How to have a productive day

 

It's no secret that it's hard to be productive when you have a chronic illness.

When I think about this, I think back to how a doctor I had when I first started dealing with POTS would tell me how I needed to stay active and maintain a healthy lifestyle despite the symptoms I was experiencing. Prior to POTS, I walked about 3 miles a day between a long walk with my dog and the short walks I took each break at work. Before work, I would try to slip in a cardio or strength workout. I was pretty good at staying fit. 

But then I started fainting and experiencing dizziness, especially when exercising. My overall productivity and wellness deteriorated rapidly. And there was a doctor telling me to keep taking my long walks despite feeling sick and possibly fainting on the way. It was really overwhelming! But through experience and trial and error, I've gotten the hang of how to make the most of the day. Here are my tips for staying productive with a chronic illness: 

Wake up as early as you can 

This was tricky for me because I felt best at night. But I have gradually moved my bedtime and waking time back more and more so that I get started with my day a little bit earlier than I was. It helps so much to wake up at 7 now as opposed to sometimes as late as 11, especially during a flare. However, if I am experiencing a flare-up I opt to listen to my body and get the sleep as needed.

Don't use your phone right away

Maybe this is a no-brainer, but I feel like pulling out my phone right away ruins the vibes I was setting up for the day! I would pull out Instagram and mindlessly scroll for way too long before getting going with my day. Instead, I now listen to a morning mindset podcast while crocheting for a bit before getting up (this is needed with POTS). 

Give yourself the gift of a good morning stretch

Now, I used to be a hard-core yoga person. Yoga is tricky with POTS because of all the position changes. Instead, I do a series of stretches in my bed, then I get up and do some standing. This gives my body the chance to adjust and gets my blood flowing without causing me to faint. Even if you don't have blood volume problems, a good stretch in the morning helps to clear your mind and get focused.

 

Nourish yourself first thing

I had caved and was eating whatever garbage was easy to make in the morning for a while, but this put a cloud over my whole day. Try to fill your breakfast with as much nourishment as you can, so that even if you aren't as great the rest of the day, you started off right. This often eliminates the need for snacks until lunchtime if you make the right things. 

Make yourself a to-do list the night before

I often wake up disoriented and with brain fog, which often leads to me sitting and wondering what it was that I needed to do. A friend suggested writing my to-do list at night when I feel the best so that I'm not so lost in the morning. It's a lifesaver! Especially if you get a list that can add priorities and the time of day the tasks need to be completed. I also add the additional label of what can be done sitting as opposed to standing, which I can do even during a flare.

Take brain breaks

One of my favorite things I learned while in community college was the benefit of "brain breaks." Often I get in too deep with any given task and end up exhausted and overwhelmed after a while. I learned that taking a 10 or 15-minute break every hour prevents burnout and helps me to focus. So, if I am working on things for my Etsy shop, I set a timer and make sure to take breaks. This also is a great time to stretch and pump my feet to prevent blood pooling.

Prep yourself the night before

A habit I've had since I was a kid was setting out my clothes for the next day the night before; this is a great habit to have, especially when I was waking up at 4 a.m. for work or now that I feel lost in the morning. Setting out clothes, prepping what you need for breakfast, making a list, queue up your workout video,  and any other tasks that make your life easier the next day increase productivity and makes your morning go much smoother. I even pull out the workout equipment I'm going to use so that I don't cheat (unless I'm really not feeling well). 

Don't try to do it all, every day

I was feeling frustrated shortly after my POTS diagnosis because I was making the same to-do lists every day and not completing them. I was expecting my body to function at the high level it was prior to experiencing POTS, which was a discouraging reminder every single day! Don't do that! Instead, work on making realistic to-do lists that also include the priority of the tasks. Have some that are easier to accomplish every day and some that it wouldn't be the end of the world if you didn't get to it. I like to make my bed and do a load of laundry every day, and I put this on my list every day, but it isn't the end of the world if it doesn't get done. Give yourself a break! 

Watch productivity videos with caution

I love Youtube, especially minimalist and productivity videos. Let's be real, though: I am not able to function at the level many of those people are able to function at, and that's okay! I am done trying to compete with people who make a living making videos. I remind myself that they probably don't do all of those things every single day and that they probably don't have brain fog slowing their progress. I watch cleaning and productivity videos to get motivated and inspired, not to allow myself to compare and feel disappointed. 

Those are my tips for being productive while having a chronic illness, specifically POTS. Let me know if you have any other tips to add!

Blessings,

Jessica