my new dizziness on top of brain fog and a touch of this "depersonalization" is really making me totally unfocussed. i'm going easy on myself-and now that i am alone-no visitors from holidays or caretakers from surgery-no one is here to see how spacey i am.
if i accomplish ONE small thing besides feeding myself and putting the dog out i feel like i'm doing good.
my kitchen table is piled with papers...bills are sitting waiting to be paid...workers comp lawyers want stuff...half read books and all kinds of projects are everywhere...what a mess!!!!!
Posted by char (Member # 8315) on :
Ugh! I know what you mean.
How long have you been treated?
Sounds like you have some paperwork there that is a total pain to deal with!
I am not one who would be qualified to give organizing advice. It gets to be a mess here, too.
Lyme is cruel with creating so much detail work AND fatigue!
I shoot to do the handful of things I HAVE to do to keep the joint running here. Then like 1 more thing. Starting to move out of complete survival mode.
It is great to know we're not alone. I think you have to go thru it to understand it.
I think Lymetoo is organized...
Char
Posted by Michelle M (Member # 7200) on :
Lots of post-it notes.
Even stuck to the side of my purse.
My memory is SO awful that as my boss is talking to me (telling me something to do), I will actually have forgotten it as soon as he's done talking if I don't write it down immediately.
What helps:
Asking other people to help me remember stuff (people who know and love me know I am NOT joking even if I laugh about it!);
Putting all my bills into my online banking to auto-pay and auto-remind me via email. (MAN, did THIS help a lot.)
Making lists. Lots of lists.
Doing things the MOMENT I think of it...otherwise, I am probably going to forget.
Being satisfied if I only get around to doing one extra thing a day on the list OTHER than working, picking up the kid from school, dinner, etc. -- I.E., today I remembered I had to call for propane. Yeah, big deal, ya might think -- till I run outta propane, that is! I called them the moment I thought of it, because I knew I might not think of it again AT ALL.
Enlisting the kid for chore duty -- then making sure they stick to it insteada slackin in fronta the XBox!
Getting up early in the morning, if possible, before all the ruckus starts, to sort out your thoughts and plan for the day.
Saying "Sorry - no, thanks!!" as often and as kindly as possibly to stuff you really don't want to do or take on.
Michelle
Posted by christelleny (Member # 6719) on :
1) Keep to a minimum. The less you have, the less you lose.
2) Organize your space. Store things logically.
3) Make lists - don't lose them I do love post-it! A small notebook also works.
4) Pick a special spot to keep special things (e.g. car keys) and stick to it. It saves time when looking for them.
5) Do things quick (e.g. pay bills). Remember the adage ``never put off till tomorrow what you can do today''? It has never been so true.
6) Buy a BIG pill organizer and refill it on a weekly basis.
7) Stick to a schedule.
8) If you're not sure where to buy something, shop online - smartly. It will save you time, money and strength.
9) Buy a new address book every year and update all info - include all the info you need to pay your bills etc. (NOT any financial info).
People around me think I'm an organization freak, but it works!
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
thanks
Posted by sofy (Member # 5721) on :
whats that???????? Sorry for the crazy answer but I just dont worry about it.
The only thing I spent any time organizing is my medication and I bought a big comparmental box in the fishing dept. I do a whole week at one time
Then I write down everytime I take a med cuz have to watch the "on empty stomach", "no minerals withing 2-3 hrs", "with food" and all that stuff.
Thats the only thing thats important and it pretty much takes all I have
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
great suggestions from everyone above!
get someone to help you find the info for worker's comp folks; from what I have read about these folks; don't mess with them. They win; you lose.
auto pay bills is excellent unless you live paycheck to paycheck and can't afford the overdrafts if the money isn't there.
If family/friendds have offered to help you, call them and ask them to come over & do specific things for you.
Forgot about reading books, we can't concentrate so take them back to library.
Posted by hopeful123 (Member # 3244) on :
great topic 1. don't take on too much. give permission to myself to rest a lot after work.
2. pay bills online at different times of the month dependent upon how much is in the bank.
3. shop online for things that are hard to find like slacks that are long enough (I'm tall)
4. keep things in the same place
5. don't beat myself up for disorganization
6. post its at work. at home they don't help
7. keep to the kindergarden rule - separate work stations for all the activities in your life.
8. don't beat myself up for disorg
9. don't beat myself up for disorg
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
try not to beat myself for disorg, either.
I have a Palm pilot I use faithfully.
Shopping online, too. I just don't have the energy for stores.
I also try to keep things in their set places -- this, after I ended up paying a fortune for a DVD we'd rented, just because I didn't see it.
try not to beat myself up.
Try to remember this is part of the disease...it isn't me.
Be willing to laugh at myself...
Andie
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
TAHNKS AGAIN YOU GUYS. I'M GONNA TRY TO LEARN TO PAY BILLS ONLINE.
CHAR-THATS WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING LATELY-IF I EAT TAKE MEDS(SUPPS) AND WALK AND DO ONE EXTRA THING-I LET MYSELF CRASH.
MICHELLE-I HAVE FOUND MYSELF INTERUPTING IN CONVERSATIONS AND I KNOW IT IS BECAUSE IF WHOEVER IT IS GETS TO THE END OF THE SENTENCE I WON'T REMEMBER THE BEGINNING OR THE POINT OF WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
I HAVE USED LISTS, AND POST ITS AND LABELS AND JUST ORGANIZING THINGS IN BASKETS OR BOXES ON SHELVES - CUZ IF THEY ARE IN DRAWERS OR CUPBOARDS I WILL NEVER FIND THEM
ALSO I LEARNED LONG AGO TO TIE AN EXTRA CAR KEY TO MY SNEAKER LACE CUZ I LUCK THEM IN THE CAR SO MUCH
AND I DON'T WORRY WHEN I MISPLACE MY LISCENSE AND CREDIT CARDS CUZ I DO IT SO OFTEN...I JUST GO ABOUT MY BUSINESS AND IN A FEW DAYS THEY SHOW UP
SOME OTHER NEW THINGS I HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS POST ARE:
SCHEDULE-I'M GONNA PRINT IT OUT EVERY MORNING AND CROSS OFF AS DAY GOES ON
ORGANIZE SPACE
PLACE FOR EVERYTHING-AND USE IT
I NEED TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING ELSE TO SAY TO(AT) MYSELF WHEN I DO STUPID THINGS...ITS PROBABLY NOT HELPFUL WHAT I SAY TO MYSELF NOW....EVEN THO DEEP DOWN I KNOW IT IS THE DISEASE
BUT I WANNA READ....I LIKE TO READ....I THINK IT MAKES ME FORGET THE PAIN SOMETIMES...I KNOW I NEVER REMEMBER WHO ANYONE IS OR THE NAMES OF THE BOOKS OR AUTHORS...BUT IT IS AN ESCAPE FOR ME...
AGAIN-THANKS FOR ANSWERING-HOPE THIS HELPS OTHERS.
Posted by char (Member # 8315) on :
lpayak,
You sparked a really helpful thread.
Great you are reaching out and getting help.
Guess it is progress to even care about the disorganization.
At my worst, I was dropping pills on floor and leaving them because I was too fatigued to pick them up. My neice was astounded.
Thank goodness we can get better and are slowly improving.
Keep hope alive,
Char
Posted by lightfoot (Member # 2536) on :
Hi!!
So many useful ideas that work!!!
I'm incorporating the use a planner again.....
I have tended to have little lists all over the place....
So..this year I am faithfully practicing using the planner for EVERY list in every area of my Lyme Life!!
In the evening....I'm also practicing looking at the next day and setting the priorities right there in black and white.
I still use post its and sometimes the planner is bulging with them...
I use a timer several times every day as a reminder for this or that.
At my worst.....I would not remember to look in my planner.....was my downfall when I was still trying to sell. I always kept one though even though whole months could go by without one entry!!
Also at my worst....At night I could set a note on my computer with one priority for the next day....go to the computer in the am....move the note to the side and never get that one simple thing done.
I work moment to moment to ge gentle and caring to myself...it doesn't come naturally.
Like so many of you have said...I also try to have a place for everytything and everything in it's place AND the less of everything the easier it is!!
Healing smiles...lightfoot Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
YES!!!! THE TIMER. WHEN I FIRST STARTED TREATMENT MY SON (LETS SEE HE WAS 14) BOUGHT ME THIS WATCH THAT YOU COULD SET MULTIPLE TIMES ON...I USED IT A LOT FOR MEDS-SUPPS-MEALS-ETC...
THEN I STOPPED USING IT AND FORGOT HOW.
BUT I HAVE TWO SEPARATE TIMERS IN THE KITCHEN AND USE MY CELL ALL THE TIME.
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