Do any of you have things you do to entertain yourself to pass the time while doing time consuming and repetitive tasks? I try really hard not to think about my real job, so if my neighbors aren’t outside, I sing musicals. Little Shop of Horrors is appropriate since it is about an errant plant.
For instance, while spraying, I might sing: “Why don’t you FEED me, Seymour, so I can grow up BIG and STRO-AH-AH-ONG-ONG!”
While pruning: “I don’t know, I don’t KNOW-OH-OH. I have so many strong reservations! Should I go and perform mutilations!”
One of the feral cats usually attires to show off how he can climb trees better than I can, and it’s a nice way to pass several hours.
Honestly, like to do a dube tube first then put on a good garden podcast. Or some island vibes in the old headphones. Dishes, laundry, weeding, mower, grafting, and uppotting 100 seedlings. All much better irie .
I used to listen to podcasts and still do occasionally. But in one of my favorites (Deep Questions by Cal Newport), he suggested allowing yourself to have quiet time without constant stimulation. So, lately I have been practicing doing garden tasks with just my thoughts to keep me company.
When I’m outside doing some gardening I usually have my neighbor’s developmentally challenged teenager falsetto shrieking to himself in his deck chair and the other neighbor’s two little girls who play too rough or something until the younger one starts crying hysterically and the parents ignore it until it stops in ten or fifteen minutes.
Fun topic.
Makes me remember my former neighbor who would sing at the top of his lungs when doing yard work (was was not nearly often enough LOL) it didn’t bother me; he actually had a great voice for a bubba from Mississippi! Plus I like to see people feeling good.
If I’m doing something loud I listen to all kinds of music (including reggae, @Noddykitty) in my AirPods with the noise cancellation on.
But otherwise I just quietly do my thing and listen to the birds etc.
If I am on the mower where no one can hear me, I like to sing (often hymns, but also other songs on occasion) at the top of my lungs. I also talk to God at length. I know He can hear me over the mower and He is a wonderful listener and will actually help me when needed with the things we discuss.
When I am doing something quiet such as planting or weeding, I don’t really like having electronic sounds around, as I prefer to just listen to the peaceful sounds of nature, i.e, birds singing, fish splashing in the pond, bees buzzing, frogs croaking and calling, the wind rustling through the trees, etc. I find natural sounds much more relaxing and calming than electronic noise. Don’t know why, but it is just different.
I will, however, carry on a conversation aloud with the things I am interacting with. Such as, “Sorry little clover, but you cannot live here in my strawberry bed.” Or “Watch out, you cute little toad. You almost got stepped on.” I also tell my veggies, shrubs and trees that I am working around how much I love them and to grow big and strong for me and I will take care of them and spread their seed around. Not sure if it helps, but it certainly can’t hurt.
When I was in junior high school, we did an experiment where we each planted two cups with a bean seed in each. One plant we spoke nicely to and one plant we said mean things in a mean tone to, trying to see if one grew better than the other. For most kids, the one they spoke nicely to grew bigger and better for whatever reason. That has always stuck with me!
Sandra
What a great question! Should get some interesting, some funny, (and maybe some strange) answers.
I started listening to ‘books on tape’ when I was at home with small children. Not all the time - and not ignoring them (the small children) . . . but while folding laundry, doing dishes, cooking and other mundane tasks. That was back in 1985, perhaps?
I still listen. In the car. While I paint. While I clean. It keeps my mind from dwelling and obsessing on things that I cannot change, but cannot stop thinking about.
If you are not aware . . . many public libraries offer services which allow you to ‘borrow’ digital books and audio books. For streaming and downloading. The one I like best is called “Libby”. All you need is a library card. There is another called “Hoopla”, but they rarely have the books I’m looking for. You can ‘do’ movies, magazines . . . all kinds of entertainment. They are marvelous! And it’s all free.
@Jujumama For what it’s worth - I talk to ‘inanimate mute objects and things too’. I don’t know why . . . but it just feels good. And animals??? Of course! I’m a regular Dr. Doolittle. My kids make fun of me - the way I talk to my dogs. “MOM! They don’t understand you!”
I think. I do my best and all thinking/light bulb moments with outdoors repetitive endeavors. (And I’m so glad to read other people discourse with the plants…)
I whistle and sing to myself a lot, but only sing when I don’t think anyone can hear me🙂. I do also play music on my phone while it is in my pocket. I don’t usually sing really any of the songs I have on my phone (mostly because a lot of the songs I sing don’t exist anywhere on the internet that I know, at least there aren’t any versions of them that I care for).
Oh, and of course my mind wanders off and I daydream.
About 1/3 of my work is extremely repetitive (heavy equipment operation). I got some very fancy Bose noise canceling headphones and switch between audiobooks and music (I find it important to include some radio/streaming music to mix it up). I limit the podcasts, most are insultingly vapid.
Like some other posters I’ve really come to appreciate having a bit of mindless but active work- i too think it’s good for the brain to wander
Here’s Zorro, who scampered up into an ancient standard pear with me. Not long after the photo I started climbing down the ladder in a hurry because he looked like he was going to leap onto me (and cause me to lose my balance.). Then he turned around to leave, showing his displeasure by displaying his man parts, although they were really just one pear because he’s neutered. He went back down the tree and I went back up.
and He is a wonderful listener and will actually help me when needed with the things we discuss.
