I try to follow all the suggestions to get a good night of sleep, but it has been a struggle lately. I’m working from home so my brain is busy planning lessons and designing behavior programs. But still not enough activity with my brain and body. I try to get exercise in each day through walks or a workout video online but the rest of my day is more sedentary than it has ever been. I really think my brain and body are not getting as much activity as in the past and so at night I’m not sleepy.

The other reason I’m not sleeping well is probably because I don’t have a new solid night routine yet. Our bodies function better with healthy routine. My a.m. and p.m. routines are still undergoing “modification” for this new normal. I will not turn this into something to become anxious about. My affirmation: I am kind to myself as I develop new habits.

Financially I am ok right now. I put part of my stimulus on my last credit card, and the other half I am setting aside for repairs on my rental property. I will be going out there next month to look over the property and order any repairs. I just got the 30 day notice from my tenant that she will be moving out. I know that this is not the ideal time to find a new tenant so it is super important for me to build up cash reserves in case it takes time to get another tenant.

I have not posted since the end of December, when I restarted my blog. That sounds about right, though, I have been on the go since then. Until about 3 weeks ago when our routine life came to a screeching halt.

I have been working at home since Friday the 13th of March. Fortunately I do get paid since I have a contract. The part time job is limited, though, since it involves face to face intervention. I now conduct a few hours a week of direct intervention in the highest need cases, and will be conducting telehealth where the insurance allows it.

My finances are doing ok, actually. I took chunks such as my tax refund and did NOT throw it all on my final credit card. I put over half of it in savings to build my cushion back up, and to plump up the 'unexpected but they will happen' expense categories. I realized that I throw every spare penny on a debt, and leave the rest of myself so thin, that any little swell or bump in finances puts me over the edge again. I don't need to live so close to the edge! I should not be keeping myself up at night because I spent an additional $150 on an unexpected hiccup. I need to keep those 'unexpected' coffers full. These are, after all, my 'true expenses' (shout out to fellow Ynabers!)

With a little breathing room in my budget, I've been able to calmly look at my budget and work on lowering my 'true expenses'. The easiest way to budget is to not need to budget for something at all.

The rest of my time has been spent learning how to distance teach, keeping my mental health during this time of chaos, and keeping my family as healthy as we can. I'm trying to develop A.M. and P.M. routines that support my priorities. Exercise seems to be a big catalyst to having a productive day for me. I know how important exercise is, but still, since this Covid crisis started, I have been sluggish with developing a new routine. So exercise has been sporadic, eating has been on the rise, and my sleep is terrible. I need to get these habits/routines going!!!

I look forward to catching up with everyone through their blogs. It gives me something to think about besides the health crisis and myself. Health and safety to you all!