Tired

[motherof4]

I really look forward in the afternoon to doing a bit of cross stitch, usually between 30 and a 100 stitches. However, I find myself yawning and getting really tired within the first 5 mins, I've tried stitching a couple of different patterns and really want to finish one of them. I end up laying down and having a hour sleep then can't be bothered to stitch when I wake up, I'm really annoyed with myself. Does anyone else have this problem ?

[Squirrel]

It happens to me when I head to my arm chair with the idea of knitting or crochet - an hour later and still not a stitch done and a cat landing on my lap precludes doing either. Maybe it is the time of year or something.

[Serinde]

There's a lot of this around at the moment. Lots of other crafters I'm in touch with are also commenting that they are having a real problem settling to anything, even though they have all this "free time". Personally, I'm obsessing over the news even more than usual -- I like to have some I idea of what's going on, but this is nuts, frankly -- and time leaks away. The unnaturalness of our current situation means we are all slightly (at least) on edge. Our routines have been knocked for six. It's exhausting.

[wendywombat]

Yes me too!

I nod off over my book or stitching!

And as Serinde says...I too have News addiction!! I had this silly thought that if I didn't watch every bit of news something might just happen and i'd missed it!!
I need to know when M. Macron is going to make a decision about travel and lock-down restrictions. We have our house up for sale and nothing is being viewed. Plan to move North to Scotland is on hold....everything IS STATIC!!
Nothing that we can do about it...but Sleep I guess!!

[Mabel Figworthy]

I try to set myself small goals, but even so sometimes I just don't feel like it and simply sit and watch the Repair Shop. Because our (mail order) business is still up and running and busier than ever, I don't really get much time to stitch until the evening anyway (or the weekend) and by then I'm often too tired to concentrate on anything much (which is why DH insisted I worked on the final bit of the Certificate in the morning, and he'd look after the works phone )
In the end, stitch when you feel like it and when you feel up to it!

[Serinde]

I believe The Repair Shop is absolutely therapeutic, Mabel. Wish it was at least twice as long, so the craftspeople could really show us more of the "how" and explain more of the "why". The place where it's recorded also hosts lots of interesting courses, too.

[rcperryls]

I didn't originally think I would be quite as effected by "sheltering in place" or whatever it is being called where you are because I'm home so much anyway. At least I thought I was or maybe the difference is I "have to be home more" or maybe I went out more than I think I did. Regardless, I am also much more addicted to the news even when I don't want to be. I also find that I am rewatching favorite movies and series more than I am taking time to see new ones. I realize that given the unpredictability of the world I like knowing how something is going to end . I've had a hard time dealing with suspense (I am notorious for reading the last chapter of a book to make sure I want to keep reading ). I think the extra tension we are all under is exhausting.

Carole

[Roland]

I have a hard time starting. I sat down with my pattern, threads, material....and here I am....talking to all of you. But, usually once I actually start, I get a lot done. Or....I fall asleep.

[Podolyanka]

I do not fall asleep over my stitching(yet), but do feel very tired and even sleepy after lunch. Then a nice cup of coffee brings me back to normal. I think it is lack of exercise- after the 49 days of quarantine i miss my 5km daily walks badly; lack of vitamins- spring, remember?; monotonous work that stith and crochetting are; tiredness as we usually use every free minute (after some work) for our hobby instead of doing some exercise or just sitting on the balcony.
From what I hear from my good acquaintances who did not and do not work from home, they suffer from lockdown more than I do. Because working from home for 8 years makes it a habit that I must be home not far from the computer from 9 am till 8pm. I do miss my early morning walking Daughter's dog and my long walk before bed time though.

[Serinde]

I agree. Having worked from home since the end of the last century (!), being here isn't the issue. Partly it's being told I'm not allowed to go other places that is the issue. Being out in the country, in theory long walks aren't an issue, up to a point, but we're not allowed 6 miles up the road to the loch for walks. But it will be there when all this is over. And I do confess to be a rotten housekeeper, so the sheer number of things in the house I could be doing... well. Must have a nap!

[Mabel Figworthy]

And I do confess to be a rotten housekeeper, so the sheer number of things in the house I could be doing... well.

Snap! "can the room go another day without dusting" is definitely an oft-arising question here....

[wendywombat]

And I do confess to be a rotten housekeeper, so the sheer number of things in the house I could be doing... well.

Snap! "can the room go another day without dusting" is definitely an oft-arising question here....

Definitely!!
I have the same issue with cobwebs....without them the spiders would starve as the flies would have free flight and I Hate Flies!!
I have a fly swat in every room!

[fccs]

I've had a hard time dealing with suspense (I am notorious for reading the last chapter of a book to make sure I want to keep reading ). I think the extra tension we are all under is exhausting.

Carole

I have been known to fast forward to the end of a tv show or movie to see the ending, then go back to the start and watch it. I’m not good with suspense, even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

As for falling asleep, sometimes our body knows more than our mind and we just have to give in and rest.

[Serinde]

Of course, there might be another explanation... Suppose what's happening is that we are recovering from our previous high-octane, over the top lives? We are exhausted, yes, but from all the rushing, working, never-having-time-off lives that we previously lived (and took to be normal)?

[wendywombat]

Well! it took 20+ years for that to kick in!! Been retired for that long!
Perhaps it's a form of jet-lag!

[Serinde]

For those of us who are retired, we're sitting pretty: isolation isn't fun, but a pension is jolly helpful! Working from home is much the same for me: I'm safe (relatively) and paid.

No I was more thinking about younger people who are building their careers, working all the hours while simultaneously trying to have something like a family life. In Europe, holiday time is mandated, but I know that in the US, for instance, you might only get a week or two paid hols plus a handful of statutory vacation days early in your career. Exhausting.

[rcperryls]

I've had a hard time dealing with suspense (I am notorious for reading the last chapter of a book to make sure I want to keep reading ). I think the extra tension we are all under is exhausting.

Carole

I have been known to fast forward to the end of a tv show or movie to see the ending, then go back to the start and watch it. I’m not good with suspense, even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

So good to know that there is another person who admits to doing this. The only other person I know who admits to this is my niece. I just don't deal well with suspense. Drives my sister nuts because for some tv shows I end up recording the whole season so that I have the choice to watch the last episode if the fate of favorite characters is in doubt. And this pandemic and all that is attached to it is more than my poor little brain can handle.

Carole

[richardandtracy]

Have to confess we don't do that. Instead, as a family we like 'nice little family films', like Minions, Despicable Me, Up, Beverly Hills Cop, Addams Family, any John Candy film, Big, Shrek, you know. Probably scathingly called 'Family' or 'Kids', but who cares? We don't. Other series like 'Poirot' with David Suchet, or any 'Midsomer Murders', 'Vera', all relatively grit free detective films. And Murder She Wrote, Columbo - both are getting long in the tooth, but they are not unpleasant or nasty. We have tried to re-watch some of my teenage favourites, 'Dukes of Hazard' and 'The A-Team', but they have dated rather badly now and I just cringe.

Regards,

Richard.

[Serinde]

Yup: Poirot, Midsomer, Lewis. Can usually tell which episode within about 15 secs (drives DH mad; hey ho). Also watching Spooks, which is much harder viewing nowadays. Although I know how its various seasons end, having watched it the first time, I'm still startled at the reaction I have to it now. Whatever stern stuff I was made of then, well, not so much now.

[rcperryls]

Don't forget all of the Miss Marple mysteries. Hard to find the Margaret Rutherford ones, but Joan Hickson, Geraldine McEwan and Julia McKenzie.

Carole