Must… keep… busy…

by Eve, in Parenting (No Comments)

There’s a problem with being asked to put my feet up; to ‘relax’.

I get bored.

If pregnant women aren’t supposed to keep busy, why does the acknowledged concept of ‘nesting’ even exist? We’re known for keeping busy! This was a good time to move house, because I could distract myself by unpacking boxes, sorting, organising, filing, systematising, and structuring for efficiency all day. I exercised my problem-solving skills in the process. This house has no linen cupboard (in fact, little storage space at all), and without the space-saving assistance of IKEA products I had to contrive solutions myself — while maintaining good ergonomics, functionality, and aesthetics.

I do tire faster than I used to, but unfortunately my brain doesn’t. When I’m jaded from working at the library three days in a row (there’s an incapacity for a start — three days?), and don’t feel up to going out to do tasks around town, I’m still not happy with the idea of ‘relaxing’ in front of a DVD. A movie is for the end of the day, when I’m winding down and have little mental energy left. If I watch one during the day, I have to be doing other things too: keeping track of emails on my iPod, planning a To-Do schedule, making a meal, tidying up… Whatever’s necessary to have a feeling of achievement from my day.

But I’m getting through tasks faster than new ones are being created, and I’m faced with the dreadful feeling of an impending Nothing To Do.

Achieved today: emails are up-to-date, all the To-Do checkboxes currently in my diary are ticked, the grocery shopping’s done, dinners are planned for the next few days, the veggie plots are watered (I’m dubious about their survival — they were left here by the last tenant but they’re not looking very good, so I’m tempted to start over if they don’t perk up), the bathroom mirror has been height-adjusted, the laundry done, the blown lightbulb replaced, library books returned, and a cheque banked.

Now I’m bored.

I’m sure when Bump arrives, if I re-read this entry I’ll have no small measure of disgust. But Bump’s not here yet, so it’s a legitimate complaint at this point.

I’m going to check the mailbox. I’ll walk slowly so the task takes longer.