Structure or no structure?

I prefer to have structure in my life. Having meals, going to bed and waking up at same time every day even in vacations have decreased the amount of terrible migraines. This is the main reason why I like scheduled days.

I think it really depends on what works for the individual, but I believe having a broad structure does help in controlling my bipolar. It's as if the condition itself tends so much towards chaos, that imposing some kind of order helps to keep it in line, to some extent.

The main things I focus on are: getting sufficient and regular sleep, regular mealtimes, daily exercise, and some relaxation time e.g. reading and meditation. However, these expectations have to be adjusted when I'm in an episode e.g. when manic I'm almost certainly not going to be getting enough sleep until my medications are altered.

It can be really difficult to get the balance right, especially for me when I've been working/studying full time as my perfectionism often leads to me overworking, and it's a constant effort to keep the stress under control and prevent it triggering an episode.

Structure works for me most of the time, and it is better (for me) in the long run but it breaks down no matter how hard I try. At some points, if I have nothing to do, nothing scheduled I will stay in bed all day, if I have something to do, no matter how hard it is, I will get out of bed. Other times I need no incentive I will wake up full of energy, and offer to do things I normally wouldn't. I don't know, if I wasn't self employed I would be homeless (again). As far as eating, many days I have to force myself to eat and take vitamins, as weird as it sounds the depression is better for me, because I don't do as many stupid things, especially financially. Normal is better because inside I am a great person, once this comes back, I just drift. I have had so many friends and loved ones call me so many names, because it all happens so fast and slowly at the same time, they try to understand at first, but they can't. To them a bad day is they didn't get enough sleep and they are cranky, or they feel under appreciated at work, without realizng the same emotion in me, last for months. They can be happy about things and go back to normal in hours, but I can't stop it. I want to back to a regular job, but I have to wait until I see what happens.