I've been hoping to write another blog post all week, but a combination of work, health appointments (physio & massage) and boring real-life stuff like filing have got in the way. Plus, being a spoonie, rest has been critical this week (as it is every week) to keep myself as healthy as possible.
I'm super lucky to have an amazing Hubby, and ever since we've lived together we've always shared the housework in every house we've lived in: he cleans upstairs (bedrooms and bathroom) and I clean downstairs (living room and kitchen). When we first got married it was easy for me - I could zip around my share of the dusting, hoovering and kitchen cleaning within 30 minutes several times a week, no problem. But these days it's a lot harder. Pain, lack of energy, anxiety and fibro fog get in the way - hurdles that have to be negotiated every day. Some days they're just little ankle-high things I can get over easily; others they're gigantic blockades in my path and impossible to negotiate. I took a pain management course at my local hospital a couple of years ago, when I 'only' had Hypermobility Syndrome, and there was a lot of talk about pacing. I'd already been introduced to The Spoon Theory written by Christine Miserandino and found it very helpful. I took the advice I'd been given and, as large tasks got harder, I began to break them up into chunks. It's a strategy I've continued to refine and develop as Fibromyalgia has crept up on me. Housework is one area where this approach has been really helpful. Whereas I used to complete the housework in one go, I began to break it up into three: (1) clean the kitchen counters (2) clean the surfaces in the living room (3) vacuum all the floors Each step was followed by a rest of as long as I needed - a few minutes or a few hours. When I was dealing with more pain that was broken down further: (1) clean the kitchen counters to the left of the sink (2) clean the sink and draining board (3) clean the kitchen counters to the right of the sink (4) clean the 2 living room tables (5) dust the pictures and shelves in the living room (6) vacuum the kitchen/hall (7) vacuum the living room And these tasks might get completed over 2, 3 or even 4 days. I also made myself let go and accept that my share of the housework will never be done perfectly, and not even always regularly. Most tasks get done once over the week, but sometimes it could be over 10 days or even 2 weeks. If things are getting a little grubby I give them a quick 'lick and a promise' with a cleaning wipe. There's only the two of us in the house, and if our home isn't 'showroom ready' that's absolutely fine. Cleaning will never be fun but at least, following this strategy, it becomes manageable, and means Hubby doesn't have to take on more than his fair share of the work. Plus, cleaning is a form of gentle exercise and helps me to stay strong and keep my joints moving, which is essential. I hope this blog post gives you some ideas, some hope and some reassurance that. if you're dealing with chronic health conditions, you are not alone.
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