I've found that living one day, one hour, or one moment at at time comes naturally after some practice. This was my natural state when I was young, but I lost my way with life's trials and tribulations. Last year, I started to practice this- to focus on individual moments, jobs, the things around me. As with anything in life, practice, practice, practice. It works!

I try to practice Zen principles in daily tasks. It has helped me to focus on one task, and not to get overwhelmed with the "big picture". As a Mom and caregiver, my day is filled with mundane tasks. I take each job, and do 'just that', nothing else. I try not to be overwhelmed with everything that needs to get done, I take each task and chop it into bite sized pieces, and finish each segment. It has helped me keep my house manageable. ~Same goes for Recovery. My alcoholic brain wants results pronto, and I can easily get into a place of 'overdrive'. In a vain attempt to achieve the end result, I would be tempted to do quickly do the steps 'al a carte'. To combat this, I have been slowly standing on each step and when I am on that step I do not look forward to the next, I just "am" on that step. It has really helped me to absorb any information my HP is trying to teach me, without getting ahead of the process. Of course I am mindful of the ultimate goal, but I realize this will take Time:
This
I
Must
Earn
~Lesley.

In my first couple years, what worked for me was my sponsor suggested I make a list of things that MUST be done, things I'd LIKE to do and things that COULD wait and then stick to that, no matter what.

Until that time, I would run around like Helen Keller, trying to build Rome in a day,lol.

Amazing how much time it allowed to do things truly worthwhile, such as spending time with loved ones, friends, and positive self care.

Good topic Gary, thanks!

I must completely overhaul how I do each new individual day. I used to be able to get up, eat nutrition, look at my day, decide what needed to be done and do that along with caring for many little and big peoples needs and wants.... ie. work fulltime, be a caregiver, run a household, and still have energy for my living well in AA... going to meetings and conferencec ,workshops etc..... everyday was a meeting at the club or somewhere else.
Since the end of 2003 when I began to experience a new disease of chronic pain, and my physical health has gone down hill since then with one new thing after another, I have had to completely redo my who life and my ideas about my rolls in life. I have been stubborn with accepting my limitations, and this has caused more destruction to my body. My family doesn't like my limitations either and so it has been a real mess for me to find support and get myself in a groove where comfort and health and lowered expectations are acceptable by me. I like what was said here and I will try some of the ideas.
Because I haven't been able to do what I always did in the past and my famili doesnt want to accept it nor do they want to help with any of what I used to do... everything in and around my home has gone to the dogs so-to-speak. It is a real ugly mess and the living environment is completely unacceptable by me... providing me with anxiety and depression everytime i rerally look at it.. So... I want to try to use your suggessted techniques and start daily small step by smal step to clear away the mess of years of being who I was and making my home into who I am now with a much calmer, serene, uncluttered simpler life style. Any suggesstions are greatly accepted because this is a horrific messd and it looks like i am to do it alone with out cooperation from family who lives here. They just want to keep doing what they are doing and will not change for helping me with this insurmountable project.
Really folks a huge tent, garage, trailor and motor home full of junk and a few things to keep and a small house so cluttered you can't really walk comfortably thru it all. It is not functioning it is falling apart faster than I can blink my eyes!!
Love
terrieAnn

If I lived near you TerrieAnn I would help ya! I have helped a few friends and my Mom in the situation you have mentioned. The mess can be so overwhelming, that it can enslave your spirit, making the task seem impossible and confusing. What I do, is pick a room and start in one small area. I have a few boxes labeled, for donations or items for placement in another part of the house(usually when things are unorganized we keep the stuff in a different room in the hopes of finding a place for it, but never do), and of course trash. Each day, find a little bit of time in your day to work on the project, when you start to feel overwhelmed, take a break. Try not to feel shameful in any way! In the beginning, it is a bit of a drag, but keep persevering, allowing no negativity to hinder your progress. As you begin to make progress, you will be motivated by what you have accomplished. My hope for you is that someone in your life might take some time to be supportive of you, as it is so much easier with help.~Remember: Little by little equals big changes in time. It can be done, I know from personal experience! A clean, organized home is possible, and it does calm the mind, freeing up time for other pursuits.