2016 Update: My happiness project had to be put on hold for a few years as I couldn't take it on as all my focus was on getting our son better and I also had some health issues.
I will be resuming it in the near future as I still think it would be a great thing to do, so I'll keep ye posted :)
So for the start of my happiness project, for January, my mission was to catch up on sleep. What a great new years resolution! lol. I thought it would be easy!
Since the beginning of 2009, when I was pregnant with Miss J my only full nights sleep were three luxurious sleeps while on holiday in Morocco in 2011. It had taken me a week to get settled enough to sleep through, but it was great.
Not sleeping takes its toll after a while, and I've made silly mistakes in the past few years due to tiredness and exhaustion like misplacing everything, careless driving, getting nautious, and my knees giving way. Basically everything gets affected and I'm a good for nothing emotional tired mess when it gets too much. When I ask myself why this or that isn't working in my life, mainly, the answer is because of lack of sleep. Hence I felt this was the main factor of my happiness project that I had to deal with first.
A full nights sleep was still off the cards, Miss J thankfully sleeps through most nights, but Mr. T still wakes up 2 - 3 times a night for a bottle. Tom and I take night shifts with Mr. T in turns, but as his cot is in our bedroom, even when you're not actually on night shift, you still wake up. Months ago when Mr. T used to have to be restrained from scratching all night one of us always slept on the couch to try get a little peace, but now it's great to be able to sleep in the same bed again. The solution had to be one where we can still sleep in the same bed. We are after all human, and not emotionless machines.
The kids go to bed at 7.30pm, so by 8.00pm we're usually free....well,....should be. But I ended up cleaning the kitchen, doing laundry or washing bottles and then end up collapsing in a non-functioning, not-ready-for-bed-but-unmoveable mess on the couch. So here was problem number one that needed to be addressed.
GET JOBS DONE EARLIER
This meant dinner earlier. So I moved dinner from 6.30pm to just before 5.30pm. Not an easy feat as even Jamie Olivers 10 minute recipes seem to take me an hour,.....
I got bottles washed during the day, and if a mountain of laundry had to be done and the issue couldn't be sorted in 5 minutes I just took a deep breath and walked past it. 'Leave it for tomorrow'. Ahh, that was nice :)
LESS TECHNOLOGY
This devilish thing drives my brain mad! Instead of sleeping I used to be googling things, checking my facebook, and making to-do lists on my phone. First step, deleted facebook app off my phone. It consumed too much of my life, and it was too readily available. Then, for January, I turned my phone to 'Do not disturb' function and left it in the sitting room. What a relief! A sense of freedom in fact.
SLEEPY ATMOSPHERE
If my bedroom is tidy, I'll sleep better. I've been actively trying to keep it tidier this last month. I cleared my messy corner, threw a load of stuff out to the charity shop/bin, and sorted some things into boxes. Clutter just clutters the mind. Then I attacked Toms messy corner and cleared that out. I hadn't done it in a few months and realised it hadn't been very dust and Mr.T proof,....too much dust. After a good clear out and steam clean it looked better.
I will be resuming it in the near future as I still think it would be a great thing to do, so I'll keep ye posted :)
So for the start of my happiness project, for January, my mission was to catch up on sleep. What a great new years resolution! lol. I thought it would be easy!
Since the beginning of 2009, when I was pregnant with Miss J my only full nights sleep were three luxurious sleeps while on holiday in Morocco in 2011. It had taken me a week to get settled enough to sleep through, but it was great.
Not sleeping takes its toll after a while, and I've made silly mistakes in the past few years due to tiredness and exhaustion like misplacing everything, careless driving, getting nautious, and my knees giving way. Basically everything gets affected and I'm a good for nothing emotional tired mess when it gets too much. When I ask myself why this or that isn't working in my life, mainly, the answer is because of lack of sleep. Hence I felt this was the main factor of my happiness project that I had to deal with first.
A full nights sleep was still off the cards, Miss J thankfully sleeps through most nights, but Mr. T still wakes up 2 - 3 times a night for a bottle. Tom and I take night shifts with Mr. T in turns, but as his cot is in our bedroom, even when you're not actually on night shift, you still wake up. Months ago when Mr. T used to have to be restrained from scratching all night one of us always slept on the couch to try get a little peace, but now it's great to be able to sleep in the same bed again. The solution had to be one where we can still sleep in the same bed. We are after all human, and not emotionless machines.
The kids go to bed at 7.30pm, so by 8.00pm we're usually free....well,....should be. But I ended up cleaning the kitchen, doing laundry or washing bottles and then end up collapsing in a non-functioning, not-ready-for-bed-but-unmoveable mess on the couch. So here was problem number one that needed to be addressed.
GET JOBS DONE EARLIER
This meant dinner earlier. So I moved dinner from 6.30pm to just before 5.30pm. Not an easy feat as even Jamie Olivers 10 minute recipes seem to take me an hour,.....
I got bottles washed during the day, and if a mountain of laundry had to be done and the issue couldn't be sorted in 5 minutes I just took a deep breath and walked past it. 'Leave it for tomorrow'. Ahh, that was nice :)
LESS TECHNOLOGY
This devilish thing drives my brain mad! Instead of sleeping I used to be googling things, checking my facebook, and making to-do lists on my phone. First step, deleted facebook app off my phone. It consumed too much of my life, and it was too readily available. Then, for January, I turned my phone to 'Do not disturb' function and left it in the sitting room. What a relief! A sense of freedom in fact.
SLEEPY ATMOSPHERE
If my bedroom is tidy, I'll sleep better. I've been actively trying to keep it tidier this last month. I cleared my messy corner, threw a load of stuff out to the charity shop/bin, and sorted some things into boxes. Clutter just clutters the mind. Then I attacked Toms messy corner and cleared that out. I hadn't done it in a few months and realised it hadn't been very dust and Mr.T proof,....too much dust. After a good clear out and steam clean it looked better.
Thinking back on when I had lovely sleep,... In my teenage years, one thing springs to mind in my memories of peaceful slumber: candles. A candlelit room is beautiful, and great for turning your brain off after a busy day. So I got a candle, and instead of looking at the light from my phone, I had the candle light instead. Much calmer, more romantic, and more relaxing.
WARMTH!
I needed to be warm to go to sleep so I changed the summer duvet to a winter one, bit late I know, but I never got round to it before. I put it in the freezer first and then hung it to dry. When completely dry Tom shook it, and hopefully that way the dust mites poo in it wouldn't have too much of an effect on Mr. T when he came to bed for cuddles.
Then someone came up with the genius idea of a hot water bottle! Divine! No matter how warm the bed was I always had cold feet. Bye bye cold feet :)
RESULT:
Well January is now over, and I must say I'm feeling better and happier already. The first half of January before my birthday I was a lot more disciplined and went to bed at 8.30pm. It felt luxurious and amazing. Then after my birthday we had friends over for a few days and things got a little later, but not too bad. Realistically I'm in bed by 9pm now....and to be honest it feels great! Getting up between 5.30am and 6am doesn't bother me anymore, I actually prefer it.
I also noticed I dreamt again! Maybe I hadn't been reaching that deep sleep you need for dreams before due to all the interruptions. Also my heart palpitations (premature ventricular contractions) went away the first two weeks of January, and then returned after my birthday when my sleeping pattern turned a little slacker and after I'd had a bit of alcohol. Well if sleep can cure that problem, brilliant :)
So, yes, my January mission was a good one, and I may not have followed the rules every night, but I'm happier and healthier now than I was last month, and now I'm looking to February with better energy. I'm hoping to carry on going to bed early, as well as tackle my February mission: Be healthier. That will entail a detox, more exercise, better eating, and focusing on making my ailments (heart palpitations, liver & kidney issues, and postpartum issues) better with diet and herbs. Roll on Febraury! Wuhuu!
WARMTH!
I needed to be warm to go to sleep so I changed the summer duvet to a winter one, bit late I know, but I never got round to it before. I put it in the freezer first and then hung it to dry. When completely dry Tom shook it, and hopefully that way the dust mites poo in it wouldn't have too much of an effect on Mr. T when he came to bed for cuddles.
Then someone came up with the genius idea of a hot water bottle! Divine! No matter how warm the bed was I always had cold feet. Bye bye cold feet :)
RESULT:
Well January is now over, and I must say I'm feeling better and happier already. The first half of January before my birthday I was a lot more disciplined and went to bed at 8.30pm. It felt luxurious and amazing. Then after my birthday we had friends over for a few days and things got a little later, but not too bad. Realistically I'm in bed by 9pm now....and to be honest it feels great! Getting up between 5.30am and 6am doesn't bother me anymore, I actually prefer it. I also noticed I dreamt again! Maybe I hadn't been reaching that deep sleep you need for dreams before due to all the interruptions. Also my heart palpitations (premature ventricular contractions) went away the first two weeks of January, and then returned after my birthday when my sleeping pattern turned a little slacker and after I'd had a bit of alcohol. Well if sleep can cure that problem, brilliant :)
So, yes, my January mission was a good one, and I may not have followed the rules every night, but I'm happier and healthier now than I was last month, and now I'm looking to February with better energy. I'm hoping to carry on going to bed early, as well as tackle my February mission: Be healthier. That will entail a detox, more exercise, better eating, and focusing on making my ailments (heart palpitations, liver & kidney issues, and postpartum issues) better with diet and herbs. Roll on Febraury! Wuhuu!
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