to think some of us enjoyed lockdown because

[beatrixpotterspencil]

we realised there was more to life than social obligations and work?

for clarification, this isn't neccesarily how I see it, but I have been reading a discussion about it and wanted to hear what others thought. I'm on the fence, personally

less pollution, less commuting, bosses not hanging over your head, less exhaustion, less of the treadmill lifestyle, less social posturing, less consuming crap we don't need, etc.

and more time with loved ones (only for some though), more time to read, learn, explore, self improvement, choosing own hours, working to own rhythm, etc.

this is a theoretic question really, about what we really want, and what has lockdown done to change how you perceive your life?
would a life without work be better, more humane?
the dole sure isn't fun, nor should it be considered a choice, and there's no other way to survive unless very well off.

(wish to add here that I know millions have not had the luxury of enjoying the lockdown, many have not altered their working life, and many are ill, afraid of redundancy, homelessness, anxious... and worse, those who have passed away).

Not me - I liked my life before.

All the things people seem to be finding joy in, we did already.

During lockdown I've had to work a full time job while locking after a toddler full time.

So all the 'simple pleasures' people enjoy like reading, Netflix, crafts, diy etc I've had zero time to do.

Plus, all my paid-for support systems like online supermarket shop, cleaner and childcare have been taken away.

All the things people seem to be finding joy in, we did already.

Same here. I love my job and miss my workmates. I don't miss the commute though, and I will be more then happy not to commute during the winter months.

I’ve enjoyed it despite being a key worker with a mixture of edge and in work. As other have said my commute dropped for 45 minutes to 10 with no rushing about for kids clubs in the evenings. WFH means I can stay on top of the laundry, houseware and garden as J can work into the evening if I take time off during the day. Homeschool was a bit oot the windie but will continue to do a bit during my annual leave of two weeks
I wouldn’t have minded being furloughed even as a single parent in limited income.
But the biggest pleasure has been spending time with my dc that I will never get again.

It means that I get home a lot quicker after a night shift.

@vodkaredbullgirl the lack of traffic was definitely a bonus. It's pretty much back to normal here now though!

It’s been an amazing time to pause, to work out what really makes me happy (and unhappy) out of this I’ve instigated a three year plan to totally change the direction of my life.

There’s such a danger in life of getting stuck on a treadmill from cradle to grave, once you have picked a path, being afraid to turn around, no matter how rocky and inhospitable it is.

I realise how lucky I am that this has been the outcome of the lockdown for me.

Others have struggled so much and with all the financial help being offered I really hope mental health is A priority There’s going to be so many suffering for years to come.

Its broken my family right now. Too much time together and don't know how we recover

I’ve enjoyed elements of it. I’ve been able to focus on college courses because I have the three hours a day I spend commuting back. I like working from home, have saved lots of money and definitely lost the urge to buy things.

But the fact I can’t plan anything to look forward to has really got me down, we travel a few times a year. Not being able to see family or friends, or go out to a nice dinner has been miserable. And I’ve put on a bunch of weight because I’ve been occupying myself with cooking and baking!

@VeniceQueen2004

If I was on furlough I'd fucking love it (although I miss my family). As it is my life is now reduced entirely to work and childcare. Neither of which I'm able to do properly because of the other one. Don't even have the walk to work or the walk to nursery to just be me. I'm in Leicester so still fully locked down and likely to be so for the foreseeable. It bloody sucks.

THIS.

Crying into my laptop at 2am because I need to get a report out and I'm so tired I can't even see properly and everything takes longer remotely. Dealing with appalling behaviour from the kids because they miss their friends and the predictability of school routines but are too young to articulate that. Not even having my commute for a bit of thinking time. The idea of having to do this until at least September. I'm close to breaking point.

Aside from certain sectors, people on furlough aren't neccessarily any more at risk than those who have worked through, especially where furlough has been granted because of childcare etc- especially if more than one person is doing the same role.

There’s quite a big difference between “The benefits of lockdown for me personally have been...” or “I’m lucky because my experience has been...” and extremely privileged people making sneery comments looking down their noses at the rest of us for not spending lockdown in our lovely gardens doing yoga and growing roses and just being.

But people don't do that. Everybody knows that many people have had to work throughout. Saying "It's great to be able to do yoga and grow roses" isn't the same as saying "Everybody now has time to do yoga and grow roses, and shame on them if they're not"! You don't have to preface every single thing with "in my experience". If I posted saying "It's great having a dog", would you assume I meant that everybody has one or can or should have one, just because I didn't say "In my experience it's great having a dog and I'm lucky to have one"?

It made me realise I can easily get along with my husband and it is just the daily grind that makes is argue. Work wise I have definitely learnt to not kill myself and make people do there fair share, caused quite a bit of arguing first but they either lump it or leave it

lazylinguist that’s... literally the point I was making? That people commenting on their personal upsides is fine, but the people saying “Everybody now has time to do yoga and grow roses, and shame on them if they're not" is not fine? Surely that’s basic common sense? Say whatever you want about your own life, but don’t be a judgy asshole sneering about others?

I read somewhere, a guy saying he'd been working from home, and it was the first time he's been able to spend days on end with his young children. He said he was looking forward to things getting back to normal but would have missed out on a really precious element of their lives if cold had never happened.
its a dreadful way to have to do it (a pandemic) , but I think it reveals something.

many people's lives are out of sync, with themselves, nature and others. We have been taught to prioritise work over all else, to the detriment of sleep and health. surely this is obvious? we live in a very odd and confused society with even odder priorities.

we really could have a fairer society, with more equality and wellbeing.
how we do this I have no idea. but there are many vested interests in keeping it as it is.

what I fear for the future of many who are now working from home is companies taking the business elsewhere, like hiring cheaper workforce overseas. If you have a workforce of 20 productive people, it would be tempting for many employers to get that same productivity from only 10 staff overseas.

how we work, and what employers get away with does need a giant overhaul.

these are just my thoughts and nobody has to agree with them. there will always be a personal slant to our opinions and generalisations.

covid not cold

that’s... literally the point I was making? That people commenting on their personal upsides is fine

I agree, it's just that I haven't seen any sneering. What I have seen is people generally commenting on upsides they've experienced and other people taking that as criticism or sneeriness when it clearly isn't.

I mean, seriously, everything about the way we live needs a giant overhaul.

I have no idea how to fix it, how we could achieve more harmony and equality whilst also reducing pollution.

sadly I am not a political game-changer, a genius, or a fixer of cultural fuck ups.
I am just a regular pleb with too many thoughts

Less has definitely been more for us - I don’t want to go back to normal in normal’s entirety. Lockdown has been extremely good for my mental health and I’ve lost a stone :-D

The comment from someone saying she was happy that some people who are socially isolated are miserable because “now they how it feels” (like being forcibly locked up alone in a flat for four months is remotely comparable to feeling social pressure to party more!) went beyond sneering to genuine malice. There have been lots of sneery judgy comments about “extroverts” but most of these comments are from people who live with family so get 24/7 social interaction anyway!

I’ve been pretty much housebound for years. My twice a month social outings were literally a life saver, and that’s all been taken away from me. I’ve not spoken to a single person in over a month. Yes, I have a basic human need for social contact. Stop sneering that I’m some sort of shallow bullying “extrovert” for needing social contact and ohhh if only I could be like those lovely enlightened introverts floating around all peaceful and self-contained.

Why the need for such judgement? Why can’t people just say “I’m an introvert so I’ve enjoyed it” without needing to tag “unlike those awful awful extroverts” on the end? On MN the word “extrovert” appears to mean anyone who isn’t a hermit.

That is a good point, BeatrixPotter. At the moment, a company knows its staff. They know Jane is a valuable hard worker; they know Keith has had health problems but is delighted to be back; they know Kelly writes great copy etc etc.

If all employees are remote... well, there just isn’t the relationship or the knowledge about them. They are expendable. You don’t feel bad about losing ten employees you’ve never met or you’ve not seen for two years.

@Beebeet

Aside from certain sectors, people on furlough aren't neccessarily any more at risk than those who have worked through, especially where furlough has been granted because of childcare etc- especially if more than one person is doing the same role.

Totally agree with this. I think some people are in for a big shock as they have assumed that the most highly regarded staff are the ones in the office and that they will be retained and the staff who were furloughed will be made redundant.

This could be completely incorrect. Friends who are senior managers have told me they furloughed all their favourite staff or those who had childcare issues. One even admitted she insisted a staff member worked whilst others were furloughed on 100% pay as a way of getting them to resign because she can't stand them!!!

@lockdownalli I’ve heard the opposite. Manager furloughing those who don’t pull their weight with the intention of redundancy.