Spring is a challenging time for me because, as I come out of my winter hibernation stage I want to get out and get busy. There seems to be so much to get done and I want to tackle it all at once. The longer daylight hours give me more time to work, and I feel the need to fill them all. I sometimes forget that my life is already busy with CarePartnering duties and I tend to get carried away by the new, often more interesting tasks in front of me. Trying to do it all simply leaves me frustrated, irritable and exhausted.

Thankfully this spring the goddess of weather has looked down and put rain in my way. I have been limited in the amount of time I can spend outside because it is too wet or too muddy or just too cold. I have been forced to slow down and think about what I want to do, then break it into smaller portions that can be completed in windows of dry time. So far it seems to be working pretty well. In addition, a friend offered to come and help with the yard and we had a couple of good days to work together. That was just enough to give me a kickstart. She had some great tips and tools that made the job go faster and easier.

I have limited capacity and time constraints that change based on whether my husband is having a good or bad day. If I am going to be here for him and for me, I need to recognize and respect those limits. The word “no” can be harsh, so instead I am going to say “enough”. If I come at each new day with clear priorities and an open mind, I can accomplish much without missing the important things or overwhelming myself. I will reach the end of my day with a feeling of satisfaction for tasks completed, not complete exhaustion and thoughts of tasks still to be done.