Moving With Fibromyalgia Or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Five Tips For Success
When you suffer from fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, just making it through the average day can be a struggle. The idea of having to pack up everything you own and move to a new house or apartment may be completely overwhelming. But while this won't be the easiest task, patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome do successfully move every year -- and so can you. Here are five tips to help you make it through this demanding process.
Pace Yourself
If you leave everything until the last minute and happen to have a flare-up on the days you plan on packing, you'll be left in a lurch. Start the packing process early. Make it your goal to pack a box a day -- or to dedicate just 20 minutes a day to moving. On your worst days, you may have to split that 20-minute goal into four 5-minute sessions, but that should be feasible.
Start by packing the things you rarely use, like holiday decorations and photo albums. Work your way towards packing the things you use more often.
Use Uniformly-Sized Bins For Packing
While you can save money by collecting free boxes from businesses and warehouses, all of this extra running around is sure to take a toll on your health. Plus, stacking non-uniform boxes is a lot harder than stacking a bunch of uniformly sized totes. Splurge on a big stack of uniformly sized, plastic totes with lids if you can possibly afford to do so. These offer more protection for your things, you don't have to worry about taping them, and they're easier to carry because they usually have overhangs/handles on the sides.
No matter the boxes you end up choosing, make sure you pack smart, and don't get caught up trying to shove everything into a single box, even if at the time that seems easier.
Tell Your Movers About Your Condition
If you'll be hiring movers to help you transport your items, don't be afraid or embarrassed to tell them about your medical condition. It's better that they know so that they understand why you may be overly fatigued or less engaged at certain points during the moving process. Most movers will be happy to accommodate you and may handle extra small tasks that they would not always perform for customers, knowing that you need and appreciate the assistance. Treat them with kindness and respect, and they'll typically treat you with the same.
Delegate Tasks To Your Helpers
Hopefully you have some family members and friends who are willing to help you move. They won't take a lot of pressure off you if you try to micro-manage and oversee everything that they do. So take the pressure off yourself by delegating tasks to these helpers and then let them tackle those tasks in their own way. For instance, you can ask your aunt to help pack your silverware -- and then trust that she does it properly rather than explaining exactly how you want it done. This takes some worries off your plate and frees up some mental energy that you may need later in the moving process.
Increase Your Self-Care Practices
To help ensure you make it through the moving process without your symptoms flaring up badly, remember to dedicate plenty of time to self-care. If you see a chiropractor or massage therapist, for example, you may want to schedule an extra visit during moving week. Make sure you're taking any medications you've been prescribed, and don't hesitate to take time out for a nap or some relaxation when you start to feel overwhelmed.
Moving when you have fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome is not easy, but with a good moving company, some dedicated friends, and the tips above, you will make it through. Visit a site like http://www.bekins.com to find out more about moving services.