Red, Yellow and Green Days
I shared this system with a friend of mine recently, and she found it really helpful, so I’m sharing it here too. I might have actually shared this before, but I can’t remember and search is unhelpful.
I’ve got ME/CFS, and endometriosis. The endo is mostly not an issue thanks to wonderful meds, but still gets fussy now and then. The ME/CFS is in the mild/moderate range - dealing with fatigue, weakness, pain and sound/light sensitivity is my norm, and it doesn’t take much for PEM to become an issue.
The biggest problem with managing symptoms is that I’ve got this really bad habit of trying to do as much as I can on my “good” days (”good” meaning “better than my worst day”, not actually, you know, symptom free). I often end up pushing too hard and causing more problems, rather than just taking it easy and having a more consistent energy level.
So I came up with Red, Yellow and Green days, as a reminder to take it easy and be gentle with myself.
Red days - nothing more strenuous than sitting upright. Might spend most of the day in bed. I know it’s a red day when I’m weak or in a lot of pain - if I can’t knit, or can’t open the fridge, or holding my phone is too hard, it’s a red day. Red days I am not required to do anything more than exist.
Yellow days - I might be able to stand to make a meal, or do a load of laundry, but leaving the house is probably not a good idea. I can knit or spin or maybe even weave for a bit, but nothing that keeps me on my feet for more than 20 minutes. I know it’s a yellow day when I’m achy or stiff or tired, or if the thought of tv or music is just big old nope. Yellow days are basically sitting activities only. I have to lay down for at least an hour, but expect to sleep for 2-3 hours mid-day.
Green days - I can do things! I feel pretty good, it’s worth it to go for a walk, or tackle some cleaning, or hang out with people. I try to keep activity to 2 hr blocks and then check in with how I’m doing. I probably won’t nap but I will rest. Green days I’m “normal”.
Now for the rules
- I can not go from a Red day to a Green day - if Monday was Red, then Tuesday is at least Yellow by default. Even if I feel good, I have to treat it as a yellow day.
- If I’m up past midnight, the next day defaults to Yellow. If I’m up past 3 (generally insomnia, not actual choice), then the next day defaults to red.
- If I take pain meds, it’s a Yellow day, even if it started out Green. If pain meds happen after 7 pm, the next day is also likely to default to Yellow
- There is no need to feel guilty for not getting things done on Red or Yellow days - those days aren’t for being productive, they are for recovery so I can be functional later. Anything I do get done is a bonus and I can celebrate it.
- Prioritize things that feel good on Green days - sometimes having a clean bathroom feels good, sometimes it can wait until tomorrow, or be handed off to someone else to do. Green days do not mean that I am well.
- If I am active for more than 6 hrs in a row or 10 hrs total (active meaning on my feet, socializing, or in a crowded/noisy place), the next day defaults to yellow. Visiting with friends while sitting in a quiet place doesn’t count as active.
Basically, this system gives me a structure and permission to rest, recover, and take care of myself. It takes the pressure off of me in the moment to decide if I can manage something or not. If I wake up and it’s a Yellow day, then I don’t have to feel guilt for skipping a walk or passing off grocery shopping to my husband. If I don’t make dinner on a Red day, it’s not because I’m lazy or slacking, it’s because I’m working at taking care of myself. It gives me a shorthand when checking in with myself - I don’t have to tease out all the specifics of exactly how I’m feeling and push right to the limits of what I can do. The general categories to err on the side of caution and that’s a good thing.
Since I started using this system for myself, I’ve had fewer Red days, because I’m not pushing myself so much.
