My Cozy Creativity Routine (even on low spoon days!)

Creativity Doesn't Have to be a Grind!

Living with Chronic Illness means no two days can look the exact same. Some mornings, I wake up with a bunch of energy, ready to create and get things done, and others I'm happy that I have the strength to take a shower that day. But I've slowly learned something along the way: Creativity doesn't have to disappear just because my energy does!!

Over time, I've build a cozy, flexible routine that honors my fluctuating energy while also continuing to feed my love for creating things. Whether I have every spoon I could ever need, or I'm barely scraping by, I've found ways to keep that creative spark alive without burning myself out (as much... we're all still learning).

So today, I'm sharing what my creative routine looks like- even through the tough days. If you're a fellow spooniem, I hope this helps you carve out a routine that feels soft, slow, and doable to do.

Friendly reminder - this routine is only what I do to make myself feel like a human every day. You do not have to follow this exact routine, if you don't feel like it. Highlight one daily step that takes care of you, whether it's doing your hair or skincare routine, journalling, or even playing video games, just please make sure that you carve out time, daily, to take care of yourself in some form or another!

My Slow Mornings:

I don't like to give myself a super strict time frame that I have to get out of bed, but no matter what, every weekday starts with getting Jared off to work, and then every day starts with a shower. But, in bed before I shower, I take my morning vitals of my Blood Pressure, O2 Levels and Blood Glucose, and take them down in my notes, as well as any pain or symptoms I'm feeling after waking up. The very next thing is always some sort of water or juice and my medication, just to help bring my blood sugar up and to make sure that those are good to go in my system! Once I'm into my day, i'll make sure to make notes of my symptoms throughout the day, but after waking up I can usually tell what's going to bother me the most throughout the day. Some questions I ask to check in with myself are:

• How's my pain level? Where is my pain located?

• Is my brain fog heavy or light?

• Am I feeling emotionally regulated?

• How many spoons do I actually have today?

This isn't about judging myself, or being harsh on myself, but more about monitoring my symptoms and choosing wisely. Some days I can dive into a project, other days I need to let creativity take a back seat while I rest and regulate. By checking in first, I stop myself from spiraling with guilt later.

(Spoonie tip: Keeping a journal with your symptoms and vitals or even just of your flares and what happens during them is extremely helpful to take to your appointments. It also helps figure out how different tasks and events affect you, to help you plan better and avoid pushing too hard. I have a hard copy and then the main one is on the notes app on my phone, so it's easily accessible wherever I am, and frequently updating the hard copy so I can keep a solidified record of my medical difficulties and complaints.

I also am in charge of cleaning the house and taking care of everything at home while Jared and Yvonne are at work, so cleaning is always my first priority. I always dedicate time to, at the very least, pick up the house and wipe down the counters in the kitchen, to make sure that our house is clean and presentable for them to come home to, first. There are a few days a week that I do deeper cleaning, like the doors and walls, the floors, the washing machine and dryer, you name it. But, first and foremost, I make sure that everything is cleaned and tidy before getting into a deeper cleaning project.

On Good days, I Make, Move, and Flow

When I do have energy, I protect it like it's gold and I'm Jack Sparrow or something. I usually put a TV show on, or some music, to get me moving and motivated to not touch my phone. The next step is always a "happy drink" as I like to call them, which is essentially just anything other than plain water. That could be water with electrolytes, a RedBull, a mug of tea or coffee, you name it. I just need something other than plain water to keep me going.

Then I figure out what I am planning on getting accomplished today, whether that's around the house or for C&C, I make one big to do list in excruciating detail on my phone to think through every little thing that I could possibly need to get done. In the list, I give myself 5-10 minutes of down-time between each thing in order to preserve my energy to the best of my ability. Once all my house stuff is done, it's working time!

• If my hands feel good or I have an active idea: crochet time!

• If I'm mentally clear and feeling verbally creative, I work on writing my blog post outlines or the posts themselves, or working on writing patterns that I've been working on for a while.

• If I'm feeling antsy: Cleaning and organizing my space and making sure every product has a price tag!

I try to not over commit, just one focus at a time keeps it sustainable. At night, it's very often that I'm going to be crocheting while I'm playing a video game or watching T, so at least once a day for a few hours, I'm working on a project!

Bonus tip: I watch a lot of TV while I crochet, and honestly it helps the time go by so much, I definitely recommend trying it!

On Flare Days: I Create Without Pressure:

when the pain is high or my energy is gone, I still like to feel connected to my creativity, but it just looks different.

Low spoon days may look like this:

• Send Jared off to work

• Get back out of bed probably around 9

• Shower

• Skincare

• Hair Care

• Brush Teeth

• Pick up the house

• Blogging day!

• Jared gets home from work

• Finish working on the blog I was working on at the time

• Crochet the rest of the night.

It's a very slow day, nothing crazy, but it gets my work done and it gets my house work done. Sometimes, I can't even look at my phone, computer, or crochet projects because of how bad my dizziness gets when my eyes move sometimes. I had to unlearn the the idea that rest = failure. Sometimes the best things I can do for my creativity is do nothing at all - because rest is part of the process

Real talk - "Creative Rest" isn't just a trendy idea, it's a literal survival tool when you're chronically ill.

Midday: Time to Pause (and Time for some Grub!)

Whether it's a "good day" or not, I always schedule out time to eat through the day. Not because I'm a routine queen (even though I definitely am) but because consistency helps stabilize my body. That means that I eat 2 breakfasts and 2 lunches. They're both really small, only about 300-600 calories in each, but they're filling and substantial enough to hold me over until my next small meal.

Some other things that I have had to enact in every-day life is

• "Horizontal Time" which literally means time to lay down in bed and do nothing.

• Stretching, using a foam roller, or even just laying with my back flattened on the ground when my body is protesting.

• A heating pad session on really bad days

• Hydration, because it's super important and I'm trying really hard to be better at it!

This is usually the time in between cleaning and getting work done for the day, so I usually just let myself scroll on social media and just zone out for a while to relax! I've learned that resting before I crash is a lot better than having to rest after I do.

Cozy Evenings

Evenings are pretty quiet in our home. I usually make dinner for the 3 of us, and then Jared and I will go into the game room/ office and get into "gaming mode". We both have PCs that we like to play games on, and usually while I'm playing one of my less-attention-grabbing games, I'll be working on a project at the same time. I also will just sit and crochet in my chair while I have a show going some nights, because I'm not always in the mood to game!

This is also when I update my symptom journal for the day and check in on how I was doing and feeling through the day. There are even some nights that I don't craft at all, and that's okay! This is my time to not only do the emotional work of running a creativity-based business, but it's also my time to work on my health and my brain, too. I will very often journal at night, because that's when I feel the weight of my emotions the most, so it's a great time to get my feelings and late night energy out.

Moral of the Story: Your Routine can be Gentle and Real!

If your body is unpredictable like mine, your creative routine doesn't have to be rigid or the exact same every single day. It can bend and shift with you. It can be soft, slow, and sensory friendly. It can hold space for both passion AND pain. Whether you make a masterpiece or just pin a few ideas on Pinterest, you're still a creative person, and you're still being creative.

You don't need to match anyone else's pace. You don't need to prove your worth with output. You just need to be kind to your body while staying connected to what lights you up. This is whe whole idea that Chronic & Cozy was built on, the idea that you can build beautiful things at your own speed, with your own rhythm, even on the hardest days.

So here's to low-spoon routines, soft materials, and creativity that honors your body... not exhausts it. You've got this, one cozy moment at a time!

Peace, Love and all the Above,

Ella Marie <3