To all those manically busy people.....

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Llanali

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....you know when we have those threads in here and in CR/Soapbox about getting everything done- ie routines for working full time and having horses etc......?

I have contributed in the past, and had people remark on my manic lifestyle. perversely I get some sort of pleasure from being the person everyone says 'Wow, I don't know how she does it!' Sort of kate Reddy style, for those who have read the novel.

Has anyone else got to the point of wondering if it is sustainable? I've got two horses on DIY, I work 8.30-5.30 in a high pressure environment, either commuting to London on the train- 1hr 20 mins, or driving to another location, 1hr 10 mins. Homeward commute is the same.

I've got two cats, an OH and a three bedroom house to look after. I've got two dogs which live with my parents thank goodness, but I do need to drop in a couple of times a week.

I do an exercise class three mornings a week- starts at 6.30 am, and I do the horses before, leaving the house at 4.45am. I am desparate to lose weight and can't seem to shift it without this.

How tired is normal tired? I guess this is partly a vent, but also i am wondering if everyone else who does this lifestyle is permanently on the verge of falling asleep, with head nodding and eyes drooping at 3pm in the afternoon in a warm office?

Is it even worth it?
 
For me, normal tired is getting to 9pm and wanting to curl up and sleep although lately it's been all to pot.

I've gotten so tired, all I can do is go home to sleep and then do ponies when I wake up.
I work 6pm - 7am. Sleep from about 7.30am until 2pm.
I then walk the dog. - visit my other dog at my parents when I can.
Ponies are then done about 3pm. If I'm working, they don't get exercised.
Home for just after 4pm to get housework / dinner sorted and if I have time - exercise for 30 minutes and then time for work.

If I'm off, I've been getting to sleep about 5am, getting up at 11am, take dog for a walk and then ponies get done. By the time I finish with them it can be 3pm so then housework / dog walking / dinner and if OH is busy I get exercise done, if not then we spend time together.

How tired are you out of the office atmosphere where it's not so hot?
I don't see the point to it if your too tired to enjoy life, but if you enjoy it and can keep it up, then fair play to you :)
 
I think it is perfectly normal to be exhausted at this time of the year, especially when you are up at 4.45am - no wonder you are asleep in your tea in the afternoon!

I have pretty much the same lifestyle as you with an extra horse and one less dog and bedroom! - but I lie in until 6am - whoooo

I am asking myself "is it worth it" on a daily basis at the moment - overall I think it is. A 3 day week (on same money) would be nice eh?
 
Another thing... at least 2 friends have got irritated with me because I am so busy. One popped in when I was trying to fit in a hay delivery in my lunch hour yesterday and grumbled I never had any time. Grrrr.
 
This time of year sucks - I have more or less the same stuff to juggle (only one cat, no dogs) and I wonder on a daily basis if life would be easier without the commute to work.

It's all worth it every time I see them, in particular every summer evening I hack my horses, every weekend that we go out competing, every night when I see them etc.

Only 5 and a bit weeks til the clocks change, chin up :D
 
I don't know how I manage to keep up with things and I am continually looking and thinking if I had more time or wasn't as tired I would have done it differently.

Currently I am waking up at 6am and not getting to bed until 12:30/1am. I'm reaching the point of something has to give, I've put on weight, I'm constantly tired and not overly energetic. I've reached the point where I go to sleep and mull things over on my mind all night and I don't think I am sleeping properly. I have 2 horses, a 4 bedroom house, a flat that is in the middle of being renovated another one that the tennant is moving out of and needs a lot of work (can't afford to get people in, the whole house and flats are 4 years into a 15(realistic) year project!), work full time and then run my business on top with my sister. I am also doing an MSc to top up my qualifications.

Writing it all down scares me and I don't actually know how I cope. I have some time off next month so that will be to catch up on some jobs and then a couple of days of sleep catchup!

I think we all must be mad..
 
sometimes i have no idea how i cope and i only have 2 dogs, 1 horse on DIY, OH and a house, oh and a full time job.

It has been decidedly more stressful the past few months as we've been buying and selling houses too (and of course men can't clean, declutter or decorate without a woman to do it for them :rolleyes:)

Then i start feeling guilty about what i'm not doing....like cleaning, cooking and all the "other" stuff that comes with having a fella. ;)

All i can say is roll on some light warm nights and 24 hour turn out :D
 
This is me too and the OH wonders why come friday night when he comes home, all I want to do is snuggle up and sleep by 9.30pm. Sadly he's a Londoner and is a late night bunny :(

Average day is
5.30am up to stables feed, turn out, muck out 2 horses
then home to walk dog, shower and get to work for 8am
(i used to cycle to work, currently have no willpower to do so)
Gym at lunch for an hour as I need a break from highly stressy job!!
Home for 6pm, walk dog
Stables for 6.30pm to ride/lunge, feed tuck into bed
Home about 8.30pm - HOUSEWORK arghhhhh (try to d a bit each night so I have weekends free for horses/OH)
Shower and bed for 10pm

I used to go to a bootcamp class 3 times a week before work but that has had to stop too. Just glad I have an older dog (shorter walkies) and no OH during the week but roll on spring so I can get my life/waistline back lol.
 
I am shattered at the moment. It's just winter.

I am up at 6 (late compared to some of you lot mind :eek:)
6.45 on bike to yard
arrive sometime after seven, sling out, muck out
7.40 ish back on the bike home
8.10 in the car and drive to work.
8.30-5.00 work (boring!)
5.00 or often later :mad: in the car and back to the yard for
5.30, fetch in, do water, hay, ride two horses (if I can find the energy for both)
7.30 home, cook, shout at OH for twenty minutes, eat, fall asleep on sofa at aprox 9pm

No housework ever gets done and I only just manage to make it to the supermarket once a week!

I would love to downsize to one horse but not quite sure how so am just waiting for summer when they go out 24/7 and I get a bit of freedom back!
 
Tinsel Trouble said:
Same here- though slightly less chaotic than all of you guys!

I find that when I start to get very tired at this time of year 4 mins on the sun beds perks me right up! It's only £3.20 and I feel so much better for it for weeks afterwards!!
Click to expand...

i used to do that, but then i got paranoid about skin cancer and wrinkles so i stopped :D it did perk me up quite a lot though!

Has any one tried those sun lamp things? That mimic natural sunshine but don't contain harmful uv?
 
I Have
3 Kids(Teenagers),1 Welshie on DIY ,1 business(On its Knees),1 Dog(pretty ancient but demanding) no OH indoors(BIG advantage in this situation)-day starts bout 6 ish and ends bout 12 ish.If I get knackered I run/go to gym-sounds daft but energy breeds energy and it works for me!!:-) xx
 
I'm same but i've been like it since I was 15 so I don't know how to be any other way! Will scale down when old horse 1 goes to rainbow bridge i'll retire horse 3 and just have horse 2 in work and only 2 to look after. There'll be babies to deal with then. Ho hum.
 
I'm nackered and have had cold after cold for the past month- latest one is the aches and sore throat. Im sure it's because it's winter and I'm just run down.

I start work at 7 am and usually work until at least 5, often later. I have a non stop job ( i usually get 10 mins for lunch and barely get time to breath during the day) Then I drive 30 mins to muck out my two horses. Then 30 mins home afterward. Then my dogs want a walk.

We have just moved to a new yard which is 5 mins from home - means I have to do e mornings but it will be so much easier and they are living out now too.

Spring is just around the corner :)
 
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I thought I was busy but I feel lazy looking at some of these posts! I have one horse on DIY, although I have a few jobs to keep me going as well. I am doing a full time PhD in Brighton, as I teach there as well I commute twice a week from SW London and a friend brings my horse in for me. I am also a nanny one afternoon (2-7pm) a week and have four private tuition students. I also do other bits and pieces of work, generally proof-reading, writing and additional teaching when they come up. I often find myself doing PhD work at the weekends, and my bf complains that I don't see him enough, but it just isn't possible! I suppose I'm lucky in that I don't have much of a commute on non-Brighton days I generally work from home.

I've found taking Pharmaton tablets really helpful for battling tiredness, they are quite expensive (around £10 for a month's supply) but they have been the most effective supplement I've taken, and I've tried a few brands. I'm trying to get to sleep earlier (by 11pm) as well and that helps, usually I'm up at 6.30am.
 
I'm actually glad that I'm not the only one cramming my life to the max and feeling the effects. It's nice to know we are not alone in feelin tried and wiped out. Off to a wine tasting night now, so I'll sleep soundly hehe
 
its exactly these reasons why ive given up having a horse.if i want to ride i will just go to a riding school.just cant be bothered with it anymore.i have my life back now and glad i have sold horse.bought new car with money i was spending on him per month to stand in a field.
 
I have two small children, one pony and my cob, chickens, dog, cat, freelance work plus a job, OH away 4 days and nights a week for work and no family to help out. It's knackering but I wouldn't have my life any other way (apart from thus time of year when the mud gets me down). What does DRIVE ME MAD is when my friends moan on Facebook about how tired they are when all they do is watch daytime tv and go shopping! Argh!!!
 
With my current contract, my day looks like this-ish:

First alarm goes off at 04:45
Crawl into the car between 05:30 and 05:45
Get to client's site between 06:35 and 06:45

Do half an hour of work.
Go to the on-site gym for thirty minutes - weights.
Work 'till lunchtime.
Go to the gym and do a class.
Work 'till just gone 16:00, then home.

Get home anywhere between 17:00 and 17:30.
Straight to the yard.
Ride one, check over two others. D1 does her horse.
Home for 19:00
Dinner

Work again 19:30 'till 21:00.
Usually asleep by 21:30

Have four horses. Only two in work though, the other two are retired. Out 24/7. I'm lucky in that D and D1 and D2 help when I can't be around to do it. Also five dogs and two cats. Two teenage children. And three businesses.
 
goodtimes said:
I've been taking Berrocca everyday - it really does work. Maybe try that?
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I'm another with a fairly hectic life, although mine is nearly all down to work, and I've started taking Berrocca over the last couple of weeks - it really does work! No idea why or how, but I definitely feel better for it, might be worth a try OP?
 
It's not just me then! Maybe I'm normal after all...!

I've got 2 horses a dog two cats and an OH, family business which sounds an easy number but its bloody hard work, horses are on DIY, 3 bed house never gets cleaned....

...roll on spring :) zzzzzzzz
 
I too have a manic lifestyle and it does sometimes drag you down in winter when there is so much to do all in the pitch black :(

Generally though I find I thrive on being busy, a "whats next on the list" kind of person.

However I have now gone the other way and I don't seem to need much sleep at all, always very late to bed and up early - 5 hours sleep is perfectly adequate and my body seems to have adjusted to that.

Unfortunately though I was really ill last week with "Man Flu" and took two days off work (unpaid, we don't get sick pay) and I have to say, it was heaven, even being that ill, I could do all the animals, the housework, the kids etc etc with no time limits or constantly watching the clock!

I have definitely decided that if I didn't have to work, I certainly wouldn't!
 
I can't quote on this silly thing; only one person at a time.

Thank you so much for everyone's input, it is really appreciated.

Kaiko- exactly, support in numbers. My OH works until 10pm at night, so i go and get him then, as there is no parking at his work- though admittedly it's a ten min drive each way so not far.

Aintgotnohay- that is completely what a little voice in my head is saying. And it frightens me.

So, accordingly to quite a few of you, Berocca is the way forward? We have got a tube, maybe I will start taking it :) How long do we estimate for it to kick in?

Rebel- hmm, normal tired. I don't think I know what that is. I just can't believe how much I want to sleep. At any one point I could just close my eyes and be asleep in 2-5 minutes. I know, because I do it LOL


I think I'm just having a wobble. This morning, the alarm went off, and I just couldn't do it. I got up, went to go downstairs to let my cats out, and wound up on the last step of the staircase sobbing. how ridiculous!! My partner came downstairs when the cats didn't charge upstairs, and told me to go back to bed. he isn't starting till 2pm today so he went off to do the horses and has even ridden one so I don't have to tonight.

I didn't make it to my boot camp exercise class this morning either :( Feel absolutely pathetic, but was so tired last night I couldn't think straight. Thank god for boyfriends who are as generous as mine!
 
Aww OP don't get down. I got like this last year and in the end something had to give so the gym got put on hold. Work had to come first and I was getting frustrated and unhappy trying to do it all. But the deal was it was only short term, just getting back into it now.

My point is, analyse what you have to do versus what you want to do. Short term cut backs are acceptable and sometimes necessary. I famously broke down whilst trying to grout the bathroom (sat in the bath covered in grout) and proclaimed in sobs "I'm not Superwoman" lol. We all have bad times, cry it out and then get proactive.

Afterall, we really are Superwomen. Look at all we accomnplish on a daily basis! We put others to shame really. Chin up.........the days are getting lighter :)
 
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