I have a cat; a black cat with green eyes and a few faint white marks who appears to be devoted to comfort. She also seems to like my company and follows me around in the house, and when we were able to, outside as well. My friends remarked that she was my shadow - my personal stalker. I am not famous enough to have a regular human stalker which is a relief - I like the idea of being safe.

This month should normally be a holiday time with trips out and perhaps a visit to friends or family. Instead I at home decorating the flat to get rid of the previous tenant's unusual taste. If you can live with a terracotta and brown decor with two white wals, one of which sports some red circles, and a predominance of red, then good luck. I cannot.

Which brings me to the title.

As most people know, decorating can be hard work fit only for tradesmen (or women) and DIY experts. I am neither but having done a lot of painting and decorating during my Uni years I am saving on labour by doing it myself.

In the meantime my cat Sophie looks on with bemused contempt and occasionally inspects progress the way cats do. As if to remind me that I am working too hard whenever I take a tea break she ensconces herself on my lap and settles down for a comfortable snooze. Being a totally soppy cat owner I cannot simply chuck her off which makes the tea breaks longer and the working time shorter. Result: I am relaxed and not tired out at the end of the day yet I have achieved enough to keep me happy.

I deduce from this observation that the cat is trying to tell me something.

Back to people. Many people rush around full of energy doing things, often doing great things and end up tired and grumpy in front of telly knowing they have to start the same thing the next day and the day after.

My cat? She has the ability to loaf around doing nothing all day, snoozing, washing herself, eating and the normal cat things with the occasional rush to attack and murder unsuspecting small creatures, but mostly lazing around. And here's the rub: she can do nothing all day and still look tired out at the end of it without any twinges of remorse or guilt at spending yet another wasted day.

But then, by taking on a part-time job, studying the laziness of cats, and combining all of it with Zen I have in fact discovered that I can do more and relax more.

Fun, isn't it?