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Original poster

Am I sad that vaccine news makes me sad???

90 replies

Esbm2015 · 02/12/2020 09:03

I’m happy of course that we’re getting a vaccine which will hopefully prevent deaths and illness and stop us having to have restrictions on our lives. It’s just ... I’ve found I’ve actually enjoyed working from home, seeing my husband more and actually cold fear flooded through me at the thought of having to slog back into the office instead. I’ve felt so much more productive this year at home, so much more relaxed and my mental health and health in general have never been better. I find lots of people can’t wait to be back to the office and find it more productive. I find ours like a strait jacket and not inspiring or productive at all. I loathe having to pay a ton of money out for a train ticket to just go and sit in a room when this year has proved with technology my job can be done if anything much better anywhere. Sadly a lot of my team live in the city so will no doubt want to go back to the office and then I’ll feel like I have to! Office just seems so old fashioned and reigimented now. I really hope we can agree to a few days split office and home and it doesn’t creep up in days having to go in for meetings by people ignoring the fact you’re working from home. Sorry rant over!

OP posts:

NiceGerbil · 02/12/2020 13:13

And think about how your post lands with the people who have been struggling with mental health issues due to this.

Swings and roundabouts.

We had a death at work and no one could see each other to comfort or anything. That sort of thing is hard and telling people oh think on how lucky you are is just as crass as you find the other post.

NiceGerbil · 02/12/2020 13:14

Oops thread moved that was for cologne.

A bit of empathy all round goes a long way.

ExConstance · 02/12/2020 13:21

I don't think that those working happily from home always realise the inconvenience this causes to the few who have to remain in the office.
In the team that I run the admin staff all work from home except for one day a week. I have to run around doing m job and the bits of theirs that require physical output - posting letters, printing documents and dealing with members of the public . I'm sure they would love to carry on but it is not fair on me, or the second part of the team who have continued to come in. I'm sure they will all want flexible working when this is over, they will not be getting it.

Imaginetoday · 02/12/2020 13:22

I see what you are saying op...it is a bit of a loss and yes being sad is understandable...however IMHO a blended approach of working some days from home suits most people better in long term than just wfh.
I worked form home or was travelling abroad for over 5 years. First year great, 2nd year ok, after that I started to feel effects. I missed out on finding out stuff through casual “water dispenser” conversations- to the point it impacted my ability to do my job well and happily. My boss would duplicate my roles to others in our team because they were sitting near them and volunteered to do stuff when it was discussed- my roles were being taken away from me. All my conversations with my boss were more formal and difficult as we didn’t use face calls- things were often misinterpreted by both of us. You just loose all the casual interactions and the glue of the relationships that helps get stuff done. You become invisible to others and don’t get recognition for working hard or going beyond. It eventually becomes a real problem.
If everyone wfh maybe not such a problem as everyone in same situation, but where you have teams and departments where there is a mix it does become a problem.
I think working say 5- 8 days at home in a 10 day work period is a good compromise- you can wfh for stuff more suited to working on your own for some intensive times. Then go in and be around for a few days- not just one day when all you can do is say hi and bye.

52andblue · 02/12/2020 13:24

A safe and effective vaccine being rolled out to all is Very Good News.

I do hope that those who can be as effective - and choose to - work from home / flexibly are able to continue to do so, as it is far more sustainable for the sake of the planet.

We are not robots. We are all different. Some need more 'connection' and some less to function optimally as workers and human beings.

CunnyLingus · 02/12/2020 13:39

I would be sad to be sad whatever the underlying cause.

Sjl479 · 02/12/2020 13:41

I feel the same OP! Hoping that this year will lead to some real positive changes in terms of new ways of working, virtual appointments etc.

Jkrowling92 · 02/12/2020 14:02

Yes you are. If you really are more productive at home then make the case for home working or find a job that has home working, I’m sure they’ll be plenty of them now. Whilst I’m glad you’ve enjoyed your cozy bubble, without a vaccine we are going to head into a deeper economic downturn. Think of the vaccine as a positive. You have now identified what work life you want, you can still have it, without the world burning.

CorianderQueen · 02/12/2020 14:51

I live in the city. I do not want to start getting up at 5.30am and dragging myself 45 to the office in the freezing darkness.

I wake up here and my des is there, I have tea all day and can cook lunch. Love it.

Dappled · 02/12/2020 19:27

For me, I have finally accepted how much of an introvert I really am and see the battle I've fought every day going into the working environment and talking to people, which is normal and even enjoyable for so many people but a huge strain for me, one that I have learned to live with but nonetheless runs counter to who I am. I've been less stressed in lockdown, in spite of everything else that has happened, because of that. I've resolved to stop feeling so ashamed about being an introvert/less sociable and just happily accept that's who I am and work with it. One of the many useful lessons I've taken from this whole experience.

@Applesonthelawn Yes, me too. Totally relate to this.

wonderstuff · 02/12/2020 19:39

I think its reasonable if your life has improved over lockdown to feel anxious. I think a lot of people will be considering how to make their post pandemic normal better.

I was loving life before the pandemic and at the beginning would get so upset at people saying they were enjoying lockdown, how could they be enjoying less freedom? But on reflection I do get it, I had a mental health crisis a few years ago that forced me to take time out to recover, I changed my work and my expectations of myself and I'm so much happier now. I think lockdown probably pushed people to have a similar reevaluation and its probably much harder to make changes if you can go back to what went before.

I can not wait to be in a position where I'm not constantly evaluating infection risks myself.

Mcmole · 04/12/2020 16:20

OP I know exactly what you mean! I dread the thought of going back to the office and all the physical stress reactions that accompany that for me. I've got into a great routine now, and it also means I don't need to put DD into afterschool care at the moment. I just really, really hope I can continue to work at home the bulk of the time as there's nothing to be gained from being in the office for what I do. I would say I've been more productive at home too.

Simplyunacceptable · 04/12/2020 16:23

Totally understand. My DH and I spent a solid five months together this year which will likely never happen again until we retire.

CarnageAtTheGardenCentre · 04/12/2020 16:42

The world is usually run for extroverts - this year, it has been run for introverts. Think about that for a moment.

This ^

RosieLemonade · 04/12/2020 17:08

You aren’t sad about the vaccines though. You are sad about what will change for you. The vaccines are GOOD. They will help so many of us. So many of us have missed out on so so much this year. We are alive but not living.

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