling too much pain...those are the days I jump on the laundry, go through the piles of mail and maybe even vacuum. Since I've been battling tendonitis in my dominant arm, there hasn't been much vacuuming lately, and it's even difficult to do the dishes. But, since hubby is working locally now, he gets a workout on the weekends. (Honey-do list is getting longer!)
Some days I just try to push through the fatigue, but years of doing that helped get me to where I am now, so I try not to do it very often. I would recommend a good vitamin, but for me personally, they interfere with my sleep...bummer. I've worked out 3 times in the past MONTH....not too good. But the sleep thing is just so intrusive into your daily routine, not to mention my pain issues (I post often on the Pain Management boards...)
So, make the most of your good days, and cut yourself a break on the others. Remember your health is the most important thing. If someone really cares about how clean your house is, then I'd be spending less time with him/her. Kick 'em to the curb, if you have the energy!:)
Blessings to you, my friend!
Tex
plant
06-29-2008, 12:53 PM
Tex,
It took me awhile to get to that point, but it was better than the all or nothing thinking I was used to engaging in. I learned to be happy having a clean sink, versus a clean kitchen and a clean house. Do you have any suggestions for coping when mentally or physically exhausted? I ask because I still have days like that and I have so much to do.
Bethsheba
If someone wants to visually assess the home of a person with an illness or sleep disorder, it should be regarding *where* to offer to help first :)
Regarding coping, I think your strategy of being happy with a clean sink is terrific!
Also, as someone who is not very inclined to clean, doing a daily two-minute cleaning (or as often as I can) has been a good way to go, at least for me. (And I don't do this daily.)
I have strength to do more, however, so our situations are different, so perhaps strategies for us would be different.
I keep a cleaning caddy under the bathroom sink filled with
--clean, folded bar towels or diapers (not ratty rags)
--a spray bottle with water and a little white vinegar,
--a scrub sponge,
--Bon Ami, and
--an old toothbrush.
Every day, I try to pick one spot in my apartment that is bugging me the most, to clean, that will only take two minutes (because I balk at cleaning!)
For example, the bathroom mirrror. Or the sink and counter. Or sweeping the bathroom floor. Only 2 minutes per day. Then I use the spray bottle to spritz the minimum amount of liquid (or dry dust if no liquid is needed), then wipe with one side of the folded bar towel. The less liquid or Bon Ami used, the less wiping required, and the faster it goes. If I can get away with just dry dusting something, so much the better.
If I keep cleaning more than 2 minutes, I fold over the bar towel to a different part of it, as each part of the towel gets dirty. Then dry it and toss in with the wash. I use the minimum Bon Ami in the sink or tub, so it requires the least rinsing, and goes faster. It helps to have a big scouring bristle brush for the tub, with a large bristle head (they are tan, and sold at variety stores), so it takes the fewest sweeps of the tub and shower to clean it.
These ideas are from a book called Speed Cleaning. The method is based on motion efficiency. It's faster to carry a lightweight cleaning caddy, and just spritz and wipe with the same cloth, working one's way around a room, than to walk back and forth to rinse out a sponge in the sink--and it's a lot less tiring!
But I've modified the method to where I just pick one teensy item to clean per day, and do that. Eventually, everything gets done, surprisingly. And it's not intimidating, to do just one item. And by breaking it down to 2 minutes per day, it's more fun.
After just 2 minutes, something looks better and it cheers me.
Other examples are:
sweep a floor one day
mop it another (spritzing with the spray bottle, then wiping with a mop covered with a terry cloth cover that can be tossed in the wash - this mop is called a "Schmop")
vacuum one room
dust one or two pieces of furniture (whichever look dustiest:)
spritz and wipe the stove one day
do two burners the next day
and so on.
Perhaps this is what you already are doing:)
I hope this strategy is helpful and makes things manageable. Most important, as you already know, is being compassionate of yourself, as it sounds like you are going through so much, and to take good care. Your feeling better is what matters most.
Sincerely,
plant
It took me awhile to get to that point, but it was better than the all or nothing thinking I was used to engaging in. I learned to be happy having a clean sink, versus a clean kitchen and a clean house. Do you have any suggestions for coping when mentally or physically exhausted? I ask because I still have days like that and I have so much to do.
Bethsheba
If someone wants to visually assess the home of a person with an illness or sleep disorder, it should be regarding *where* to offer to help first :)
Regarding coping, I think your strategy of being happy with a clean sink is terrific!
Also, as someone who is not very inclined to clean, doing a daily two-minute cleaning (or as often as I can) has been a good way to go, at least for me. (And I don't do this daily.)
I have strength to do more, however, so our situations are different, so perhaps strategies for us would be different.
I keep a cleaning caddy under the bathroom sink filled with
--clean, folded bar towels or diapers (not ratty rags)
--a spray bottle with water and a little white vinegar,
--a scrub sponge,
--Bon Ami, and
--an old toothbrush.
Every day, I try to pick one spot in my apartment that is bugging me the most, to clean, that will only take two minutes (because I balk at cleaning!)
For example, the bathroom mirrror. Or the sink and counter. Or sweeping the bathroom floor. Only 2 minutes per day. Then I use the spray bottle to spritz the minimum amount of liquid (or dry dust if no liquid is needed), then wipe with one side of the folded bar towel. The less liquid or Bon Ami used, the less wiping required, and the faster it goes. If I can get away with just dry dusting something, so much the better.
If I keep cleaning more than 2 minutes, I fold over the bar towel to a different part of it, as each part of the towel gets dirty. Then dry it and toss in with the wash. I use the minimum Bon Ami in the sink or tub, so it requires the least rinsing, and goes faster. It helps to have a big scouring bristle brush for the tub, with a large bristle head (they are tan, and sold at variety stores), so it takes the fewest sweeps of the tub and shower to clean it.
These ideas are from a book called Speed Cleaning. The method is based on motion efficiency. It's faster to carry a lightweight cleaning caddy, and just spritz and wipe with the same cloth, working one's way around a room, than to walk back and forth to rinse out a sponge in the sink--and it's a lot less tiring!
But I've modified the method to where I just pick one teensy item to clean per day, and do that. Eventually, everything gets done, surprisingly. And it's not intimidating, to do just one item. And by breaking it down to 2 minutes per day, it's more fun.
After just 2 minutes, something looks better and it cheers me.
Other examples are:
sweep a floor one day
mop it another (spritzing with the spray bottle, then wiping with a mop covered with a terry cloth cover that can be tossed in the wash - this mop is called a "Schmop")
vacuum one room
dust one or two pieces of furniture (whichever look dustiest:)
spritz and wipe the stove one day
do two burners the next day
and so on.
Perhaps this is what you already are doing:)
I hope this strategy is helpful and makes things manageable. Most important, as you already know, is being compassionate of yourself, as it sounds like you are going through so much, and to take good care. Your feeling better is what matters most.
Sincerely,
plant
bethsheba
07-08-2008, 09:51 PM
...After just 2 minutes, something looks better and it cheers me.
I hope this strategy is helpful and makes things manageable. Most important, as you already know, is being compassionate of yourself, as it sounds like you are going through so much, and to take good care. Your feeling better is what matters most.
Sincerely,
plant
Dearest plant,
A much belated thank you for your reply! Although I read your post immediately, I have been bombarded with things to do which included helping some elderly relatives clean their homes...so I put your suggestions to good use right away. I had a little bit of a head start as I am going green in the cleaning department, :angel:, so the vinegar and water were right where they should have been.
The two minutes a day is a good place to start. I find that I want to do it all at once and then nothing gets done. And I think that no matter how tired one is, one can do "two minutes" here and "two minutes" there.
If I have the energy, I don't mind cleaning...except for those doggone cat boxes:D.
Take care, plant...and thanks again for all of those useful suggestions.
Oh, and I bought one of those mops...love it!!
Bethsheba
I hope this strategy is helpful and makes things manageable. Most important, as you already know, is being compassionate of yourself, as it sounds like you are going through so much, and to take good care. Your feeling better is what matters most.
Sincerely,
plant
Dearest plant,
A much belated thank you for your reply! Although I read your post immediately, I have been bombarded with things to do which included helping some elderly relatives clean their homes...so I put your suggestions to good use right away. I had a little bit of a head start as I am going green in the cleaning department, :angel:, so the vinegar and water were right where they should have been.
The two minutes a day is a good place to start. I find that I want to do it all at once and then nothing gets done. And I think that no matter how tired one is, one can do "two minutes" here and "two minutes" there.
If I have the energy, I don't mind cleaning...except for those doggone cat boxes:D.
Take care, plant...and thanks again for all of those useful suggestions.
Oh, and I bought one of those mops...love it!!
Bethsheba