I love that title. Cleaning can be a pain, both physically and mentally. People whose occupations have required them to use their hands repetitively over the years are now finding that simple chores are a real pain. Hand specialist Melissa Peavey (Arthritis Today: July/August 2011) sympathizes with people who suffer from repetitive stress injuries, and suggests that they explore other options. Perhaps you could trade off chores with another family member or hire outside help. It might come down to just getting over the compulsion that makes you think that a spotless house is important anyway. Housework is not therapy. The other option is to take an anti-inflammatory drug before starting, take frequent breaks, and do some gentle stretching exercises before and after your tasks.
There is a lot of pressure on women to create, or at least give the impression that they have a perfect life. It is hard to create that impression if your house isn’t immaculate. An article in the Daily Mail (London, U.K. September 9, 2004) suggested that this obsession has become more important than nurturing relationships. Younger women are often more obsessed with the idea of being seen as a domestic goddess than older women, although I have known many house proud older women in my day. The article went on to say that a good third of women today feel guilty about the state of their homes, and a fifth of them are in a state of depression about it. Frankly, I think those statistics are a little low. Girls learn guilt about these things at their mother’s knee, and it doesn’t have anything to do with how old they are. As women get older they don’t worry quite as much about what other people think, but they still go into a panic state when they have company coming.
So cleaning is a hot topic. Some articles try to convince us that a heavy dose of housework can be counted on as a way meet exercise requirements. That is a nice thought but a few passes with a dust cloth is not going to do the trick. Experts now say that as far as fitness is concerned, you would be better off leaving the kitchen sink and heading for the gym. The thing that really makes me mad is when I go to the gym and staff members are vacuuming and dusting right in front of me. How are we supposed to enjoy a gym experience when someone is reminding us that the vacuuming is waiting for us when we get back home?
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