Simplify - 12 easy things to reduce Fibro Fog

My wonderful Mother in law came for a visit last week.  She really is amazing.  She used to be a life-coach, professional organizer and author, now she is a national speaker and starting an organization about faith and work.  We had a really good conversation on the day she left about Fibro Fog.  I was telling her some of my struggles.  She asked me what I was doing that was helping.  I told her about eating right, exercising and taking Omegas, but that I still had trouble with it when I was stressed or tired.  She told me I was doing a great job to help things INTERNALLY, but there are things I could do EXTERNALLY to greatly help the symptoms of Fibro Fog.  It’s all about simplifying.

   The idea is to make things as easy on your brain as possible.  The less processing it has to do of everyday tasks, the better!  Days when Fibro Fog is bad for me, I’m very forgetful, my mind is fuzzy, I can’t even read, I can’t understand things that people say, and words come out all wrong.  It’s very frustrating.  I'm going to try this...

      

12 easy things to simplify your life and reduce Fibro Fog

• Hang your keys on a hook by the door (I have been doing this for months, and it helps so much not to have to search for keys in my purse every time I’m heading out the door) 

• Keep a running grocery list (when you run out of something, or get an idea for a meal, write it down so you don’t have to think about it until shopping time)

• De-clutter your space (especially spaces you use every day.  Don’t wait until it’s too overwhelming!)

• Put your bills on auto-pay (we’ve done this for years and I can’t tell you how nice it is to never have to think about paying bills!)

• Store garbage bags in the bottom of the can (been doing this one for years too)

• Reduce your wardrobe (only keep the clothes you wear on a regular basis)

• Put kitchen items you use every day in a convenient spot (keep things close so you don’t have to bend over and look for the pots & pans you use every day)

• Write everything down (everything.  Right when you think about it)

• Download your brain, journal (when thoughts are jumbled, or if you mind races, spend some time writing down everything you are thinking of.  This gets it out of your brain and onto paper so you no longer have to spend brain energy thinking about it.  My counselor taught me that one and it works!)

• Keep a simple family calendar (mine is in the kitchen.  I can quickly see what everyone has going on, so I don’t have to try and keep schedules and appointments in my brain)

• Keep a regular schedule (eat at the same time, do household chores at the same time, schedule appointments at the same time, go to bed at the same time each night, keeping a regular schedule will help your brain relax)

• Clean out your purse/wallet (I do this while waiting to pick my son up from school, keeps it trash & clutter free so I don’t have to search very long for a pen when I need it)

Here are my keys hanging by my door.  Ok, just kidding, but I do tell all my kids friends that these are keys to my dungeon.

Here are my actual keys hanging right by the garage door.