I've bitten off more than I can chew and I'm fed up.

RAS

leave it alone guys.

ali-t

When I am feeling overwhelmed with everything and unable to methodically work through tasks I write a list with everything broken down into small chunks. The length of the list is usually enough to have me running for the hills but it is amazing how quickly things get ticked off and some things can be delegated out.

The only obligatory thing is that when writing the list you have to have something to drink and some chocolate ;-)

coolcait

aliasojo wrote: »

*sigh*

I'm seriously stressed, knackered and have no idea how I'm going to get done all I need to do in the next 2 weeks, especially since I'm by myself and the eldest and the youngest aren't making things any easier.

I'm sat in the middle of an empty room with half stripped walls and I'm having a cuppa tea and trying hard to not have my 'running away' head on at the moment.

Just wanted to moan.

Sorry. All my recent threads seem to be moany. Just ignore me. I'm happy enough moaning to myself. :rotfl:

The bit I've put into bold sounds like the right approach to me.

When it all gets too much, have a cuppa, take some time to yourself - a bit of breathing space - and then do a bit more. After that, have another cuppa, and then do a bit more.

There's an old saying (which I would never take literally, and am not recommending in a literal way! )

"How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time"

(And with regular cuppas!)

Getting kids to help out is a whole other 'elephant' in itself. Even that can be done in little 'bites'.

Good luck with it all.

paddy's_mum

Wish I was nearer so that I could come and help - I'm a dab hand with the teapot as well as the wallpaper stripper.

I've always found that having company helps when I feel overwhelmed like this. Even if the visitor sits on a box and doesn't lift a finger, just doing away with the lonely feelings helps.

Would having your favourite CD on, loudly, help?

Tete_en_l'Air

If you feel overwhelmed - make a list. It might scare you even more seeing everything that has to be done written down like that but at least you won't be panicking that you'll forget something if you have it all there. I tend to include the tiniest tasks on my lists so I can get that satisfied 'crossing off' feeling!

Teenie_D

I agree with Tete, I love lists and it tends to settle me down if I am getting stressed. We moved nearly 2 weeks ago (with a nearly 4 year old and a then 9 week old, madness I know LOL!) and it is stressful but you will get there......eventuall! Good luck and just remember and keep that kettle filled.

annibee

Sorry things are getting to you. I know your not alone nor the only person to be overwhelmed by things its what makes us Human. What I suggest Is regular breaks away from it and lots of Tea as already suggested by the lovely poster above!

Maybe at the end of the day you could write a list of all the things you have done that day rather than all the things left to do.
Firstly so you can see your doing more than you think (I bet)
and secondly rather than seeing a long list of things needing to be done you see a list of accomplishments which will hopefully help you feel more positive

Hope you feel less stressed soon.......now where's that kettle?

aliasojo

Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts. I think I kinda reached breaking point last night. I've had enough of being 'the sorter', especially when other people don't fulfill their promises and I'm left to try to deal with the results of that. If it was *only* lists I needed to write out, I'd be laughing.

I have too many balls to juggle right now and I'm beginning to drop them one by one, mostly because of the knock on effect of people not doing as they said they would.

I have no idea how to sort it all out and I'm finding myself just sitting staring into space quite often, which then makes things worse because I'm only lessening the time I have even more. OH is in the rental place 200 miles away and working every day so he is of no help either (not his fault obviously) and the logistics and practicalities of what I need to deal with are such that I need 3 of me. I can't even pay someone to help with certain things as we're so strapped for cash right now, we're literally at the beans on toast stage. All the while I'm going about the place trying to act normally so the youngest doesn't get upset. (She'll be leaving her friends soon so I've been letting her play out a lot.)

We've been asking OH's employer for weeks and weeks to please sort out all the things we need paid back for or are due (it's well over £4k now) and all we get is lip service so we're heading for the wall financially. We know it will get paid, but the people he has to deal with are 'monied' and they just don't appreciate what it's like to not be able to outlay thousands AND cover all the usual debt payments, mortgage and other housey bills so we just get the usual 'yes, I'll have a word' type response.

I'm physically knackered, I take ages to get out of bed each day as I'm so sore and stiff with all the lifting and shifting. I tore a muscle in my arm ages ago which isn't healing and I need to rest it (which is laughable right now). Every day I end up hurting it again and the pain is bad enough to make me cry..... then I cry again because of sheer frustration.

I can't get the joinery work done I need to do because of my arm, and I can't pay someone to do it because we're skint. Money is hemorrhaging out of our account rapidly. This needs done by a certain date otherwise it will affect other people too.

Son's (serious) health problems are causing issues too at the moment and I need to take him for scans etc. His problems mean he doesn't adapt well so he needs to stick with same Doc, which will obviously cause problems with the move too.

That's just tip of the iceberg stuff, if I went on it would take all day to read.

I'm so fed up I can't even drink. Longest I've ever had a bottle of wine in the fridge.

Sorry. I'm still moaning.

gratefulforhelp_2

aliasojo wrote: »

I'm so fed up I can't even drink. Longest I've ever had a bottle of wine in the fridge.

You have kept your sense of humour at least.

Say you will tackle 5 things a day, when 5 are done, then do something else, or rest.

Keep coming here and downloading if it helps. x

VfM4meplse

aliasojo wrote: »

We've been asking OH's employer for weeks and weeks to please sort out all the things we need paid back for or are due (it's well over £4k now) and all we get is lip service so we're heading for the wall financially.

It's up to your husband to chase his employer, not you! Perhaps he doesn't understand that you are dining on beans on toast whilst he has steak? Is he really aware of how tight things are for you and the kids day-to-day, and how it's getting you down? I suspect not. All he has to do is ask again and spell out the impact this is having on his family's life, if it's been weeks it should have been escalated long ago.

Delegate this task with a strict deadline, and keep grafting away at the things you can get done at your end.