Try giving yourself one chore to do each day. Just one. Maybe decide on it the night before and write it on a note to yourself that you tape on the bathroom mirror. Have your husband help you with this if it seems too overwhelming to decide what to do or writing the note is too frustrating.

Do your chosen chore first thing in the morning when you seem to function better. Do it the best you can, allowing yourself to make mistakes. Please don't expect yourself to be perfect. No one is. Don't worry about anything else that has to be done, just the one chore.

Try to avoid distractions. Keep the TV off. Concentrate only on the one task. You are learning a new skill here. Concentration can be hard. I, personally, find it helpful to give myself a pep talk as I try to do something that used to be easy but is now hard.

I say, "You can do it. You're doing good, girl. Look how much you've done already. Keep going. You can do it."

Sometimes you may need help staying on track in the beginning. Get your kids to help you stay on track. Have your husband help you remember what has to be done to finish your task. You have a wonderful support system right there. Don't do it all alone.

It may take hours to finish your task. That's okay. Don't get mad at yourself. Remember how long it used to take your kids to do something they just learned when they were little? Buttoning their own shirt probably took 5 times longer than if you helped them.

But they got better with practice. So will you. Have faith. Faith in yourself. Faith that your family can and will help you. You can do it. I know you can.


Annie