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Original poster

Is anyone else loving this slower pace of life?

211 replies

JMAngel1 · 26/03/2020 13:35

Just that really - silver linings anyone?
No commute, no racing around.
Easy structure to homeschooling is going well - kids are happy which is all I'm aiming for and feel like I'm teaching them good life skills too - housekeeping, baking etc
Decluttering is very cathartic for me and yesterday we made banana bread - I never get time to bake usually.
Lots of reading together and board games.
Trying to stay calm and take each day at a time.
Beautiful sunshine for our one walk a day.

OP posts:
SparklySeal · 26/03/2020 17:03

Nope. I do think I can see the sunshine and birds singing if not juggling young kids and both parents busy working.

I'm working even more than when at work which maybe is just current state of play in my industry. I'm just glad I still have my job but very conscious my kids are massively losing out to families who can devote more attention to them.

nowwaitaminute · 26/03/2020 17:04

Oh lord yes!! I am LOVING it, we are both home and I am feeling very present with the dc. We have nothing dragging us away at the moment which is great!! We are both very lucky to be in jobs that don't need us but they are still paying us! We are also very lucky to own a lot of land so we don't feel trapped as we have lots of outdoor space. If this weather keeps up we are going to put the tent up somewhere and go "camping" for a few nights.

NameChangeNugget · 26/03/2020 17:04

I’ve never been busier.

otterturk · 26/03/2020 17:06

The lovely. I'm enjoying taking one decent walk a day,reading more, sitting outside in warmer weather, having a real break from usual life/work/gym/out routine.

Terralee · 26/03/2020 17:10

No because I'd just got into the routine of going to the gym followed by a coffee or a drink at the bar, I really miss it!
Working out on your own at home, well sorry but there's no fit men around!!

I miss meeting my friends & even their children for coffee, a proper clothes shopping trip, buzzing restaurants & bars, I was going to see a band but it's been cancelled!
I can have a slow pace of life when I'm 80.

kalinkafoxtrot45 · 26/03/2020 17:12

No. My DP has no work. I’m supporting both of us. I’m worried sick for my parents who are in another country. I have tons of work to do but have to do it from our living room as I have no space to use as an office. It might be simpler but it’s shit.

ironicname · 26/03/2020 17:13

I'm trying to ignore my anxiety and enjoy my family. The sunshine is helping and when it's like today I could easily shun capitalism and live a happy, humble life.

Aprilcherry04 · 26/03/2020 17:22

I work in a public facing job and had become very anxious about the dangers of infection so I am relieved to be at home

Mintjulia · 26/03/2020 17:23

I'm trying to work full time, supervise home schooling and keep my job - and you think this is a slower pace of life?

I must be missing something

EdHelpPls · 26/03/2020 17:26

Loving it. We’ve been in (kinda lost count) around 4 weeks now due to illnesses.

I’ve started making lunch boxes up either at night or in the morning and then the kids can access their lunch and snacks in those all day without asking me, limits dirty dishes etc. Was a bit frustrating before that!

Thought I’d get the house decluttered but have been busy making face masks for local pharmacy and care home staff who have none, so actually house is getting worse. But at least nothing new is coming in!

LisaSimpsonsbff · 26/03/2020 17:29

I've been (rather guiltily, given the circumstances) enjoying this week. DH and I are working around each other and taking shifts with 20 month old DS - which I thought would be nightmarish but actually it's lovely having regular breaks from work to be with DS (we're doing two hours on two off, over a long day, with the blessing of both employers) and it's really helped to keep very stressful work stuff in perspective - if I'd been dealing with this in the office it would have been overwhelming.

I've always been of the opinion that I'd hate to be a SAHM and I was sure it would be much harder than doing my office job, but this week has made me feel quite wistful about being a WOHM - I keep thinking how lovely it would be to do this all the time, without the work... I keep having to remind myself it's only been a few days, in lovely weather with lots of garden time, and, crucially, with DH around a lot for adult company (we all eat lunch and dinner together) - it wouldn't always be like this!

imarocketman50 · 26/03/2020 17:30

I don't really have any more time in the day as I'm able to still work full time from home. I am enjoying the fact the washing machine can run while I'm home during the day and we've used the garden during my lunch break.

Hubby is home furloughed so has nothing to do and I'm working out of the dining room which is open to the lounge so he is a bit restricted.

KaronAVyrus · 26/03/2020 17:32

Really can’t stand it
I’ve been furloughed and seriously think I will eventually lose my job
DH business will probably fold
Foreign holiday next month cancelled
Birthday party for 18 yr old cancelled
Hate being stuck in all day. Boring and frustrating.
All in all it is totally shit.

Why should I try and find a silver lining? There isn’t one.

lakeswimmer · 26/03/2020 17:34

Yes - DH and I both enjoying the slower pace of life. I agree with the post upthread about being suspended in time. Everything feels still.

However, I've been furloughed which means I'm not trying to work from home anymore which I was finding very stressful. I'm wondering how I can keep this some of this feeling going when I'm back to work and racing from one activity to another with the kids.

Toddlerteaplease · 26/03/2020 17:35

Had two really long walks in my local park and then sat in the garden reading, things I'd never do usually. The sunshine was beautiful.

LuluJakey1 · 26/03/2020 17:36

I am loving it.

Very peaceful- hardly any traffic and no traffic noise.
Quiet- no voices around.
Children enjoying it and have loved all the things they have done- gardened, baked, art, reading.
DH has had time with them that he and they don't get usually.
No daily pressure of time.
We cook properly.
We are relaxed.
Not spending money really.
Not shopping much.
Not hearing about all the nonsense of the world - celebrities, showbiz, stupid live TV programmes.
Enjoying our small, local world.
Lovely walk every day.
No driving.

What we've heard about the impact on the environment of just two weeks of this is amazing. I hope we'll all learn some lessons about that from this time and change how we live.

Turquoisetamborine · 26/03/2020 17:37

I'm enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would. I'm in a vulnerable group so I'm at home on full pay with H who is WFH.
Him WFH is the hardest part as he does a lot of conference calls which require us to be quiet which isn't easy with two kids.
We've got into a routine of waking late and having a lazy breakfast (well me and the kids have, H starts work at 9). Then I think of what job I want to get done as well as the usual housework. As long as I've achieved one thing each day then I'm happy.
Then H has a break in the afternoon and we go out for our exercise in a quiet area. We are lucky to live in a beautiful place so we are discovering different walks we've never been on.
Not sure how ill feel if this goes on longer than a month but we are trying to make the best of it.
Missing my wider family obviously but we are in constant contact and I've talked to friends more than ever which is nice.

BertieBotts · 26/03/2020 17:37

In some ways yes, I like the lack of having to think about how to dress, working out what time I have to get a bus to be places on time, no exhaustion from being out, no worries about doing this thing or that thing. I don't feel guilty spending money because I'm not spending as much. No chasing DS1 down getting him to stick to curfew. We're going for walks much more than we ever did before.

Otoh, the pace doesn't feel slower. I'm probably playing with DS2 more. Doing more with DS1, which are both nice. But DH and I are both exhausted! I'm not really keeping up with the housework. DH usually does a chunk but is so tired from trying to work from home while fielding DS2 he just wants to sleep. Seems to be a constant round of making food for everyone. So in many ways it feels faster! But I am enjoying the focus on essentials only and the lack of stress from things like appointments, classes, expectations.

HoneyToday · 26/03/2020 17:42

No Sad I’m wfh online and there are so many mobile phone calls, What’sapp messages and emails that I am beside myself. Also, everyone at work has decided to micromanage instead of leaving me to work quietly and industriously as I usually do. Now I’ve been told that we have to have video conferencing twice a day. I could cry.

formerbabe · 26/03/2020 17:46

My life isn't much slower...home schooling is quite intense. My secondary age dc is expected to do the equivalent of a full school day.

On top of this, I'm constantly cooking and preparing food as obviously we're all home all day.

I'm part teacher, part dinner lady really.

OchAyeThaNoo · 26/03/2020 17:53

DH and I are the type to high five each other when we find out we have a good reason to not go to social events like weddings. (ie one of us is working that day so have to decline) so we're enjoying being at home. Also the kids are really well behaved and get on well together so it's nice to have them around the house all the time.

ExpletiveDelighted · 26/03/2020 17:54

I'm really missing being out amongst people, I normally have a very busy life and mix with loads of different groups of people inside and outside work, whatsapp chats just aren't the same.

I don't mind the odd day working from home normally but I'd hate to do it all the time, it's actually ok at the moment because the DCs are here too so I have company (they are teens and doing full virtual school so they do that and I work). I'd hate to carry on with it once they are back at school though, or through the winter.

Needallthesleep · 26/03/2020 17:55

Wish I had the slower pace of life. Instead we are juggling two, intense full time jobs, and a toddler. It’s awful.

Womenwotlunch · 26/03/2020 18:03

I don’t mind it tbh.
I am WFH and appreciate a much slower pace of life. I have spent years running around and barely have time to breathe.
DCS are teenagers, so I don’t have to tutor them. I think I would feel differently if my dcs were toddlers or young children as I would have to entertain them
It’s only week one, so the novelty may wear off,

phoenixrosehere · 26/03/2020 18:04

No.

I miss work. I work in a lovely shop in a wonderful neighbourhood. Yes, it’s part time, but it’s the majority social interaction I have that doesn’t involve our kids. Since, I don’t drive, I would have a nice walk to my bus stop and bus it in to work and have an uninterrupted meal at a cafe or in the back before I start. I could get things done at work knowing that it will last longer than 5 minutes and every thing I do is appreciated . Being lstuck at home with two high energy small children (5 asd & 2) who climb on everything, are either whining, moaning, or throwing tantrums because I’ve told them no for the umpteenth time because they are throwing things or doing something that would likely involve a hospital trip, throwing things, dropping food everywhere and using me as a climbing frame while my husband is wfh is effecting my mental health again. I was a sahp for over four years counting down the days my oldest would start reception so I could go back to work part-time because it was making me miserable not having anything for myself. Now, I’m a sahp again and it’s even harder because now I know going back to work was what I needed.