Idiom for restlessness

Question

A Chinese colleague just told me of a Chinese idiom for anxiousness or restlessness. They will often refer to someone who is overly restless as an ant standing on a heated pot. I'm pretty sure there is at least one English idiom for restlessness/anxiousness, but for the life of me I cannot think of it right now. Is there indeed one or more common idioms for restlessness in English, or am I imagining things? :)

Answer 1

Someone who is anxious may be said to have ants in their pants.

Answer 2

There are few choice idioms for restlessness in English, including:

• Sitting on pins and needles

• At sixes and sevens

• As jumpy as a puppet

And a whole bunch of amusing ones here: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/restlessness

Answer 3

Be as busy as a bee

Answer 4

Another to consider, to go with the most notable ones already stated:

Champ at the bit

To show impatience at being held back or delayed.

There is also an even lesser known phrase which we can read a little about here. From which we can derive a Dutch idiom:

To have a flea in ones ear.

On the whole this sounds synonymous with 'Ants in your pants', but, if you read, it is noted that an English variation exists which essentially means something else, so I'd be careful about using this indeed.

Answer 5

as frantic as a cockroach in a henhouse

Answer 6

As restless as a cat on a hot tin roof.

Answer 7

Nervous as a long-tailed cat in a rockin' chair factory.

Or I've heard it "Jumpy as a ...".

Answer 8

As a child, I heard the phrase, "She has a bee in her bonnet."

Answer 9

Butterflies in the stomach.