The Active Relaxer
By Steve Sharp
I came across a TV news story of a chap in New Zealand, who, on his first day of retirement cut the lawn. The next day he cut it again.
He then scarified, treated and reseeded it.
While waiting for nature to catch up he cut his neighbour’s lawn and the bit of grass on the side of the road adjoining their properties.
Then he cut the other neighbour’s lawn, and the one next to that, and all of the roadside grass in the area. Within weeks he was grooming the entire neighbourhood for free and had acquired half a dozen old mowers for different conditions and lawn finishes.
He was interviewed along with his wife who described him as an “active relaxer” who could only relax if he was doing something.
“The other night in bed at gone eleven he was on his iPad” she said.
“He was looking at lawns!”
The idea of being an active relaxer rang a bell and I own up to being one, though not quite to the same level as lawn man. Apparently, it’s a thing with bloggers and there are help groups for partners who live with one.
There are those like Craig Fenton who promote the idea, but somehow, I see this just adopting an active lifestyle rather than to be incapable of relaxing in the conventional way.
An extract from a retirement website more accurately describes the condition and offers advice to a partner of a more relaxed persuasion:
Blessed with my parents’ Yorkshire work ethic I can totally relate to the concept, as someone who finds it impossible to relax unless I am physically and mentally tired and most of my friends and family are to some degree similar.
Two of my retired neighbours represent opposite sides of the coin.
One, who I will call Fred, has a total inability to relax and keeps occupied from dawn ‘till dusk with endless hobbies, jobs and planning. The other, Barney, saw his very successful working career nothing but a chore and relishes every minute of his laid back retirement.
I like working, especially in the early morning when I seem to do my best. In the evening I would rather cook than have food cooked for me. It’s relaxing.
And I always have a list of things that need doing. A jobs list.
In fact my wife sometimes refers to me as Steve Jobs!
Steve