To be feel quite happy at home during lockdown

[caperberries]

Inspired by a survey, which suggested that most people feel closer to their families, less likely to split up from their partner and happier under lockdown.

Do you agree? In some ways, I really feel much happier under lockdown - I am spending more time with my family and rushing about far less without the school runs etc. It feels like a slightly more relaxed pace of life. Admittedly, our work situations are not difficult, which would make a big difference. Fifty percent of people in the survey I saw weren't currently working at all. AIBU to quite enjoy lockdown?

I am enjoying it, but missing friends, the gym and eating out. Haven't even taken on board there will likely be no holiday this year, but feel lucky we went to the Caribbean just before this kicked off.

It's a lot to do with financial security though.

@MrSheenandMe

Yes, I agree with you. Pent up frustration will drive it.

Me and DH are loving it. I don't work so spend a lot of time at home anyway. DH is self employed and can often work 6 days a week and quite long hours. Sometimes he works away for a couple of days.

He has not worked for 6 weeks now. I have not even been further than the garden although DH has been out maybe 4 times for food shopping.

We are watching all the stuff we had recorded and never had time to watch (some of it is from last year), all the dvd's we have not had time to watch, watching the free things like the National Theatre downloads, listening to audio books together, doing puzzles and quizzes together.

We have decorated the spare bedroom and made a start on our room. We have also stripped the wallpaper on the landing, stairs and hallway and are halfway through sanding all the woodwork. So plenty to do there.

We have also been working on the garden, cooking together and doing an online improve your French course.

DH is earning nothing but I have recently started receiving my state pension and we are saving masses on diesel as DH is not working. He normally spends around £500-£600 a month on that!

We have decided he is not going back to working anywhere near so much and is not going to even think about taking on work until August at the earliest.

I am sad that I can't see my parents and siblings though.

I do think I am lucky that me and DH get on so well after 40 years of marriage and that we have a house and garden and are not too bad financially. I feel sorry for people who live alone and people in flats with no garden. Also of course people with abusive and/or violent partners or even just don't get on with their partner.

Way happier. I love it. Adore it. Because mostly we've been given something a lot of us seemed to have lost ....... Time.

We’re quite enjoying it and feel much more relaxed. Lots of time to enjoy the house & garden. Lucky to both be on full pay wfh.

‘I currently have almost zero income, am not eligible for most benefits, and am in the process of applying for PIP which will probably be turned down since I can’t access medical care.’

How are you coping Rapunzel? Are you able to access food banks? Is your landlord being understanding?

Oh thank you, that’s very kind to say.

At the moment I’m fine because I have enough savings to tide me over for the next couple of months. And I have friends who I can’t see as they aren’t nearby, but who would not let me starve.

It’s more the fear of the future and the lack of long-term provision for people who fall between the gaps. My entire industry has been shut down, and most people in my industry are technically considered freelance/self-employed so not eligible for furlough or the help that’s available to employees. But at the same time, most people I know don’t meet the requirements to receive the help the government is giving self-employed people. And provision for disabled people is pretty crappy.

If lockdown lifts within a couple of months, I can put things in place to accommodate for losing my job. Even knowing when my industry will be able to re-open would help, because I can plan. And I realise I’m more fortunate than many to have some savings.

It just frustrates me when the “I’m alright Jack” brigade talk about wanting lockdown to continue for months or years, because they’re happy bunkering down with their families in their big houses, ignoring the huge cost to people who don’t have a safe WFH job or a safe income. And of course the MH burden on those who are isolated.

I'm quite happy tbh. We live a flight away from my family and an hour from in laws so we never had people popping in. Im not missing them so much. I'm enjoying prosecco Sundays- chill, roast dinner, hot tub and of course bubbly. Dc usually had a 3 hour club on a Sunday which they love but limited us in what we could do.

I wfh anyway quite a bit, dh was made redundant but has a few interviews next week so fingers crossed. Things seem to be opening up again.

I’m retired so I thought I would find it easier than most people. No wfh, no young children to entertain and no older children to homeschool.
However I am absolutely hating it, I didn’t realise how much I went out. To visit friends/family, to the gym/walking, volunteering, cinema/theatre/shopping etc.
It’s just so boring and DH keeps following me around expecting me to entertain him. Can’t wait for restrictions to be lifted.

Nope - I’m single and live alone. Hating it!

The poorest in society, including the working poor, are better off currently because benefits have increased.

They should be obviously more grateful for that 35p a week increase... some people!

I would have thought that so many people becoming unemployed would open their eyes and bring more understanding to to the fact that living in benefits is dire and that there are many reasons some people cannot just get a job picking vegetables in a farm

I’m enjoying certain aspects for sure, but miss yoga classes, lunches with friends, day trips with my children, vacations and being spontaneous.

I do love that my husband is getting to spend much more time with the kids, and we have a spacious home with garden, gym, pool etc. and I’m grateful every day that I no longer live in an apartment with no outdoor space—that has to be extremely tough.

‘The poorest in society, including the working poor, are better off currently because benefits have increased.

They should be obviously more grateful for that 35p a week increase... some people! hmm

I would have thought that so many people becoming unemployed would open their eyes and bring more understanding to to the fact that living in benefits is dire and that there are many reasons some people cannot just get a job picking vegetables in a farm angry’

That was my post and I am on universal credit. I am much better off since lockdown because of changes to the rent rules. It has made a massive difference to my income and wellbeing.

I’m enjoying it more then I thought I would, but for me as a new mum, my routine hasn’t changed much so it’s not been a big upheaval for me. I’m on mat leave and
I didn’t go out loads during the week anyway , once a week we’d go swimming then we’d go to a baby group in town another day. There isn’t much to do near where we live ( like shops or cafes etc) so it’s not like I was popping out all the time. I’d go for a walk with dc everyday which I still do now so that’s not changed.

I miss seeing my Mum and Dad and meeting up with my siblings for lunch in town which we did a couple times a month but FaceTiming a few days a week has meant I feel like we are still seeing them and they are not missing out on dc as much.

I am an optimistic person by nature so try and see the positives...
My dh gets to spend all this extra time with our dc and me and it’s lovely. I’ve been getting lovely breakfasts made for me everyday and delicious teas, it’s great! (I’m probs going to be about a stone heavier though)
My dh is getting to see alot of our dcs milestones and I can see the bond getting a lot stronger between them.

Of course, we are worried about money - my dh has been furloughed and we are only getting 80% of his wage but we are together, healthy, our families are ok and we are happy.

What new rent rules have been brought in? The only new rent rules I’m aware of (at least in the UK) are that landlords now need to give 12 weeks notice of possession, and all court cases over eviction is frozen until the end of June.

I do get it, though. Before lockdown I was more career obsessed, and spent a lot of time feeling isolated and bitter at not being able to go out and participate in the world in the war most people do. I am struggling, but there are times when I enjoy the lack of certain pressures, and in a way it’s nice to feel that everyone is in the same boat (okay some people are in yachts while we’re in rowboats, but at least we’re all in boats together, not staring mournfully at the happy people on the shore while we paddle furiously).