I’m only a couple of weeks away from maternity leave and honestly, I can’t wait!
I’m really looking forward to some downtime before baby arrives – I see a lot of time spent by the pool in my future.
I want to finish some books I’ve been reading.
I’m also super keen on finishing the nursery, purchasing the last few outstanding items (think: nappies, nappies, and more nappies), packing the hospital bag … there’s a bit to still do.
And of course, J and I are both super excited for baby to arrive.
After the many months of waiting and anticipating, her grand arrival is now mere weeks away, so it’s all getting very real and very exciting, and we really just can’t wait to meet her.
And so, the impending downtime (well, particularly the downtime before baby arrives) has got me thinking about how I can spend that time in a productive yet relaxing, mindful, and creative way.
The creative deficit
Recently I came across a new report that suggests, as a society, we’re at risk of a creativity deficit, with lack of time and the rising costs of living being the main culprits sapping our creative pursuits.
According to the report by design and marketing company, VistaPrint, many of us (in fact, it’s 1 in 2) find it hard to balance life’s many responsibilities with creative pursuits; 52% can’t find enough free time for creative pursuits; and 36% of us admit that getting creative is hard due to a lack of funds, which, given how expensive everything is getting, isn’t surprising.
It seems the busyness and responsibilities of life are getting in the way of getting those creative juices flowing!
And it’s a shame because the report also shows the real benefits of getting creative.
These include:
- Enhanced problem solving skills.
- Mood and mental health benefits.
- Stress reduction.
- Increased clarity and mental focus.
- Increased motivation.
- Improved sense of community connection.
Functioning on autopilot?
Habit researcher, author, speaker, and dietitian, Dr Gina Cleo says most of our time is taken up by routine tasks like “eating the same breakfast, driving to work the same way, listening to the same radio station or genre of music”.
“Most of our life is spent on autopilot,” she says.
Dr Cleo says breaking up the routine and doing things differently can make a big difference in terms of positively impacting our lives.
“Breaking out of the mundane routine of life can boost our sense of wellbeing, increase our problem-solving skills, as well as our innovation and creativity,” she says.
Joining the knitting revival
With all of that in mind and with my upcoming leave, I’ve decided to give knitting a go.
That’s right. I’ve decided to embark on the crafty world of yarn and knitting needles and everything else that the knitting revival has to offer.
And while it might sound like a clichéd, house-wifey thing to do, in actual fact, after doing a quick Google search, it seems there’s definitely a knitting revival going on.
“Knitting has experienced a huge surge in popularity since the start of the pandemic [COVID-19],” says Dee Marques in a post for happiness.com.
“As millions of us found ourselves stuck at home with nothing to do due to lockdowns, knitting became a great way to learn a new skill and pass the time while doing something both creative and productive.”
Watch out, baby! I see plenty of knitted clothing items in your future.
And knitting isn’t just for mums-to-be on maternity leave.
“A quick online search reveals lots of knitting clubs, as well as an endless Instagram feed where people from all over the world show off their skills and new creations,” says Marques.
There’s even a Facebook group – Men Who Knit – dedicated to well, men knitting.
And while knitting has seen a creative revival, it also has some pretty cool health and wellbeing benefits, too, which include:
- Reduced stress and anxiety.
- Improved cognition.
- Improved mental health, self-confidence, and reduced depression.
- Increased mindfulness.
So, it’s time to get knitty with it!
It’s time to let those creative juices flow because if nothing else, at least it’ll be great for my mental health and wellbeing as I enter the last few weeks before baby’s arrival.
Side note: I also saw, on Instagram, this really cool way of not letting baby clothes go to waste once baby grows out of them – turning baby clothes into a patchwork quilt. That sounds so precious and sentimental. Might give that a go as well … as soon as I’ve mastered knitting.
x G.
editor, journalist, digital content creator with a background in nutrition & dietetics.
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