With 2013 just around the corner, a lot of people are looking to get organized. I have found that this is especially important for people with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. When I was first diagnosed, I spent a lot of time Googling how to manage my condition and keep my life smoothly moving along. Concerning lifestyle modifications, the one thing that kept coming up was to get - and stay - organized.
Why is being organized so important for people with FMS and related conditions? There are many reasons. First, as patients we need to recognize, accept and work within our limitations. Fibromyalgia is an "energy crisis" - our bodies are exerting more energy on natural, normal and every day processes than we can produce. Using lists, calendars and apps can help us realistically manage and stay on top of what we need and want to do and what we can realistically do on any given day.
Another reason is the infamous "fibro fog" and the fatigue which characterized our condition (read more about fibro fog and fibromyalgia's cognitive processing issues here, here and here). How often have we forgotten to pick up an item at the grocery store, or even paid a bill on time? For me, this has happened more often than I would like to admit! Seeing a list, or having a pop-up on my laptop screen or iPhone is an instant visual reminder of what we need to do.
Finally, being organized makes life easier, more enjoyable and gives us more time to enjoy ourselves. How great is the feeling of knowing you accomplished the tasks you could on any given day? Remember, our abilities are different from day-to-day, depending on what symptoms we are/are not dealing with. However, setting realistic goals, sticking to a schedule and completing tasks we are able to can really give us a great sense of pride, accomplishment and, best of all - time to relax.
Understanding that being organized makes life better for those of us dealing with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome is the first step toward improving our lives. The next step is finding the right tools to help us.
I personally have several methods of staying organized which I use inside of my home:
- White Boards: I have a white board I bought at Target. It hangs in my dining room, which I pass through every morning on my way to the kitchen to fix myself my morning coffee. Seeing it first-thing, and anytime I pass it, reminds me of what important tasks I need to complete that day. Each night before I go to bed (remember that sleep hygiene is so important), I erase the tasks I accomplished and write down what I need to do the next day. This not only serves as a hard-to-ignore reminder, but helps me not to ruminate on what I need to do before bed.
- Dry-Erase Calendars: I keep a dry-erase calendar on my refrigerator, where I write the due dates for bills, assignments for school, important events and weekly tasks. I use a variety of colored dry-erase markers and color code the tasks.
- "Go-To" Stations: I have a desk in my living room, on top of which I keep a basket.This is my "go-to" station when I head out the door and when I come home. There I keep my keys, my wallet and anything I might need when I go out, like lip balm, tissue packs and train tickets.
- Pendaflex PileSmart: I love the PileSmart for organizing paperwork, bills and other assorted mail before I file it. It is color coded, with separate tabs and I use the same colors as the dry-erase markers on my dry-erase calendar.
When I am outside of my home, I have a few methods which help me keep on top of things:
- Assignment Book/Planner: When I was in middle school, the school gave us assignment books to write our homework in. It took me a few years to see what a handy tool I had at my disposal. I have an assignment book from Staples that I use to write my school work, to-do lists, grocery lists, as well as plan meals. It is a more detailed, portable version of my dry erase calendar.
- Google Calendar: I sync my Google calendar with my iPhone and use pop-up reminders. As long as I have my phone with me, it serves as a handy reminder. Of course, it is available for the Andriod platform as well.
- Apps: I love apps. I really, really love apps. Here are a few I often use and highly recommend:
- Astrid Task Manager: Astrid is a to-do list organizer that is available online, for Google Chrome, Andriod and the iPhone.
- Agenda: Agenda is a very attractive yet easy to use app, and best of all I can sync it with multiple calendars, including my Google Calendar.
- iPeriod: This one's for the girls. This app is very handy, especially considering how FMS can wreak havoc on the menstrual cycle.
- Pocket Pharmacist: Pocket Pharmacist helps me to organize my medications, research their uses and potential side-effects, keep track of when I last took them, in addition to my doctors' and my pharmacy's phone numbers.
Hopefully, you will find these methods of organization as helpful as I do. Do keep in mind, however, that it is most important that you find what works best for you!
If you are interested in becoming more organized for the upcoming year, here are some online resources I have found to be very helpful:
A Bowl Full of Lemons - A Bowl Full of Lemons is an attractive, fun blog with hundreds of organizing tips, and best of all, they are realistic ideas that can be easily implemented. I highly recommend this blog.
Creative Organizing - Another very helpful blog, with lots of lists to help you get started. A Year of Organizing Checklists is fantastic.
Innovativley Organized - Even more checklists to help you organize everything from your work life to planning a vacation.
My Fridge Food - My Fridge Food helps you keep track of what you have on hand in your pantry, and helps you plan meals using what you already have. It is a great way to stay organized and plan meals.
I hope that these resources help you as much as they have helped me.
Good luck in your quest to become organized and I wish you a happy, healthy new year!
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