Project Mortgage Neutral Begins

edinburgher

@ajmoney - have you ever considered a SAD lamp? Touch wood, I'm finding ours quite effective

ajmoney

edinburgher said:

@ajmoney - have you ever considered a SAD lamp? Touch wood, I'm finding ours quite effective

So long as I get outside I am ok.  Work took over on a couple of days last week which meant I didn't see daylight on a couple of days and I guess it caught up with me a bit.  I have been changing a few things over the last week and I wonder if I haven't given myself enough time to adjust.  Things seem like they might change a lot more over the next few days so today has now been about purely doing what I want.

ajmoney

I am struggling to get motivated to do the practical side of my work right now.  I haven't done any so far this week although there was a bit of uncertainty at the beginning of the week and a meeting a day so I guess I should give myself a bit of a break.

I did the first lesson of my course on Monday, it didn't take long but my brain is definitely out of practice of retaining information so I think small amounts of revision throughout the course could be handy.  I have one more lesson in this module and then my first assignment, I am not feeling confident that I will remember enough to complete it without looking at the course notes but I guess it is the first one so I can see how it goes and I have 3 weeks until I need to think about finishing it.  I got a place on a virtual course for work that I was on standby for yesterday which takes place before the first assignment and has some prior learning to complete before the weekend and a submission a month after.  I will need to plan my time well to do both but I am sure it will be fine, I am going to try and do the prior learning this afternoon and see how I go.

Rather than do practical work when my head isn't in the game I am meeting a friend for a walk this morning.  The weather is a bit miserable but it will be good to get out in the daylight, have some other company and forget about work for a bit.  The weather forecast suggests this might be the last option for a couple of days so we are makng the most of it.

SuperSecretSquirrel

Thanks for posting about your course ajm You've inspired me to enroll on a course of my own. There's no formal qualification at the end of it, but just getting back into practice researching, retaining information, revising etc is worth it in itself!

ajmoney

SuperSecretSquirrel said:

Thanks for posting about your course ajm You've inspired me to enroll on a course of my own. There's no formal qualification at the end of it, but just getting back into practice researching, retaining information, revising etc is worth it in itself!

I signed up for both courses because the content interests me, I guess it is a bonus that there is a qualification at the end of it. It is so long since I studied for anything that wasn't music that I kind of wish there wasn't though 

ajmoney

I want to mix my meals up a bit and also bulk out my lunches as I am getting hungry far too soon after so suspect I am not eating enough to sustain the exercise and general movement in my life.  I usually end up getting overwhelmed with what to do so I am going to focus on my lunches this week and will just add more fruit and some greek yoghurt to my breakfast as dinners don't really seem a problem.  It might mean a bit of pre-planning on a Sunday as I am quite busy on a few days so want food that is already to go.  I am looking at books and not getting very inspired at the moment, maybe I will look for some warm lunches.

ajmoney

The planning is not going so well, I know I am better at shopping when I have a list but I am just not inspired at the moment.  I think maybe I will base this week's evening meals around things that can be prepared quickly and see how I go.

ajmoney

Food shop and car fuel done, theoretically it should be the last for January.  I fill up and shop on a Sunday but next weekend's will be coming from February's budget.  I currently have around £35 left in the food budget and £102 for fuel, the bonus of not needing to use my car as much.  I am not going to tweak the budget though, the surplus amounts this month will be paying for the course I signed up for and if we continue to work from home I will save the other month's to help towards my savings goals.

It is a beautiful day outside.  I have started having my cup of tea in the morning on the back step enjoying the sunrise and listening to the birds, I read somewhere that it is good mentally to get natural light as early as you can in the day.  So far it has been nice outside when I have done this, I am unsure how eager I will be if it is raining.  I think I will head along the seafront for a walk this morning in the hope I beat the hoards that will no doubt go there this afternoon.

Suffolk_lass

We had a covered area (an oak post supporting a slate roof) built as an outdoor extension to our single story kitchen extension so we could sit outside in the mornings and listen to the birds. Being rather messy it had become the storage point for dry logs for the woodburner and the "beer" fridge-freezer - but the latter is outside waiting collection so we are reclaiming the space as a nice place to sit - although not sure we will be out there today at -4c (perception temp -8c) - but I am sure you are right. I have been out in the air this morning, albeit to prise open the recycling bin and deposit the cardboard I wanted rid of after lining the toolshed with it, and I already feel a bit more energy. 

ajmoney

@Suffolk_lass I went outside with my cup of tea this morning but it was a lot earlier being a weekday and it was just too cold.  I lasted a couple of minutes but did see lovely colours in the sky, I will head out for a bit before and after my meetings instead.