Managing the Details of Everyday Life in a Timely Manner

It is fall, and I am just now focusing on chores from the summer.  I have a fabulous gate and fence in my front yard that keeps the busy street away, but it does get dirty.  I have viewed this fence everyday for months and noted that it needed to be cleaned.  I have tried to get my husband to do it, but he keeps saying it is my job.  This weekend, from a deep spot in my soul, I finally mustered the psychic energy to go out and do it!  Which brings me to my topic of the week: how to get the daily chores of life done in a timely manner.

Let’s talk about mail.  There are two aspects to mail, incoming mail and outgoing mail.  As for incoming mail, why do people or organization send me so much mail?  For example, Vanity Fair cannot let me go as a subscriber.  I am of two minds about getting the magazine: I think that if I read it, I will know about the latest celebrities and will not be so ignorant of the current culture. However, in the past when it has arrived, I did not read it.  Rather, it goes into the pile of books and magazine that I should read but never get around to.  Also, I have made the decision that I can’t afford it.  But still, every time they send me another subscription request, I keep the request in my ‘to do’ file instead of throwing it away.  The subscription request sits in my ‘to do’ file as I write this blog.

In addition to unwanted mail, there is the legitimate mail that asks me to do something, like fill out a form.  On my dining room table. there are two medical documents that need to be completed.  The medical systems for my doctors are going electronic, and they need information from me to put in the system.  I support what they are doing, because it means that all my doctors will have my full medical file, and I’ll also be able to look at it.  However, they need the information this week, so I have to screw up my courage and fill the papers out.

Then, there is the outgoing mail, for example, sending a box.  I promised a friend over six weeks ago that I would send her a few things.  I boxed the things up about four weeks ago and even got the address on the box, but it is still sitting there.

So what is the trick to getting these necessary jobs done?  First, find a staging area where all these outgoing tasks can be set out. Second, proceed in steps, so doing the job does not seem so daunting.  Most importantly, be gentle with yourself.  Once you do get something taken care of, you have taken a courageous step by not letting your depression keep you immobilized.  Remember that “Courage is fear that has said its prayers”.  Also, give yourself a treat.  Finally, NEVER JUDGE YOURSELF OR COMPARE YOURSELF TO PEOPLE WHO ARE SO-CALLED”NORMAL”.

When I started this blog I wanted to attach a painting to each blog post that showed my “depression pulse.”  Art is one of the ways I keep in touch with myself.  For a while, I was not doing any art and was getting lost.  So I wanted this blog to get me to do art on a more regular basis to help me express where I was around my depression/anxiety.  This has been very helpful to me.