I know that I shouldn't set myself deadlines because it is an unnecessary stress that I am supposed to avoid.
Part of my MCTD autoimmune picture is hypo-adrenalism. That means my adrenal glands don't make enough cortisol and adrenalin which are needed by the body when under stress.
Stress may be physical or emotional, good and bad. An example of a 'good' stress might be physical exercise like dancing, walking, travel or happy excitement. Bad stress might be emotional upset like grief or worry, illness or injury.
Put simply, it's like having my 'batteries' continually on 'almost empty' - the last bar on the recharging scale.
Have you ever seen a TV commercial which shows a battery-powered toy robot or 'drumming bunny' happily running along until the batteries run low? The toy robot bends further forward until the battery runs out and then it can bend forward as far as he can go without falling over. The drumming bunny's rhythm gets slower and slower until his drumsticks are immobilised. As soon as a new battery is inserted the robot stands upright again and moves; the bunny starts drumming again at a very quick pace.
If you can imagine that we are like these toys, most of us wake up in the morning with a fully charged battery; we can stand up straight and move briskly with energy. When we get tired,a rest or sleep serves to fully recharge our batteries and we can go again. In my case, when I wake up, I am like the toy that is already leaning forward, halfway towards full exhaustion; drumming my drum at moderato when it should be prestissimo.
To add insult to injury, my 'batteries' take three days to recharge to that meagre halfway mark; everyone else only takes one day to get a recharge that is full to the brim of energy.
That is why I need to avoid stress. I made a vow to never make another deadline but what to do when I want to make something special for a special someone for a special day? Choose a project that I can finish quickly within an ample timeframe.
I thought I had done that. I had six weeks to complete a project that should only take three weeks at the most, maybe four. That was allowing for family commitments, unexpected demands, hiccups and possible periods of illness. The project itself was relatively simple, nothing too fancy and in a stitch that was quick to work.
What happened? All of the above scenarios eventuated including general exhaustion from too much activity plus stupid, avoidable errors caused by the frustrating fog of fatigue and constant interruptions.
All these delays prevented me from meeting my deadline and I am extremely disappointed.
I am sorry to say that I am behind on Fab Four blog posts because I have been busily working on the special project, using every spare minute (but only when I'm awake enough to focus - important qualifying criterion).
Nevertheless, I am determined to get the project finished. (I cannot divulge any more details because it is a gift.) I would say it is 90% complete. I was hoping to start some new work and catch up on blog posts by 1 April, but that will have to wait now.
Do you set deadlines for your craft projects? Does it work? I have found that deadlines can sometimes be a motivator yet at other times create pressure that turns an enjoyable activity into a chore, thus defeating the purpose (which, for me, is therapeutic relaxation). How does one estimate the time it will take to crochet something? What factors influence that? I am interested to compare notes with fellow crafters.
Thank you for your patience while I get the final 10% finished. As soon as it is all done and delivered, I will share it here on Lupey Loops.
Related Posts on Lupey Loops
"Infographic: Typical Gift Project Cycle", 24 April 2013: https://lupeyloops.blogspot.com/2013/04/knitting-crochet-blog-week-day-3_24.html
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