Positive lockdown experiences

[EndlessUserName]

I'm having a very hard time of it. Mainly mentally. Can anyone share if they are actually enjoying this time in some way? I kind of think that as it will be not normal for a long time it would be much better for my mental health to see some positives and try to make the most of those.

My 2 kids have become much closer and are playing together much more.

I’m struggling terribly in between lovely moments enjoying the low pressure family time on us. I had very solid mental health before this so I think you can comfort yourself that it’s utterly normal to be feeling like this. When my anxiety is under control, I’m loving seeing the kids little happy faces just pottering around. When I’ve energy, I love keeping on top of the house during the day so it’s tidy and lovely after the kids are in bed. Cooking and prepping meals, getting ahead of the normal pain points in the day. Just listening to the birds outside, pottering in my veggie garden. Looking forward to the evening time glass of wine and cuddles on the couch watching cartoons with the kids. And taking good time to read to them each And settle them happily in bed. All that is sheer joy. I’m very mad at myself that I’m ruining some of those opportunities with low mood and out of control anxiety. But as I said, I think it’s completely normal to be fighting yourself at times to find that happiness.

I'm enjoying having the time to read. I've also been doing yoga every day and going for a long walk.

Another big plus for me is that I have lost the feeling that I always should be doing something.

Of course if anyone I care for becomes ill I will no doubt feel very differently.

Thank you. I can take lots of these ideas on going forward

Time to indulge in reading up on things I love. Time to process thoughts. Time to unwind and enjoy the things that pass you by....
Time to focus on feelings, I love it

Spending more time with the kids although I've been useless at keeping to an established routine.

I've enjoyed not having forced interactions with people. I can just be my antisocial self without feeling guilty.

I'm enjoying saving money from all the day trips we would normally take, and not having to drag my tired arse out of the house in the mornings.

Getting out for a walk and yoga are helping me. Plus making sure I’ve got some time with screens off for a bit of reading or drawing.

Yoga with Adrien is free on YouTube and really good. She has a cute dog! X

I was absolutely on the edge with work before this. Barely seeing the kids, out for 12 hours a day. Probably teetering on divorce.

Lockdown has been absolutely the best thing that could have happened. I accept we are lucky to have a lot of outside space so we haven't suffered in that respect but it's meant time with the kids, husband, time for me. I'm considering a complete career change.

I think maybe when life was so bad before it can only get better. Yes the kids argue, yes home schooling isn't ideal, yes the house is messy for a few hours a day but at least we are together and we are safe. And technology means family and friends aren't so far away.

I know a lot of my friends (similar career, similar work life balance pre lockdown) all feel the same too.

OP, you need to give more details. Do you work? If so, how many hours do you have to do every day?
Do you have kids? How old?
Do you have a house or a flat?

I'm quite liking it. I'm lazy though, so it's easy for me. I'm in danger of getting pressure sores on my arse from sitting on the sofa for so long.

I'm enjoying time to read, being able to only do washing when the weather's set fair so it can dry out of doors, cooking "proper" dinners, not having to wear office clothes to go to work. I'm loving the peace and quiet and not hearing people coming and going all day long.

I even like going shopping. I would far rather spend 20 minutes queuing and then go into an almost empty supermarket than going straight in and fighting my way through hordes of people and spending 20 minutes queuing at the checkout.

I’m enjoying the peace, hearing the birds sings and the beautiful blue skies. Humans have done so much damage to the planet and now we’re having to stay inside, and we’re already seeing a big drop in harmful emissions. I don’t mean to sound so hippy dippy but nature seems happier.

I'm loving the lack of urgency or pressure. DD still has work sent but she's only 7 and it's not much.

I'm absolutely relishing my long walks, reconnecting with the stunning countryside in which I live. Only today I found a new path to explore.

I'm enjoying rewatching some of my favourite shows: Spooks, Life on Mars, next up Ashes to Ashes.

I'm loving the long, sunny evenings and having a little drink in the garden.

If I could just have the pub back, life would be pretty much perfect!

I have been struggling but I'm forcing myself to look at the positives too:

My sisters FIL very unexpectedly survived Covid.
My dad (who has cancer) hasn't caught it.
My children played together outside for over an hour last night (17,12 and 8) that hadn't happened for years.
DP have sorted out some deep, fundamental issues with our relationship that we wouldn't have if it wasnt for lockdown. I finally know he loves me.

I feel grateful for all of the above.

I have a reluctant school attender (she's only year R) so this has made my day to day life much easier, but I think it'll be hard again when she goes back) and a 9m baby.

We are very lucky to have a decent size house and large garden. I sit outside every day and listen to the Bees and the birds singing.
We have dogs so I'm still going out for a walk nearly every day.

I have started learning Italian on duolingo, which is free. You get 5 lives (if you make a mistake you lose a life) but you only have to do a couple of lessons for about 5mins to keep your streak going. I've been doing it 43 days, I do it after the kids are asleep.

I have been doing more gardening tearing out weeds.

My DH is home so we're able to all eat together every night instead of me having to cook a meal for DD and then another meal for me and DH after bedtime which was becoming v annoying.

I'm sorry you're struggling, I'm not minding the distance thing, in fact I'm becoming frustrated at not having much space from my own family!

I have fairly fragile mental health (medicated for GAD with bouts of depression) at the best of times, and I was very concerned about how this was going to go. But I've been pleasantly surprised.

My husband and I are getting on well, with him not working or out at activities constantly, all the kids'activities etc we're managing to spend time together and relax a bit rather than constantly being rushing and catching five minutes here and there. I'm still working so I'm out three days a week which means he's been able to get him and the kids in a routine for school and his WFH (teacher).

I have fibromyalgia so the lessened pressure on me to get to work and back, do the school run twice a day and walk the dog has been wonderful.

We've been doing a weekly zoom quiz with my cousins and their partners and our mums (three sisters) and it helps give us all something to laugh about and plan (we're taking turns to host) and gives us that bit of contact.

We also are very lucky to have a large garden so we can throw the kids out into that and all get some space and fresh air when we start getting fractious.

I miss my mum, who I would normally see a couple of times a week. And my friends, I've had to cancel a trip to visit my oldest friend during all this which was awful, but overall I'm doing far better than I expected I would.

I hope you can find some things to help you keep going

I was always running around before - work, parenting, socialising - I constantly felt stressed and had low level anxiety.

Now I’m forced to stay in I feel relieved. I’m still working so it’s tough too but the lack of deadlines for always having to be somewhere has done me the world of good. And me and my daughter are not clashing as much as we can go at our own pace.

She had also started not to constantly ask ‘what are we doing today’ and being disappointed if it isn’t something exciting. She’s pottering about the house and entertaining herself more. She seems happier.

I had time to completely redo my eating! Basically turn it back to how I used to eat a long time ago before it turned BAD...
I feel so much better and lost so far 13 pounds in 3 weeks😱😱😱
I will fit into that dress from 9 years ago. I will!

It's just because I have more time to concentrate on it. I have decided that when I have to commute again I will be making sure my freezer is fully stocked with homemade balanced ready meals at all times so I don't eat crap when I have no time or mood to cook. I am good in batched cooking, but just couldn't be arsed before.

Oh also, I’ve reconnected with friends in other parts of the country more now that location isn’t an issue. We catch up over video and WhatsApp - I’ve seen some of them more over the last couple of months than in years!

I like the quiet roads, less cars, noise, pollution and idiot scary drivers😊
The friendliness of people out and about almost all of them say hello and thank you when you do the social distance swerve😊