Housework

It is Wednesday night. I often do all my housework until about 2am in the morning. It has been like this for years. I have always felt that there was something relaxing about housework. During the early days of whistleblowing, it is no secret that I found it difficult to cope with adjusting to the rough terrain I found myself in. Housework is essentially where your brain is rested and applied to practical tasks. It may be a version of occupational therapy for whistleblowers :).

My relationship with the Dyson Hoover has been long and difficult. After 5 years, I can take it apart and put it back together again. Cookery is yet another task that always reminds me of chemistry. I am not wonderful at cookery but I do try to create food that is edible. I have dreams of a hunky male maid in a loin cloth but in reality I am not rich enough to have one of those. That is one of the pitfalls of whistleblowing - you essentially have to be self sufficient and you have to do your own housework. Housework always reminds me that I am actually functioning and even progressing in life.

All brains require a rest. It is fine doing intellectual things but there is a certain pleasure at achieving practical things - clean carpets, flash on the kitchen floor, rows of beautiful plants and an effort to tidy up. Of course, my effort to tidy up GMC related papers is endless. Nevertheless, we all have to try. 

The importance of taking care of yourself and your surroundings is vital in every doctors life. I have always found that ironing large quantities of clothes is good for the times I actually feel fed up. The great thing to me about ironing is that I end up watching a movie or two on DVD. This is possibly how I get through endless movies in a month.

Normal things make all of us feel a little human and a little normal. Perhaps that's the reason I never get depressed. It is important to value and be fascinated by most things in life. Housework has the ability of ensuring your brain is functioning at practical tasks.  The routine of housework for me means that no matter what disasters happen in that week, there is always one thing that runs like clockwork. I do work hard at washing dishes, cleaning carpets, cleaning rooms, unblocking drains etc. Somehow, it persuades me that despite the GMC's and the Trust's effort to clutter my life - I am actually able to de-clutter and to function normally.