Many more of us have been working from home this year. I’ve been home-based for years but just now it’s a little different. Everyone’s gone off to uni – except me and the dog – and since I am working towards some qualifications a lot of my time is currently spent studying.
Now, I love to learn. I am enthusiastic and organised. Learning something new makes me feel alive and happy. But there’s no escaping the fact that long hours sitting at a desk (or worse still staring at a screen) can make a person tired and stale. I’ve really noticed the tiredness in the afternoons.
In the past couple of days I’ve adopted a new outlook. It’s nothing dramatic. I call it ‘doing tiny tasks.’ When I feel tired, or my attention wanders, I find a tiny task to do. I can’t start clearing out the shed or hemming curtains because that would take up too much time; I just need something small to give me a break from words and ideas, after which I can return, refreshed, to the books.
Today, in addition to the usual jobs like walking the dog and hanging out washing, I’ve vacuumed the stairs, done some shredding, and planted some pansies in pots, all in between study tasks.
The result is that I am getting more done, of everything. Little, nagging jobs that I had been meaning to do are finally completed, and the time I spend studying – as well as preparing lessons, marketing etc – is more focussed and productive.
Also, now the view from my kitchen window is much more colourful!
