Wall of text incoming, sorry, I get anxious trying to explain myself and I ramble 😅
My specific situation is that I have serious trouble organising myself (planning and acting on plans) due to mental health and I am chronically exhausted. I’m on disability because of these and some other issues.
I can’t find affordable loose-leaf tea in any store nearby. Ordering something I need regularly online is difficult because I need to remember that I need to do it and then also do it. I know it sounds weird to someone who doesn’t have that problem but it’s just far easier to just go to one supermarket, once a week, and get all the stuff that I’m going to need (and even that isn’t easy when you’re exhausted simply from existing). Add to that decision fatigue where I get thoroughly overwhelmed by the sheer number of options when online shopping - I actually like having just a handful of options because it makes deciding a lot less exhausting. (I also wouldn’t know where to get affordable tea online that isn’t amazon and I’m trying to avoid that but that’s a different topic)
It’s not the manipulation of tea bags that’s difficult for me, I fortunately don’t have problems using my hands other than being clumsy because I don’t pay attention.
Tea bags:
- get tea bags
- put tea bags in thermos
- pour water in thermos
- throw tea bags out
- drink tea
- wash cup
- done
I do actually own a tea infuser ball and a reusable tea bag and there’s more steps involved, including having to clean them. I used each a couple of times and then I just couldn’t do it anymore because the thought of going through these steps was overwhelming.
- measure out tea
- try not to spill half the tea all over the counter causing more work (!)
- put tea bag in thermos
- pour water in thermos
- take out tea bag
- clean tea leaves out of tea bag, thoroughly, because tea leaves cling to the bag
- clean the bag of tea residue
- hang bag up to dry
What ends up happening is that I just want to drink my tea and even the maybe 5 minutes it would take to clean the thing are too much. So I leave the used tea bag lying somewhere, I forget that I have to clean it, and it takes me days to remember - worst case scenario is the tea starts getting mouldy in the bag. Even if I remember, I can’t work up the energy to clean the thing so I postpone it (and don’t drink tea in the meantime).
Sidenote: I have a Huel subscription because if that package didn’t arrive like magic on my doorstep every two months, I regularly wouldn’t eat anything but toast for days because everything else is more than two steps and thus too much.
I know it’s not like anyone is asking me to run a marathon and I feel silly just typing all this. I’m the first person in line to chastise myself because I just have to pull myself together a bit and stop being lazy and get over myself and I have the hardest time accepting that I am ill. If tea bags ceased to exist tomorrow, I suppose I could deal. As it is, they are a small thing making one small act a little easier, adding to a bunch of other small things that are inconsequential on their own but make small acts a little easier so I can feel like half a person.
I do appreciate the thought and, although a cursory look at what’s available in online shops around here seems more expensive than I’m comfortable with, I will at least consider your advice next time I have the mental energy. Thank you :)