Juggling priorities

I was having symptoms that finally became diagnosable in May 2017. Last year I developed a

related problem that put me into the hospital for a few days. Since then I have had several procedures trying to evaluate and diagnose the second problem. The week before last I had a procedure that showed the second problem was gone. Yippee! Now my health providers and I only need to find a medication that I can tolerate and that will treat the first problem. That seems doable.

The subject for today is juggling life when one has different sorts of demands on one's time and energy. First, a little background. It is just the two of us, me (Thread), and Wood, at home. Wood has a very good job that pays the bills and provides health insurance, so your mileage may vary.

I have several things that can keep me busy. There are a few different companies that I work for on an "as needed" basis. There is volunteering for my church. There is taking care of our home. There is my little business, Thread and Wood. And then there is my health. I work on taking care of myself, but I do have problems.

How do I decide how much I need to push myself? First, I look at the things that I cannot change, and then I look at my remaining priorities. I can avoid some of the work I do as a contract worker, but other items cannot be avoided, as I am the only one who can do them. So, I do the contract work that I cannot avoid. The same holds true for church, when I'm pressed, I don't volunteer for things that could be done by others.

While I would like my home to be spick and span all the time, since I make the cleaning rules, I can decide which cleaning chores are not vital to the working of the home (cleaning dishes, clothes, and bathrooms are always a priority). I have been known to ask Wood for help around the house as well.

When it comes to my business, my priority is shipping items to buyers. While making new things, writing blog entries, and posting on social media are good things, they have a lower priority.

During the last two years I have had some good times when I've been very productive. Other times I have felt poorly, and only work on the high priority items. While I feel bad about stuff like my weedy yard when I am not doing well, I keep reminding myself to put first things first. Maybe I'll be able to work on those weeds tomorrow or the day after. Or, maybe I'll get some help.