How do you deal with having so little to do?

[Ldychef2k]

Oh, I probably just put my foot in it, didn't I" I bet all of you guys have a thousand things to do every day. But I don't, and it's making me crazy. I have reorganized closets, spent more time typing than I want to, and of course there was the great Halloween Water Heater Crisis. But I don't have one shred of motivation to do anything else, even though I know there must be SOMETHING I could be doing.

The garage needs to be reorganized, but my Achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis make it hard for me to even stand up from my chair, and I can't bend over and do ANYTHING...so I am TICKED OFF !!!

I am reading Homesteading II, have started planning my spring garden, and actually have some broccoli and brussels sprouts in the ground right now. The broccoli is limping along, and the BS's are really doing very well. Half of my containers died because I used the wrong soil, and everything that IS growing is doing it in slow motion, even with me doing all that I know how to do to add nutrition.

I did can some beanie weenies the other night, and LOVE them. Dehydrating is too passive. I want to be active and moving around and digging and cutting and stacking. I worked SO hard for four or five months and now this dullness seems like such a complete waste of time.

Now I feel like a doofus for whining. Is there no end of sorrows? LOL (Drama is my life.)

 

[dragonlaurel]

This isn't quite on topic but I have a tip about plantar fasciitis. It started to happen to me for a little while. I figured out if my feet got cold at night, they would really get me in the morning. I put a blanket on the bottom of the bed or wore warm socks to sleep. Much better.

Tried rubbing and stretching my feet in the morning- Before I got out of bed to loosen those muscles up. That's great too. Now it only happens if I really overdo on hard floors.

 

[FarmerChick]

I sure have a million things to do each day. And I get tired just like you and put things off. everyone does it regardless of their workload.

sounds like your foot problems are getting on your last nerve. in pain and try to work? very hard to do! you sound frustrated thru the pain.

best you fix yourself. take the time to somehow get your problems corrected. some kind of foot therapy.....soaking before bed with epsom salts, do so much and get off your feet, or whatever is necessary to make your walking easier on you??

Try to find your smile. I lose it every now and then, lol, but you have to just find it and put it on your face and move forward!

 

[keljonma]

There is some similar discussion here...

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3543

 

[Dace]

I feel that way sometimes, living in a rental. I feel like my hands are tied and I want to do but I can't do.

Are these on going health issues, or recent flair ups?

Fall gardens are slow going, cooler nights seem to put things in slow motion!

 

[patandchickens]

Oh, I probably just put my foot in it, didn't I" I bet all of you guys have a thousand things to do every day. But I don't, and it's making me crazy.

I will PM you my address and you can come over here, I got *plenty* for you to do, heh heh...

But I don't have one shred of motivation to do anything else, even though I know there must be SOMETHING I could be doing.

I am not clear, is this a tasks issue or a motivation issue? If it is a lack-of-doable-tasks issue, hand-sew a blouse, patch some jeans, learn to solder copper pipes, write a magazine article to sell, get some scrap wood and build something for the garden or for storage, etc.

If it is a motivation issue, do something to happy yerself up; or just try making yourself do ONE undesired task per day, or per morning, on the basis that the hardest step is the first one.

Agree on keeping your feet warm for plantar fasciitis, btw - also it may be time for (yes, you are hearing ME say this) buying a new pair of shoes. My plantar fasciitis and heel spurs always let me know when my current pair of shoes has started to break down, maybe not visibly but just enough to start failing to give enough support.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat, also often lacking in motivation, let's start a club LOL

 

[miss_thenorth]

Years ago, I had heel spur pain very badly. I went to the podiatrist, and got arch supports. made a world of difference. I realize this is not an option for eveyone, but while I was waiting for the supports, the doc taught me how to tape my feet. forgive my non-technical terms in this description--measure two pieces of white tapeto go around your heel from the base of the big toe to the base of the baby toe. measure two peices to go over the topof your foot to attach each end. Arch foot up as high as you can--pulling you big toe up towards your calf muscle (not literally-just a description on how to arch your foot. Apply long pices of tape aron dheel, then the two short pieces of tapeover the foot. this takes the pressure off you spurs.

Also do your stretches, and as Pat says--it might be an indication to get new shoes. And wear your shoes always!!. If you walk around barefoot, it will aggravate it.

Lack of things to do around here are pretty much nonexistant. Lack of motivation though rears its ugly head over here every now and again. For that, I find writing lists of what needs to be done come in so handy. If it all gets done Yay!, and if not it get transferred on to the next days list. I know for me motivation gets down when my body is aching (I have RA).

But for the most part, I am perfectly content with how my life is going. Hang in there, this too shall pass.

 

[okiegirl1]

welp, I'm there too.

There are so many things I want to do, but don't know where to start. Everything is such a good idea and I think I could do it, but actually getting started is something different.

I think for me it's the "now that I don't have a job anymore, what do I want to do with my day?" Like this morning, I got out of the shower and my husband asked "so, what are you going to do today?" my response, "same thing I do everyday, nothing"

Don't have anything to can, put the garden to bed for the winter last weekend, wood is already cut and stacked for the winter, I'm in the middle of a "Home Sweet Home" cross stitch, but I get bored with that pretty quick, supposed to pick up second hand 2x4's and such to build the chicken coop this week-end, so can't start that yet..... I can only clean the house so much! I baked pumpkin pies yesterday, but I'm finding the more I bake, the more I eat and the weight I lost last year is finding it's way home.

ahhhhhh.......

 

[Ldychef2k]

So many good things said. Thank you. I have been praying earnestly about this, and this morning there is no typing to do, so I am going to walk out of this office in a minute and DO something. I have no idea what.

A quick word about the feet pain. I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis two years ago. I sleep in night splints, wear removable braces and heel wedges when I am not in the garden, driving, or showering, and routinely take anti-inflammatory medications. It doesn't help. I also am diabetic and have some nerve problems in my forefeet.

I worked in the yard and did all the other stuff during the summer and early fall, no matter how much it hurt, because I was motivated to DO something. But the cold weather has worsened the pain and basically I am just worn out fighting it. If I had big projects to keep me busy, it might be different.

So, as soon as I sign off here I am going to find a big project! I have a garage I could work on and about 50 framed photos I could arrange on the wall.

Thanks again everyone for your concern and really great suggestions. I am sorry forevery one of you who has ever had to deal with this kind of thing.

 

[andehens]

LdyChef2k

I also find that at this time of the year with the days getting shorter a lack of desire to start anything big or maybe its a feeling of overwhelmingness, must be a desire to hibernate!