Being Lazy

After more than seven and a half hours of desk job and one and quarter hours of commuting one side (two and a half hours both ways) , I am not left with much energy to do work outs or play games after returning home in the evenings. Though it may be good for physical and mental health.

I usually laze around and chit chat with mother, find out from her caregiver, Monica, how she has been keeping during the day and if need be have a WhatsApp chat with her physician for change of medicine, if any.

As soon as I get off the car the strays greet me in their usual playful way. Next is the turn of my pet who has to be pacified with a dog biscuit and some cuddling.

Over a cup of chai I have a chat with my sister. Monica then fills me in about mother and what more has happened at home during my absence. Sometimes I have to catch up with relatives and friends over phone as all are scattered far and wide.

At times I watch TV for sometime with mother till she falls asleep. On others arranging the necessities of the household takes priority.

Post dinner I do a little bit of reading before retiring to bed. Earlier I used to pile up a lot of work for weekends. Now I follow the CANI principle, that is, Constant And Neverending Improvement. It’s a management technique which can be applied very effectively for household as well.

Instead of postponing the must-dos I break them up in tiny bits spreading them over the week so that by the weekend quite a bit is done and only the balance remains to be finished.

By this way work does not accumulate and the number of chores to be done stops being a time consuming task.

Applying CANI, I keep doing little bit of house management in the evenings so as to minimize workload by the end of the week

I lead an ordinary life. So my routine is also not much to write home about. I avoid going out on week days. Wading through traffic is a major issue. Also I believe one must prioritise work as per importance and urgency. Outdoor activities, like shopping, get togethers, partying with friends etc., therefore, come last in the list.

I do like to listen to motivational and spiritual talks before calling it a day. But often exhaustion takes over midway shutting off the world. When I am too disturbed I put on meditational music to give rest to the brain. An overactive brain is as devilish as an idle one. It is not always that when we sleep the brain also rests. To calm it down some basic inputs are required – (i) listening to spiritual healers who can tranquilize the constant chatter inside, (ii) playing devotional or instrumental music which soothes jarred nerves and (iii) reading light books to take mind off chaos.

The other day I read an article in the papers on kidulting – a term that has come up post Corona. I realize that I have been often unknowingly doing that in the evenings – indulging in activities meant for kids!!

I often watch Tom and Jerry just to have a good laugh. I love watching The Adventures Of Tintin. I doodle knowing very well I am bad at it. But these kid stuffs are therapeutic, exhilarating, help re-connect with the child inside me and makes me happy and de-stressed. So does watching mindless entertainers like slapstick comedies. Recreating the nostalgic past is medicinal and somehow comforting.

It is not that every evening I get time for everything. Somedays I do have to rush back home to cook dinner. Somedays an overwhelming lack of excitement in life incites madness – like a sudden bout of shopping spree online or ordering something exotic to eat through Zomato or Swiggy. Is splurging money also cathartic??? Wonder!!!!

Sometimes I let go the schedule and binge on a thriller through the night. Variety is the spice of life. If you don’t have an adventurous, adrenaline surging existence create your own adventures to kill the boredom of daily rut.

That’s the way I enjoy life. Hope you do too.

Good night!!!

Pic from Pinterest