Bullet Journal Task Blocking for Chronic Pain and Illness

Wouldn't it be great sometimes if we could go back to the good old days where someone told us what to do instead of having to make decisions all the time?

Yeah.

You get a hug, a PB&J, and then get to play in the yard before dinner.

Now all these damn decisions just keep the stress just piled on.

Stupid Decision Fatigue.  Learn about decision fatigue here.

As I stated in 9 Steps to Simplify Your Life I haven't been really happy with my 'daily schedule' bujo spreads.

I just feel it isn't enough, too vague, too difficult to follow, and doesn't take into account rest breaks and workflow schedules. Hell, it doesn't even cover emergency visits to the grocery store or GNC.

It also doesn't take into account bad days. Days where I can't even think about what to put in my mouth let alone doing work or even getting dressed...TBH.

That dog won't hunt so it's back to the drawing board.

I need focus and evaluate what I want to get done during the week and weekend.  I really needed to go back to 'work.'

So I'm trying to imagine that my living room is my boardroom and I need to be dressed and ready to tackle my flexible work day.  You know, like working at Google except without the nice salary.

Plus, if I get the urge to go blog somewhere fancy like Starbucks (I've never done this) then I'm ready to go in public, sans Active Wear.





Bullet Journal Task Blocking for Chronic Pain and Illness

First, I decided what was really my best day ever.

Well, just last week I got amazing sleep. Woke up at 6:00. Did all my AM block, TMM, walked Fluffy Alarm Clock, fixed and ate breakfast.

I started laundry and blog writing.

Took a break and emptied, loaded, and started the dishwasher. Checked the laundry. Went back to blogging.

Break time.

Fixed lunch for me and Big Fluffy. Ate. Checked laundry and folded a batch of clothes. Went back to blogging.

Break time.

Emptied dishwasher again. Fixed and ate dinner. Folded and put away rest of clothes. Blogged some more.

Did my nighttime block and was asleep by 10.

This hardly ever happens.

I can think of only 1 other day I was this productive in 2018, and it's almost May.

I cleared all of my todo list and then some! Exhausted by bedtime but did an incredible job and didn't wake up feeling terrible the next day.  (I also have decided to focus on things in my life that increase energy).

So then I timed myself with my iPhone.

How long did it take me to dry brush my body? Fasciablast? Meditate? Fold clothes? Etc.

I wrote down those times.

Then I compiled the data in my bullet journal and grouped tasks into blocks.

For example, I have my Wake Up Block where I get up, dry brush, put my contacts in, brush my teeth, wash my face, drink a 12oz glass of water, take my pre-breakfast supplements, and put my workout clothes on. This takes 20 - 25 minutes on average.

My Miracle Morning Block is here.

You get the picture.

I made a collection in my bujo for all of my blocks, with room to add more. I also put descriptions next to each block in case I'm ever wondering what I should do. Ha! No seriously, brain fog is real Y'all!



Then I thought about the different days I have - good days, bad days, yoga days, acupuncture days, and weekends. What do those blocks look like all put together?

What is flexible and what isn't?

So this is what I came up with:

Basically, I have a good day, a bad day, and a flex day.  The flex day is for doctor's appointments, yoga, physical therapy, or "emergencies."

I have plenty of rest breaks or selfcare breaks as I prefer to call them.  I get some work in every day.  I also have a set time to cook and take care of Big Fluffy.

Don't have a bullet journal? Get one here.