Is anyone surprised that they actually feel calmer?

[Thedogshow]

Obviously I have several big worries due to the current situation, but overall I feel calmer and less stressed. Work is quiet (working from home), kids are settling into the routine of being at home, I’m getting a big run in every morning so feel relaxed and well exercised, and most of all I just feel better for not rushing around. It is quiet- no planes overhead, no traffic noise.
I don’t want this to be insensitive, I do realise that for lots of people this situation means massive financial hardship and that lots of people are also having to be at work outside the home.
But it does make me realise that modern life is very noisy and stressful, and very anxiety inducing. And also that most situations have good bits as well as bad bits if you look for them.

Yea, a positive thread...thanks OP! 😉

I definitely feel calmer now I'm not working. It's making me want to rethink my lifestyle and try and go part time.

Agree Op.
it’s strange. I didn’t realise how exhausted I was until this lockdown.
I have spent all my life striving to do well academically and to have a great career .
The enforced lockdown has made me reevaluate my life.
I am just taking it one day at a time.

Yes I'm enjoying not doing the school run! Not having to rush to get out the door. I was crying for days at the beginning at the thought of both kids at home, my 3 year old was about to start nursery.. freedom was on the horizon. Now a few weeks in I feel so much closer to them, I love homeschooling, they are bonding so much. Me and DP have always loved being at home (I'm a SAHM and he wfh) so we're used to being around each other and we finally feel justified at being indoors all the time
Obviously I'd rather it wasn't happening, but you have to find the silver lining..

My mental health has improved so much that I realise that my hell was indeed other people. I feel so zen, it's criminal .
I have no idea what I'm going to do when things return to normal - apart from drink and dance with my friends and family, kiss hug and lick everybody's faces off, then retreat to my cocoon because I have had enough of everyone.

Yes I do. My husbands getting 80% of his pay to stay home and look after our toddler. I can get up at 7 to be in work for 9 and come straight home after without rushing around taking toddler to nursery before and after. Not worrying about having to attend social events, my hair, clothes etc. It's lovely

I do feel calmer but also guilty because this event is so awful for so many people.
But mooching around the house, doing a bit of gentle exercise, chatting to DH and DS, going for a daily amble - it’s making me realise that I don’t need very much at all.
I normally work a 6 day week and commute 45 miles daily and I don’t miss but that in the slightest.

Yes, I agree with all those that say things are calmer. But, I too feel so guilty for the luxury of being at home when so many are still going through the anxiety of having to work in a pandemic.

I’d say I’d made my peace with the situation, horrendous though it is. At the beginning I wasn’t coping at all well, but that just sort of.....stopped. I mean, I’m not happy about the bigger picture but little things are sparking a bit of joy every day.
I’m also easier on other people. Had a horrible incident outside a supermarket this morning - a man cut in front of me in the queue outside and immediately started shouting at me that I was too close, even though I’d started to move back. That would have upset me previously, but I just looked at him and thought the fact I was wearing a mask and gloves was probably freaking him out and best just to let it go.

Yes I also feel guilty, to some extent. But I have been surviving miserably for a very long time in what is normal life for a lot of people and life will inevitably return to normal (ish), or maybe not .

Oh good, I’m pleased! I think that bad things can often make you re-evaluate what is important.
We did change our life out of necessity a couple of years ago due to giving birth our daughter who is very disabled. We moved somewhere quieter, more boring but with more space, got less stressful jobs and reduced what we were trying to fit in with our other children.
But sometimes I still forget and get busy and stressed and lose touch with what matters. I am enjoying this time with the kids, even though I sometimes want to kill them.
I do know that it is a privilege to feel like this, and is in part because we have a garden and enough money to buy food etc. And that I am not working in a hospital... all those things. It also doesn’t mean I’m not worried about what’s going on- I am. But life is so often just too fast to think and I’m appreciating the down time.

I know there’s a certain amount of stuff I’m going to jettison after all this. It’s just not important

Although alarmed and worried by what's happening on the outside, I am actually happier and less stressed by life inside. The treadmill of home, school, work and a full diary of extra curricular activities was actually all too much and I have wanted to step off that treadmill for a long time. I am worried about our jobs and worried that our will get through this but somehow focusing of this puts everything else into perspective.

I totally feel the same. Its bliss.

Most definitely I am enjoying using what we've got spending time together not having to rush here there and everywhere. Starting little daily tasks tomorrow

I am loving it, no rushing out the door at 7am, barely kissing my little DS goodbye. Rush hour traffic, chaos at work every day, late nights and nearly missing my DS before he goes to bed.

I love how much time I'm spending with him, I love the slow pace, I love knowing that people aren't just going to 'pop round' at any point.

I love getting up at 7:30am, I love having a coffee on the sofa, I love watching this morning or similar daytime telly whilst I drink it, it's such a luxury.

DH and I are getting on so well, it's like we know there is chaos going on in the world so we are being extra kind and lovely to each other.

But I'm seriously considering my life choices now, why do I go 100mph normally? Is it worth it, just for money?

It's bliss! I don't know how long it will last with my 2 DC but we have really relaxed into it. I think the underlying reason is that subconsciously we all feel safe. I'm in my bubble, in my safe haven with my husband and babies, feeding and nurturing them. I have to go to work next week and I'm dreading it. I'm even putting off shopping as I just don't fancy going out. However. We might feel differently after 3 more weeks..........

I believe I have had CV and I haven't been well for 3 weeks. My family on the whole have kept out of the way and we've all managed to avoid being in the same room quite well. Non of them have developed any symptoms so I think the danger of from catching it from me is now quite low.

While I haven't enjoyed being ill - I have loved having my family all here, safe at home. I'm a home bird and at my happiest and most contented when we are all together. I haven't felt so calm in ages. The world outside is a very scary place right now and I find it incredibly comforting to know everyone I love is well and here. Agree with the pp - it's a feeling of being in your own safe bubble.
I'm secretly enjoying this enforced family bonding - not sure all my family are liking it as much as me though.

Oh good, I've found my people. Despite work being very busy for me for the last few weeks, I've really enjoyed the pace at home. No clock watching for the school run, leisurely cooked meals, all the home chores are getting done throughout the day rather than having to cram it all in during the evening.

Yes, alot less stressed. Normally do and I drive each other up the wall and argue 3-4 times a week. We've argued 3 times in the last two weeks.

The house has never been cleaner or tidier because we have time to sort it out instead of rushing off to school/work/kids hobbies.

Yes because I'm emetophobic so now I am relieved chances of anyone catching sick bug are remote.

Yes. There's an underlying fear for me re money and also, as others have said, guilt that I don't have it worse. (Live in country and work part time for myself.)
I'm not even sure I'd send my children back to school if they suddenly opened now. I think they needed this.

I’m not an expert in any way but I wonder if it’s because we all know exactly what we’re going to be doing for the foreseeable future (not a lot), no traffic hassle, no shopping crowds, no where shall we go, what shall we do, who shall we or shall we not visit and no stresses of organising life in general

It makes you realise how little you need to be happy. It's not stuff and acquisitions, and impressing people, it is the simple things that matter. The global situation is horrific, but life is now calmer on a personal level. I realise being stuck around too many people stresses me out. Reading, art, watching good tv and films, tidying up even (never my favourite thing when squeezing it in), eating well, time to cook nice stuff. The lack of routine, no clock watching.

I am wfh, 4 days a week. No commute so money saved. My DH is wfh too. Our relationship has been renewed, we both used to get stressed and tired, we get on better and laugh more.

Fleetingly I think and worry about what the world will look like when this ends. World wide recession, stagnation. I want to travel and think that might be as accessible. I would like to move somewhere quieter but I doubt the property market will be buoyant.

However, all of this is outside my control. All I can do is bring it back to my life within my own 4 walls. And that is surprisingly nice at the moment.

Yep, I'm also calmer. I've always worried about loosing my job and now there is the potential this could happen, I couldn't be less arsed. It's not the be all and end all. This has been so good for me.
I suffered pnd which took over my mat leave last year. Going back to work fixed it for me and I was worried this would bring it all back however, in reality this time with my toddler has been great. My patience is so much stronger and spending time with me has really bought ds's speach and development on. We love his nursery but this time has been great for us as a family. I feel I've been given a second chance to really start enjoying parenting.
I've realised life keeps going no matter what which has been a really important lesson for me to take forward.
I've also realised how much traffic and time pressure stresses me out.