Cut yourself some slack!

9/29/2019

Do you feel the pressure of keeping everything running like normal, no matter what you're dealing with? It's time to cut yourself some slack and make things work for you, and not the other way around!

If you've been around for a while, you know that I love having to-do lists to cross off. It's a great motivator, especially for cleaning. It's one of those things that easily "slip my mind" if I don't keep myself in check.

So I have a weekly cleaning list with everything from vacuuming to deep-cleaning the stove and washing the bath mats. And when I worked from home it worked well, even during Lyme disease flare-ups, if I modified it some. But this time?

This time I work full-time, have a 40-minute commute, and things I actually want to do with my evenings. And a moderate flare-up on top of that? Let's just say several things have gone unchecked week after week.

So this week I decided to cut myself some slack, and made it a bi-monthly list instead!

Vacuum and white sneakers on blue and white patterned rug

Photo by The Creative Exchange

Just do what you can!

Yes, the house SHOULD get fully cleaned every week, especially when we have three animals.

But you know what? It's better that it gets cleaned at all.

If you have something in your life that stresses you out, or that never seems to get done -- ask yourself what you could do to make it less of an obstacle.

Could you do it less seldom?
Could you automate it?
Could you get help?
Could you learn to do it more efficiently?

We all have busy lives, and if you're dealing with mental health issues or chronic illness it's even harder. How are we supposed to have energy for everything?

So look through at what you're doing and reassess. How important is it, really?

In this case, pretty important. ;-) And if it is, see what you can do to make it simpler for you.

You need things to work for you, and not the other way around. :-)

Related articles:

2 Comments

Chloe Daniels | Clo Bare link

11/14/2019 06:49:30 am

Seriously, so true. "Make things work for you, not the other way around" is such an important point. Things don't always go to plan so it's important to just roll with it and not be too hard on yourself when you don't get around to something! Some things CAN wait especially when your mental health needs to come first. Love the post!

Erika

11/14/2019 05:45:21 pm

Thank you, Chloe! I think it's so easy to feel inadequate when you can't "do it all," but if you focus on what's the most beneficial for you and only make the "minimum payment" on the rest, you have a better chance than spreading yourself thin, trying to at least on the surface have it all together.

Some periods in our lives are hard, so optimizing what you use your energy on is a great tool to keep yourself afloat until things get better. :)