Chat for those on furlough: what are you doing every day?

[binkyboinky]

This is not meant to be judgy or goady - I'm on furlough myself. I just want a safe space for furloughed people to chat without judgement, and to know how others are doing and how you are filling your time..

I have a craft interest in which I make stuff and I was planning to work it up into a small online business while furloughed (build up stock), but I've not been doing enough work on it. The past several days I've done f*ck all and I feel really unmotivated and anxious. Every day I wake up and it's the same. I've been spending too much time indoors (no garden) and I think it's affecting my health (mentally and physically).

I've not updated my CV and I planned to do courses but haven't started anything. All I seem to do is cleaning and decluttering! And pacing around. I feel so anxious all the time. And also guilty that I'm wasting my time off. I know I'll feel shit after all this is over and I hadn't done anything constructive. I've worked solidly for 25+ years and I always wanted time off to work on my craft, but now I have endless time I'm not doing it! ARRRGH.

My furlough is only until the 31st May (afaik) and after that I don't know what'll happen. My company have not said anything about extending it to June or anything. I'm pretty sure I will be made redundant.

How are you staying motivated? And are you following up on your plans? I guess I just want some reassurance that I'm not the only one who feels I'm wasting this precious time.

I have a 6 year old so spending the days making sure he keeps up with his schoolwork. Baking, crafts. Going out for long walks. Watching a LOT of telly.

I'm not doing anything particularly "meaningful", no personal projects on the go. I'll be on furlough until school reopens at least as my job isn't possible to do from home. But if business still hasn't picked up by then I'll be on furlough until the scheme ends. And after that I'll lose my job. Just hoping for the best.

I have a 1 year old so am more busy than I would be if I was at work! My local area is near a huge hospital so all key worker (which I am) nursery places are taken by the hospital, and am expecting to be un-furloughed today for return next Mon! Most days are spent with a walk about 8.30, then lots of playing and snacking!

It’s really hard isn’t it, the uncertainty means you can’t relax at all. Besides, even when I book holiday off work I’m always busy, never just sat round the house. Don’t feel bad though for being anxious and not making the most of time off, we’re in a pandemic, government asked us all to stay home so we are doing our bit. I’ve updated my CV and started applying for other jobs, I’m also doing some study for a course, apart from that not a lot!

@mindmedley yes the uncertainty makes it so hard to relax. I don't which direction is for the best. It's like a mental paralysis.

We didn't choose this, it's been sprung upon us rather suddenly. I've always dreamed of time off like this, but now I feel guilt and I judge myself for not "making the most" of it.

I’m home educating - letting ourselves go off on tangents from set work. Quite enjoying it.
Also some baking, for times when we aren’t due a shop but have had all the choc. Cooking more labour intensive meals. Going for long walks while listening to podcasts. Binge watching nonsense on Netflix and phoning parents every day.
It’s like a boring bit of the summer holidays and I quite like it.

I am similar. I have gardened and baked a lot though. I try to walk most days. I made some stuff for the NHS. But there is so much time for looking at the news and being anxious and unable to settle to anything.

Obviously I should be getting fit, learning a new skill or writing a book. But I’m not dwelling on that!

I’m homeschooling my kids every morning (with a bit more work for my elder child after lunch), walking the dog, cooking, housework. I’ve started playing the piano properly again for the first time in years and I’m absolutely loving it.

I’m in regular contact with my boss (it’s a very small company and we’re very close) but things in our industry (classical music) are as bad as they could be - realistically it will be months before it gets going again. I’m looking into doing bookkeeping/accountancy training online to keep my brain functioning and broaden my skills for when life does resume.

The first week I started reading in German again and did some French on Duolingo every day. Since then, my motivation has gone.

I've done my CPD for the year (I'm a solicitor) so online courses seem pointless.

I'm home schooling 6yo DS but only basics. He's very happily building his new Lego right now.

MIL has moved in. She does some schoolwork too as she's a retired teacher.

I'm mainly cooking for everyone, playing with DS, reading crap and going for an hour or so's bike ride every day. So much for my intentions of reading more classics

I've been awful, and I'm just feeling a bit crap with myself. If I'd planned to have this time, I'd have probably organised it better.
I've been bullet journaling and knitting but not that much of either.
I've done a bit of cleaning but feel like it ends up in a shitty cycle of sparkling clean to a mess in 2 days, the cleaning again...
My partner is wfh so I'm just trying to amuse myself and finding it hard.
I thought about doing courses and have found some on Udemy, but keep feeling like I should have started 4 weeks ago...
Thought would be the perfect time to kick myself into gear and get up earlier, learn to make the most of time etc. Instead I'm getting up later and later as have nothing to get up for.
I know full well when were out of this I'm gonna kick myself for not doing the wedding planning, stuff that never quite gets done, courses I wanted and finally concentrating on planning for a career change.
Instead the biggest achievement feels like 3 levels of candy crush.

Dh is working from home so it's just the dog and I.
I'm quite disappointed in myself to be honest the house should look a lot better than it does with me having all this time off but it's still the same cluttered tip! I considered hiring a skip whilst we was off for a guttering but they've all gone up a stupid amount and I refuse. I've decided to take a weeks holiday in September time to do a good guttering of the house. Doesn't help DH just seems to attract untidy