Sometime back I realised that there is a trait common to all my family, or at least my father, myself, my brother and my two kids. The fact is that all of us are unable to sit for any length of time doing nothing. We need to be occupied all the time, but it gets worse. I first noticed in myself and now see it in the rest of my family, that we also don't like to be doing one particular thing for too long either. That is, we rapidly lose interst in something, and divert our attention elsewhere.
Obviously, this characteristic is a double-edged sword. Doing something is clearly more productive in doing nothing and my brain needs constant stimulation, that much is true. However, when placed in a working environment, particularly where a large degree of repetitive behaviour was required... well, you can imagine how claustraphobic I felt. The only real surprise was that I stuck it for so long. That was because I had a family! When I was single and with no committments, I found it very difficult to see things through, but I've trained myself now I believe, to do what I have to do!
Yes, it's not easy when you need constant mental stimulation and this trait becomes even more apparent when on holiday. I find sitting at the pool or on the beach, almost akin to mental torture. Two hours on a deck-chair without a book or magazine and I'm crawling up the walls. I just hope that teaching will bring me the sort of challenge and fulfillment I need!
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