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Original poster

The positives of The covid pandemic.

211 replies

badgergirly · 03/02/2023 12:35

Thinking back to covid times/lockdown/the pandemic and what a horrendous time it was for many, losing loved ones, children losing their education and and generally a horrible time for the world, I'm curious to ask if anyone can take anything positive from it all?

Has life changed in anyway for you that's become a positive going forward?

My DH now works from home 50% of the time and can take out DC to school and pick up, something he would never been able to do prior to covid as he would have been in the office.

He was also able to take DC to nursery in lockdown/covid times.

We also had another baby last year, something I'm positive wouldn't have happened if covid hadn't have been present.

OP posts:
emmathedilemma · 03/02/2023 12:40

My savings account balance is a lot healthier thanks to still working full time and having nowhere to spend it! But other than that, it sucked.

whatyoulookingfor · 03/02/2023 12:41

My life is generally calmer and more relaxing. I used to have a day off and book myself up to do things all the time. I'd spend it driving to see different family members and feeling uncomfortable alone with myself and my thoughts. Now there is no greater pleasure than a day off with no plans. Turns out enforced time alone was just what I needed

PuttingDownRoots · 03/02/2023 12:47

My elder DD (then 8, Yr4) was having a really bad time at school... really anxious, crying at from off etc but not able to explain why. We were considering removing her anyway.

The forced six months at home actually did her a world of good and the individual work pace enabled her to catch up academically. She came into her own in Yr6 and is thriving now. I don't think she would be if she hadn't had that down time in that summer.

Unfortunately her sister found the whole thing a lot harder and has a few trust issues now (mainly that things like school and friends are not going to disappear again)

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Covid-19
thesonicoscillator · 03/02/2023 12:47

Still WFH 100% of the time, no more 2.5 hour commute. An extra hour in bed too and more time in the evening! I actually loved lockdown, it was what I needed. It was when I was at my happiest believe it or not, I think, just me & DH, no expectations from anyone and not stressful social events! We'd do discos in the kitchen & cocktail nights.

AccidentallyRunToWindsor · 03/02/2023 12:49

The change in working from home, I did it before covid 1 or 2 days a week but I've been able to take remote jobs that had they required me to be in the office I never would have got.

Cats/kids are now welcome into team meetings 😂 I think there is an acceptance that life can happen whilst you're working and that's fine. I had DP's child ask pop into my meeting this week to tell me they wanted more toast, and say hi to everyone

DinDjarin · 03/02/2023 12:50

DH can wfh one day a week meaning I have car so DC can go to activities.

DS made some friends - the children in our block of flats were thrown together as they could only play in the communal garden.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 03/02/2023 12:55

I can't think of one positive!

HelloBunny · 03/02/2023 12:57

I had a year of maternity leave, when I only expected six months. My baby was a surprise, and being a “mum” hadn’t appealed to me at all, but of course having a child did.

We did our own thing, not having to join the usual classes etc... No opinions from other mums / relatives / friends. Just us breastfeeding, co-sleeping, being.

Nauticalthemedloo · 03/02/2023 12:57

I've just got an amazing offer on a WFH job for London based company, I'm in Scotland, it would never have been even considered by them pre-Covid

WhoNeedsSleepNotISaidMyBody · 03/02/2023 13:03

Personally no.

but I think the one good thing for people in general has been the change to more WFH if people want to.

obviously there are good things that people have happened on an individual level, but I can't think of anything else that 'in general' has improved.

TheWayTheLightFalls · 03/02/2023 13:09

I'm always wary of these friends because the pandemic had (and continues to have) so many negative repercussions for so many, but my experience mirrors others'.

Work unrecognisable (in a good way)
Savings increased
DH WFH at times
DD ended up fully bilingual from having so much of DH around, and got miles ahead academically.

Would be a very different experience without money/free time behind it; I think that is the main (and very obvious) thing.

APurpleSquirrel · 03/02/2023 13:36

WFH - my office closed completely & I'm 100% wfh now - no commute which is fantastic.
DH is wfh except for 1-2 days a month in the office.
Means we can do school drop offs/pick ups & I can be more involved in PTA stuff (I'm the Chair).

We got rid of one of our cars - so saving money on fuel/maintenance etc

However lockdown itself was a clusterfuck for us as we were both working with DD who was 5 & in her Reception year & DS who turned 2 that June. Managing them, homeschooling & work was an absolute nightmare.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 03/02/2023 13:46

The way my management handled WFH in first lockdown finally persuaded me to dump the fuckers. Instant improvement in practically every area of my life.

NeverTrustAPoliceman · 03/02/2023 13:51

My business boomed and is still doing better than before the pandemic.

We discovered beautiful local places to walk rather than always going further afield.

We got to know our neighbours better as we live in a very lovely road with supportive people. We were all constantly checking on each other and helping out where needed.

Notsa · 03/02/2023 14:05

WFH going from 2 days a week to 5 days a week has been life changing.

My youngest wasn't enjoying school and taking him out with a really relaxed approach to home schooling was hugely beneficial to his mental health. He returned to juniors much more settled and relaxed.

Just generally a much more relaxed, less pressured way of life during lockdown with zero expectations. I sometimes miss it.

Sartre · 03/02/2023 14:07

Hmm, the positives of a global pandemic
that killed millions… Nope, not many.

MrsApplepants · 03/02/2023 14:09

I loved lockdown, no having to interact with other people outside my immediate family was paradise! We haven’t completely gone back to pre lockdown habits, and I don’t think we ever will, we rarely eat out now, take less holidays and enjoy more walks rather than days out. And I still WFH which has been life changing, so much happier and healthier as a result of having more time.

Original poster
badgergirly · 03/02/2023 14:15

Sartre · 03/02/2023 14:07

Hmm, the positives of a global pandemic
that killed millions… Nope, not many.

It wasn't meant like that, don't be an arsehole, no one else is.

OP posts:
prescribingmum · 03/02/2023 14:17

Like many other posters - WFH

DH can WFH 2-3 days each week so children see him most days. Pre-Covid, he would leave before they woke and come home after they were in bed

The absolutely horrific treatment of us as NHS staff members by our employer (refusing to let us wear masks for our own protection in case a patient complained is one of many problems) together with the perception of us lazy people who did nothing all through lockdown unless on a Covid ward when the reality was anything but made me take the plunge to leave NHS for a private sector job. Offered twice the salary plus benefits and can WFH. Probably would have been too scared of the unknown had Covid not happened

MoMuntervary · 03/02/2023 14:18

I'm public sector and austerity mark 1 removed virtually all of our management and admin support in 2007/8 to reduce costs 'without reducing frontline services.' This sort of worked for a little while via goodwill and running off the old systems. But once there had been a period of staff turnover and some changes to national expectations, developments in the field etc it all crumbled to a steaming pile of shit. Turned out that 'more for less' just gets you less full stop

Using technology to collaborate with people in other offices or WFH and being able to do that around our face to face work with clients has been amazing. We are finally getting some decent change to our broken systems that will benefit our service users (still got massive staff shortages and funding crisis and a huge leap in demand for our service but we can at least work together to mitigate it as best we can)

Of course, we could theoretically have done that pre-pandemic but with minimal management to envision that change, no time to support staff developing the skills and no budget for the technology, it would never have happened.

In just about every other way it was still shit, though.

xogossipgirlxo · 03/02/2023 14:19

Absolutely fucking none for me.

idonotmind · 03/02/2023 14:20

WFH

More respect/time given towards mental health issues

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 03/02/2023 14:21

xogossipgirlxo · 03/02/2023 14:19

Absolutely fucking none for me.

It certainly wasn't WFH for me, which I loathed with every fibre of my being.

xogossipgirlxo · 03/02/2023 14:25

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 03/02/2023 14:21

It certainly wasn't WFH for me, which I loathed with every fibre of my being.

Show quote history

Yes! How naive I was thinking WFH is nice and pleasant. I hated it. Cats being needy, me being bored, hungry and lonely. Big no for me. I like working in the office.

AuntieMarys · 03/02/2023 14:29

Can't think of one