How to tell if you're sick: it's almost noon and you're still in your bathrobe.
Years ago, I tried the FlyLady method for getting, and keeping, my house clean. It worked at the time, mostly because I had nothing else really going on in my life so I had plenty of time to devote to reading her site, wading through the numerous emails, and building my own control book. I gave it up when my life got busier because all her suggestions, emails, and recommended tools began to feel like the clutter she recommended jettisoning from your life. This is not to say her method doesn't work; it did for me for a while and obviously does for a lot of people.
For those of you unfamiliar with FlyLady, her recommendation is to start each day by getting dressed - all the way to the shoes - first thing in the morning. That all-important first step to gaining control over the chaos in my life has not happened here for the last few days. This cold still has me in its grips and I know I'm not going anywhere. Why get clothes dirty when I can stay in my stinky comfy bathrobe all day? It's not like I'm going to be busting butt cleaning the house either; coughing fits yesterday were so severe they threatened to trigger the gag reflex and throwing up.
About a week ago, I cleared my schedule for the last half of November in the hopes of getting caught up on a lot of projects at home. The only outside commitments left were the weigh-in with my weight loss group and CSA volunteer work each week. My mother-in-law is coming for Thanksgiving which requires a bit of cleaning which I needed to do anyway. I had big plans to get a lot accomplished. Getting sick was not in the plans and has put quite a damper on getting anything done.
However, I am managing to accomplish a little bit. In the past few days, I've made progress on using up some tea that expired in August ("Throat Coat" from Traditional Medicinals). The steamer is getting quite a work-out and I've researched lots of recipes for the neti pot, including ones that use cayenne pepper. I'm training the dogs to lay on my feet to keep them warm. Before the cold really got established, I even got caught up with financial record-keeping that had been neglected for the past couple of months. The Thanksgiving menu is planned, making substitutions using what we'll get through the CSA share tomorrow. The shopping list is made and, thankfully, pretty short.
If I can force myself to take it easy today, I should be able to start Friday out right by getting cleaned up and dressed first thing in the morning. After all, this bathrobe really needs to be washed! That will leave me some time still to finish up the month strong. I might even manage to get the next 100 Days Challenge check-in post up in time for the 40 Day mark.
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14 comments:
I hope that you feel better soon!
Look after yourself there :)
We're in the middle of more work here and the insulation people are coming next Tuesday. Our lack of income means we get subsidized 50% - got to be some benefit to having zilch money! This year I will!!!! tile the new shower and get it finished whatever it takes :) Power of positive thinking here.
Hope you recover ok
viv in nz
> training the dogs to lay on my feet to keep them warm
This will be important when you move to Tennessee ...
Ha! I used to be a flylady follower too. As did Kate from make-a-green-plan (IIRC). The emails were easy to deal with when I had nothing else going on, but now I'd just be overwhelmed. I just do a little bit every day. Or sometimes none at all.
I think even vegan Ruthie was a fan. Funny how we all wound up as bloggers.
Hey, I'm a FlyBaby too... but I never read / asked for all those Emails, instead browsed around and purchased her book "sink reflections". The basic morning and evening routines alone (with some decluttering and the "swish and swipe) helped get me on the right path - no more chaos at home :-)
Take care,
Bettina
Thanks, Anonymous.
Viv - glad you are getting some benefits for lack of money. Good luck on the work!
Risa - I'm moving to Tennessee?
Beany - that is funny! A friend from the CSA mentioned she had signed up for it recently. I'll have to check in with her to see how it worked out for her.
Bettina - I'm sure a morning/evening routine would help a lot. Somehow, though, something different always comes up almost every day that interrupts attempts to get a routine going. Sometimes it's waking up with vertigo. Other times, it's a 4:45 am call about a cat emergency. And still other times, it's the dogs deciding they need to go out every freakin' five minutes. Every time I try to set a routine, something derails it. Chaos. ;-)
I hope you feel better!
I just wrote about the Flylady this week. Take what you can use, I think -- the multitude of e-mails didn't work for me, but "just 15 minutes" did stick with me. Sometimes I focus on the areas of the house once a week, too.
Cheap Like Me - I often do a 15-20 minute sweep of the house to pick up clutter and straighten up. That does work well.
I think I'm on the mend. Still debating whether I'm well enough to work at the CSA today, though.
Beany is correct. I found Fly Lady in '03 and it really helped me conceptually with dividing tasks. The 15 minute timer is still a part of my life. But, there was something so OCD about the website and the whole program I have thankfully stepped away from doing the whole thing. I will always recommend it to someone who has become overwhelmed and has never had any routines. It was like having a treasure map.
Kate - ah, you nailed it exactly with the OCD like description. Yes, I think that is one aspect that bothered me. It did help with tackling cleaning in a more organized fashion but I don't care if my house is not showcase quality. It's comfortable and not filthy, and that's good enough. :)
That getting dressed totally in the morning works well for me when I need to get things, or any one thing done.
Hope you are feeling better soon.
peace to All,
Shamba
As soon as I heard you were supposed to get dressed down to the shoes, I knew I was not meant to fly. I'm a barefoot gal. Clogs and birks outside, warm slippers in the winter inside--maybe. But lace-up shoes for anything other than running? Never!
Hope you are feeling better soon.
Shamba - on an ordinary day, I always put my shoes on first thing. With my foot problems, I need to wear my custom orthotics if I'm going to be on my feet at all.
The Raven - I'd love to be barefoot, too, but it's no longer meant to be.
I agree about FlyLady & barefoot. I wold be barefoot here if I could, but totally free range poultry, mud & rain makes it hard. I do go barefoot in town though & was thrown out of Tesco's supermarket for doing so. Guess where I avoid as much ass I possibly can now! I would love to tramp round their store in wellies that I've just walked through a cow-infested field in ~ guess which would be more hygenic! I do wear wellies outside a lot & swap between them & slippers.
I hope your cough has gone, Chile. I have 1 now that I've had since Halloween & understand totally about being bent double under the coughing & the retching. Went to bed at 11 last night & was still coughing at 1.45am when the dogs asked to go out. Coughs last for ages with me (I think the longest was 4 months) & pharma medicine is useless. I'm taking Honey in hot water & avoiding the doctor.
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