Life Simple... In the morning hacks if you have autoimmune disease

Life in the mornings are not fun any more. I once was a morning person... but that ended w/ CFS and RA. ugh. Now getting up takes great effort and sometimes feels close to impossible. These things help me to get out of bed... and help me monitor and set my day. Some days this is impossible, and that's okay. These are guidelines to follow loosley and when I can. 

Guidelines but not rules:

1. never book an appt in the morning.NEVER... if at all possible. Getting up and being somewhere with full dress, good attitude, and a smile at 800 am is DIFFICULT. So I don't do it. I book all of my doctor's appts in the afternoon. Dental appts are booked closer to noon so that I can get the girl that I want . She understands the Sjorgerns that I deal with... it affects my mouth and gums. She is very gentle. 

2. Coffee... have it ready to turn on or have a timed  pot. But I don't ever know what time I am getting up, so I just have it ready to go.

3. If I have to be somewhere that day, have my clothes OUT. Sometimes I shower / bath the night before. This sometimes depends on the weather and time of year. Winter I like to take HOT jacuzzi baths. Summer, I like to cool off in the morning with a shower bc I sleep hot. 

4. Give myself 2 hours to wake up and get going . I try not to decide what kind of day I'm having until I've been up for 2 hours.... especially when I am stiff and sore. 

5. Make my short list of things to do while having coffee... put this on my phone or on a post it. Do not overload the list. Just name things that I have to do and would like to see done. Many times "napping" is actually on my list. Loosely look at my day. Keep this short and sweet. Keep is simple.

6. Do not get interseted in a tv show or movie late at night. Watch those i the morning while having coffee. I watch film noir or something funny / Carol Burnett show/ Andy Griffith Show / youtube, etc. I watch SOME news but I keep that at a minimum. 

7. Eat high protein for my day / easy egg recipe / protein bar / wheat toast w/ real butter / a LOT of water first thing in the morning

8 . A little fresh air and sunshine. Water my flowers! This always makes me happy and it takes less than 4 minutes bc all my flowers are right in the front of the house. Yes, the neighbors see me in my pjs. and water crocs. Lol I catch myself smiling while watering and working in the yard. It's my happy place...always! I love time on the patio in the mornings and evenings. (before it gets so blasted hot here in the desert)

9. Decide what is for supper / defrost the meat / do not try to deicde at 5 what we are having and hubby comes home at 530