Hello all! What period during the day are you most productive when you're feeling decent? I've noticed I typically have about a 4 hour span from 10AM until 2PM where I have the most energy, physical and mental, and least amount of pain. Obviously, the time varies due to disease activity but when I'm feeling well I'm usually good for 4ish hours of good productivity before fatigue sets in.
Hi there ineedcoffee, good to see you back here.
This is a really interesting question and I'm probably about the same as you. It takes me a good while to get going in the mornings so maybe 10:00 - 11:00am and then I crash around 2:00pm - 3:00pm and usually have a sleep for an hour or so to give myself enough energy to push through the rest of the day. If I have anything more physical to need to do, even light housework, the bulk has to be done during my peak period!
I need coffee too .... got a picture on my kitchen wall which says "with enough coffee I could rule the world".
Thanks! We moved back to Boise from Austin last year and it's helped a bit with the psa- the sun intensity and year round allergens were big triggers for me. Less stress too.
It's a bit reassuring to know you're not alone when dealing with an autoimmune disease. There isn't a single person where I work that understands what I have to deal with. I end up having to apologize a lot because it's easier than having to explain everything. Good times... :)
Coffee gets me through the day. ;)
Good to see you back! I’m about the same with my physical energy, maybe an hour later in the afternoon, so 10 until 3 or so. I’ve been swimming in the mornings: I try to leave the house shortly after nine (that requires a HUGE “push”) and by the time I’ve changed and done my hydrophysio and changed again and driven home and showered and dressed, it’s close to noon. The tank is pretty much empty at that point, but if I rest for a bit, I may get another hour out of myself before I crash in the recliner with my laptop. So yes, four or maximum five hours of physical activity.
My mental energy is far better than it was before Enbrel. My brain is good until about 9pm. Then I nod off in front of the TV. Unlike pre-Enbrel (or pre-diagnosis) days, I sleep pretty well.
My most productive times are late morning to early afternoon and then I generally get a second wind in the evening for an hour or two. I used to be constantly in motion, so getting accustomed to the limitations I seem to have with this disease has definitely been an adjustment! I find I have more productive time if I remember to exercise and otherwise tend to my needs. I get really tired if I'm not taking care of myself, and especially when I exercise after not having done so for a while! It's a good motivation to do it regularly. :)
I see a trend, I too am most productive from 10 am until around 330. Then I crash- sometimes as soon as I get home sometimes later. Early morning meetings/appointments are not fun for me.
I'd like to see a comparison with people who don't have an AI disease.
Kirsten said:
I see a trend, I too am most productive from 10 am until around 330. Then I crash- sometimes as soon as I get home sometimes later. Early morning meetings/appointments are not fun for me.
My comparison pre-PsA:
I am self-employed and have my own business which I run from premises at my home. I'm now 52. Before PsA struck at around 48 years of age, I would start my non-stop physical job (bending, stretching, lifting, repetitive movements) at 7:00 - 7:30am, stop for a quick coffee mid-morning, a quick lunch early afternoon and carry on until around 6:00 - 6:30pm then come into the house and tidy/clean/prepare a meal, do some business paperwork, eat and then around 9:30pm go and do up to another hours work before collapsing into bed. Seven days a week, 51 weeks of the year! And I was effectively 'on-call' 24 hours a day.
It's not good. Not good at all!