[purpledaisy]

I slept all day. This is not good.

It is Wednesday.

This is the 7th week since I got fired.

I have a nice, long "to do list" of things that I should be doing to get more freelance clients to boost my business.

I have a messy house that needs to be cleaned and decluttered. I haven't run the vacuum on the carpets since August. I run the dishwasher and do laundry regularly, but that's it. No dusting. No picking up. Not much throwing away.

I'm taking my meds.

I just don't have the energy to do anything.

I did get dressed today but I didn't shower. I ran out to get breakfast from McDonald's, but that's it.

I have had zero interaction with humans today except for grown son saying "Bye" when he left for work.

I have not felt the touch of another human being since last Thursday (so that's one day shy of a week) and it will probably go longer.

[~Christina]

I'm sorry you are having a rough time. Do you have a T ? Meds can only go so far I think. My T has helped me just as much as the meds I feel. ( or maybe more)

I know I'm not able to give real in life hugs, But I am here and will always listen.

[hamster-bamster]

Doing the DW and laundry regularly is already a big achievement (in my book).

[Ladyzero]

Yes, ha, ask me when I last did ANYTHING !

[Clinte89]

Well try and force yourself to do one more thing per day pickup one day and do something else the other day jus try and make yourself do it. I know it's hard but it can be done, sorry your having such a rough go of it.

[üheksateist]

I don't know You, but I really think You should probably take it a little more easy - have 3 or 4 things (just as bullet points) in Your day list. A la "Have a shower, Eat, Vacuum 2 rooms, Make plans for the next day."
Little things You feel You can do and that would help You feel a bit more accomplished in the end of the day.
I hope You get better.

[purpledaisy]

The stuff on my "to do list" isn't stuff like take a shower, vacuum two rooms, etc.

It's stuff like:

* Upload 50 blog posts
* Fix the shopping cart on the website
* Write a series of autoresponders for the website
* Write the first newsletter to send out via email for the website
* Email 1,500 past customers to re-establish contact
* Create a schedule for the businses to follow each day, each week, each month
* Declutter the living room and family room
* Set up the living room as an office
* Back up the computer's hard drive (which takes 3 hours because there is so much on it)
* Send out invoices to December's customers to get paid
* Write thank you notes for Christmas gifts and to Christmas party hostesses
* Send out press releases for the February and March meetings for the nonprofit group that I'm on the board for
* Set up a survey online to send to the 60 people who attended the January meeting of the nonprofit group that I'm on the board for
* Email the 60 people who attended the January meeting
* Contact and schedule people to speak at monthly meetings for the rest of 2013 for the nonprofit group
* Scrub the dried dog crap out of the carpet
* Knock down the cobwebs that haven't been touched since August
* Scrub the kitchen sink and see if there is any stainless steel left under the goop and dried-on crap
* Do some laundry and quit wearing the 1 bra, 1 pair of socks, 1 pair of jeans, and 1 shirt that I've been wearing nearly day for the last 7 weeks

I suppose it is a wee bit overwhelming.

*

[hamster-bamster]

It is. Why does everything have to be on the HD? Why not use the cloud? At least going forward?

Also, "declutter living room" is too much. The general recommendation for bp people's TODO lists is to break big tasks down to chunks you can bite, one at a time. Decluttering is a big task that needs to be broken down.

[~Christina]

Okay that list is insane. How about tomorrow you just do this ...

Get up, take a shower.
Sit at your computer and just clean up what you can reach, just what you can reach while sitting.
Take a 15 minute walk outside , slow or fast doesn't matter.
Eat one thing that is healthy.

That is plenty for one day right now.

[BlackPup]

Start small break your tasks up into small do-able portions - clean up one table or shelf or pile of things, email 5 people, upload 5 blogs... then allocate 1 maybe 2 work things and 1 or 2 home things to do for tomorrow. Anything that you get done is better than nothing. Also check in with your T and pdoc. Maybe a med adjustment is required.

[Victoria'smom]

Write 1 thank-you letter.
Ask son to:
* Scrub the dried dog crap out of the carpet
* Knock down the cobwebs that haven't been touched since August
* Scrub the kitchen sink and see if there is any stainless steel left under the goop and dried-on crap
and if he wouldn't mind a load of your laundry.

Put a morning check list on your bathroom mirror.

[hamster-bamster]

I cannot remember the name of that Japanese system of project management now. But according to it, the working list of tasks should contain three tasks and no more. When done, move three more from the repository of tasks and work on them.

[purpledaisy]

Yesterday I did not allow myself to take a nap.

I got out of the house. Ran a few errands. Enjoyed listening to a motivational CD while driving. Stopped and looked at a new gym less than 5 minutes from my house (only $20 per month -- might join).

Stopped at two coffee shops with wi-fi at different times of the day to check in with clients and see if there was any work to be done. Took care of the work and played online before making myself get out and about again.

I was away from the house from noon until about 7:00 p.m.

That's good because I wasn't sitting in the clutter thinking about what I "should" be doing and feeling bad about it.

That's bad because I wasn't sitting in one spot, focused on something.

Thanks for all of the advice about breaking the "to do list" into smaller chunks.

I guess part of my problem is looking at the master to do list and not being able to move stuff over to a smaller list. I'm seeing the whole big list and it seems like I'll never get it done.

Meanwhile, there are smaller bites that I should be taking in order to bring in more business, and it's like I am a rebellious teenager, telling myself I just won't do it.

what I would give to be able to sleep all day

[hamster-bamster]

Purple Daisy, I think you had a good day. You accomplished a lot, got out of the house, mingled with people in coffee shops, however superficial it was, but still, and even checked out an affordable gym close by. That is a lot done!

And here is the name of that Japanese system I mentioned earlier:

Kanban - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KanbanKanban (かんばん(看板)) (literally signboard or billboard) is a scheduling system for lean and just-in-time (JIT) production. According to its creator, Taiichi Ohno, ...

[unaluna]

At least you've been wearing a bra...

[purpledaisy]

Today my alarm went off, I set the timer for another hour, went back to sleep, the alarm went off, set the timer for another hour, laid there for a long time.

Got out of bed at about 10:00 a.m.

Got dressed.

Played on the computer a little. I'm addicted to Facebook.

Listened to a live webinar on a topic that will help me with marketing my business while re-doing my big "to do list."

Decided I would get some more things on my "to do list" done.

Packed up my computer thinking I would run some errands and then sit at another coffee shop.

Went to a pharmacy and got a flu shot.

Did a little shopping at Target and bought some things that I don't need and can't afford.

Sat in my car in the Target parking lot, trying to figure out what I should do next. I felt like going somewhere and doing something, but I have no one to do anything with and I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do. Movie? No. Go out to eat somewhere? No. I'm tired of going out to eat by myself.

So I drove around for about 45 minutes, and then decided I'd stop and get carry-out at a Mexican place, come home, and watch the DVDs that I bought at Target.

Realized I already have one season of the show that I bought, so I'll have to make a trip to return it.

Poured my wine and ate my Mexican food.

The only thing I got done on the "to do list" today was getting the flu shot.

So now I'm tired, lazy, and bored. My arm is a little sore.

Son and girlfriend will probably go out tonight (Friday night) and I probably won't see them.

[Victoria'smom]

Getting up, dressed and out of the house is a big accomplishment. Try to get 2 things done on your to do list tomorrow.

[~Christina]

You had 2 days where you got up and left your home ! That is a good thing. Try .. just try something for me .... Say out loud the positive things you do each day, don't focus on all the things you didn't do. That can make a huge difference!

[bluefish27]

Originally Posted by purpledaisy

I slept all day. This is not good.

It is Wednesday.

This is the 7th week since I got fired.

I have a nice, long "to do list" of things that I should be doing to get more freelance clients to boost my business.

I have a messy house that needs to be cleaned and decluttered. I haven't run the vacuum on the carpets since August. I run the dishwasher and do laundry regularly, but that's it. No dusting. No picking up. Not much throwing away.

I'm taking my meds.

I just don't have the energy to do anything.

I did get dressed today but I didn't shower. I ran out to get breakfast from McDonald's, but that's it.

I have had zero interaction with humans today except for grown son saying "Bye" when he left for work.

I have not felt the touch of another human being since last Thursday (so that's one day shy of a week) and it will probably go longer.

Hi, I am new here and came across your post. This is exactly what I struggle with. Everyone's replies were great ! Its so nice to see understanding and supportive people. Its hard for me when others around me do not understand functioning with even the basic things in life is really hard for me, then I feel like I am not good enough and I make these long lists of things I need to do to try and show I am a good wife, a good woman, etc etc...of course I get overwhelmed and none of it ever gets done and then those not good enough guilty feelings creep in even stronger! Thanks ladies for the good advice. At some point, we have to not worry so much if others approve of what we are doing or not doing and just take the steps we can, little by little one day at a time !