On large pine trees and stress
As you can tell from the lack of posts, I've been busier than average. I'm going to spare everyone the details, but let me just say that I have so many hours scheduled that I get a bit overwhelmed. I have no delusions that I work any harder than anyone else or that I spend any more hours at work than anyone else, but I can confess that I get to the point where I feel that so few hours are my own that I really need a break. During the height of the summer I don't have time to pay bills, cut the grass, keep up with the pets, and do most of my other day to day chores. I find that I have to do the lawn in shifts, for example, just to get it done and try to keep it from getting overgrown.
The thing is, other than volleyball, I've found that the thing I do to relax is chores. Really. I remember vividly that in grad school that whenever work was overwhelming me, that doing the dishes would make me feel better. I'm not joking. I had a job in front of me with a specific start and end that I could do and when it was done realize it was done and see whether or not I had done it well. Not only that, but I usually find myself thinking about work when I'm in the shower, in bed at night, watching TV, but when I do chores, my mind wanders away from work and so doing dishes was a way to disconnect from work completely.
When I don't have time to do anything relaxing, where I define relaxing activity as playing volleyball or cutting the grass or washing dishes, I get antsy. I'm starting to have some more time, and this weekend, for example, I should be able to spend all of Saturday catching up on the yardwork. To give you some insight into my warped mind, I found myself thinking this exact thought today -- I was watering some of the plants, and I looked at the huge pine trees that are growing up against the house, and I thought "I can't wait to prune those this Saturday".
I'm serious. I'm warped, I know, but I am really looking forward to getting scratched up and sticky with sap while trimming pine tree branches. It will be a blast -- if anyone wants to come help, let me know.
The thing is, other than volleyball, I've found that the thing I do to relax is chores. Really. I remember vividly that in grad school that whenever work was overwhelming me, that doing the dishes would make me feel better. I'm not joking. I had a job in front of me with a specific start and end that I could do and when it was done realize it was done and see whether or not I had done it well. Not only that, but I usually find myself thinking about work when I'm in the shower, in bed at night, watching TV, but when I do chores, my mind wanders away from work and so doing dishes was a way to disconnect from work completely.
When I don't have time to do anything relaxing, where I define relaxing activity as playing volleyball or cutting the grass or washing dishes, I get antsy. I'm starting to have some more time, and this weekend, for example, I should be able to spend all of Saturday catching up on the yardwork. To give you some insight into my warped mind, I found myself thinking this exact thought today -- I was watering some of the plants, and I looked at the huge pine trees that are growing up against the house, and I thought "I can't wait to prune those this Saturday".
I'm serious. I'm warped, I know, but I am really looking forward to getting scratched up and sticky with sap while trimming pine tree branches. It will be a blast -- if anyone wants to come help, let me know.
posted by Chris at 10:22 PM
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