things you realised in lockdown that you're surprised you never noticed before??

[NoviceNewMN]

Working from home made me realise how low level subtly grindingly misogynistic alot of the men I work with are and how I am undermined every day without ever noticing when I was there - because it comes under the guise of cheerful chat that is blink and you miss it stuff. When you are out of it, life becomes lighter and happier.

I also never noticed exactly how much ££££ I spend on travel.

[onlychildhamster]

How I am a city girl and could never have lived in a town/countryside - I missed the energy and buzz of shops so much during lockdown- a walk in Highgate Woods ending in a takeaway cake from Gail's bakery got old very quickly.
How much I liked having a little pet hamster- never thought of myself as an animal person.
How much I would like a third bedroom- my home office would be a nursery if I have DC and I don't want to give that up
How I have a love-hate relationship with WFH- i thought I would love it but then at the same time I have FOMO. But then I don't want hybrid either- I resent having to fork out the extra space to wfh while still being expected to pay to commute (its zone 3 to zone 1 but still); its the worst of both worlds from a purely cost perspective. I think I truthfully don't know what I prefer sadly.
How good it is to have family within walking distance.
How precarious the status quo is- I think I have become acclimatized to the government announcing sudden lockdowns/ rule changes- I think I have some sort of PTSD from that. When I am relatively free, I am immediately suspicious and think it might just... end. Despite being vaccinated and most of the nation being vaccinated. It will take me a while. I used to get really anxious when I saw people not wearing masks, I only realized today that I stopped noticing whether people are wearing masks or not even though I always wear a mask indoors.

[KatherineOfGaunt]

How much I actually hate where I've been placed in my new teaching job and now I'm looking for an exit, when just two years ago I was so excited for it.

[Houseofvelour]

How I need to be out the house and around people I love to recharge.
I'm a very socially active person and being in the house 24/7 was awful.

[SRS29]

@Peoniesandpeaches

How much I really love my partner - having her around more has been really good for our relationship.

Love this how fabulous the family unit can function, 2 parents working from home, 2 older kids on line education......connect in the evening with dinner, board games etc.... loved 🥰

[NannyAndJohn]

That you don't need international travel to lead a fulfilling life.

That work meetings are far more productive when conducted online. No empty chit chat or exchanging niceties, just straight and to the point.

That our old lifestyle was killing the environment.

Just how filthy places like supermarkets and public transport are.

That it's perfectly fine to spend weekends just pottering around in the garden.

[groovergirl]

I've been WFH for eight years so have enjoyed these benefits for a while:

My complexion is fabulous now that I don't sit under a hot fluorescent light for 10+ hours a day. No more expensive dermatology for my broken capillaries! My face used to get so sore and it would cost me thousands to repair the damage.
It is possible to go three days without a shower and still smell OK. (DD would have told me if not.)
The radio is interesting company.
Lunch is cheap.
Good sleep and a calm environment allow the brain to think new and better thoughts.

[MrsSiba]

Rediscovering that we work to live... It's become the other way around for such a long time. Now I think of the week to include time for me and my family without sacrificing all over to my employer

[onlychildhamster]

@NannyAndJohn I am not sure long term wfh would be that great for the environment either. If everyone wfh, logically everyone would want more space and there would be more housebuilding in rural locations to cater to that demand. Esp since British farming is in the toilet due to Brexit. That is bad for wildlife.

Though I did read an article the other day about how London exodus is overstated ( www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/sep/15/fears-of-the-death-of-london-due-to-covid-unfounded-finds-survey), even when the future of WFH is yet to be clear. I think most people still want the social aspect. I don't know how old your DC are, but they will be teenagers one day and I am 100% sure that I wouldn't have wanted to be pottering around the garden with my mum on weekends as a teenager!

[whynotwhatknot]

Thinking i didnt miss going out not that i do anyway but i really didnt miss anything

[PandemicAtTheDisco]

I realised how draining a few of my friendships were. I don't think they started that way. I'm now more antisocial but happier. I think I bent over backwards to not fall out with people before. Not anymore!

I was supposed to see a friend earlier but she was ignoring my call so I cancelled the visit. There is a backstory to this but I just didn't want the hassle. I'm going to be Pammy no mates soon.

[SukiPook]

@Restingtiger

How desperately unhappy my marriage is

So much so that I'm planning to leave.

Same here. In fact, I've left, just this week.

[Mamanyt]

@StopGo

I really don't like other people. I'm happy on my own.

This. I am, by nature, a social isolator. I consider it to be a wonderful thing. I have friends whom I talk with daily via phone or computer, and that satisfies me utterly. We're no longer locked down in NC, USA, and I find myself continuing this by choice. I get actively anxious when friends come over and stay for longer than 30 minutes.

[starfishmummy]

How many sweets DH eats during the working day.!!

[Porridgealert]

The International Space Station. Its been going over me head for years and I never knew. And the Perseids. I've don't think I'd ever seen a shooting star and that was happening over my garden every year. I've found an affinity with space.

[Ralphiemia]

I don’t have to wear a bra absolutely liberating love it so much no one sees me and by god it helps with the hot swets

[Furries]

@NorthernDramaLlama

How much time I spent trying to please my now Ex! And people in general. I now have time and head space to prioritise me and my DC :-) We can have toasties for tea if we want. And I'm not running around pandering to people as they found out how to solve their own problems during Lockdown when I wasn't able to appear like a genie and magic away their problems. Some of my family and friends have become much more 'solution focussed' as I was only able to offer advice by phone, they were forced to do the jobs themselves rather than stand back and watch me. And my dad, I've rediscovered he is an absolute star! I was a key worker and my parents picked up the DC from school once every week. While my mum looked after the kids, my dad quietly weeded my garden, relaid the membrane in the back garden, watered my plants and generally made my outside space a much more pleasant space to be. Mum was fab too and took away a load of washing every time she visited :-) Basically, I realised my parents love me more than I deserve!

Ah, your parents sound lovely - and I’m sure you deserve them. Lovely post, I really liked the thought of your dad quietly weeding the garden. No fanfare, no fuss - it’s those little things that people do that actually mean a lot.

[Wingedharpy]

@Porridgealert : Me too.
I discovered the ISS too during lockdown - truly fascinating.
It's been up there over 20 years and no-one told me.

[user1477391263]

How many people are envy-ridden dog-in-a-manger types who basically love lockdown because now everyone else is having a miserable time just like them.

[me4real]

I finally was able to not feel lacking that I don't have many friends.

I prioritize self-care and if someone hurts me they go in the bin. I don't chase people's friendship anymore.

Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have friends. But the amount of effort and care has to be reciprocal.

[BeenThruMoreThanALilBit]

That wfh is great when you already have established relationships. But, if you’re new to the world of work, or joining an established team, Dave to face really does matter. We’re human, and to sit in our boxes behind a screen all day isn’t good for us. We need some real interaction to build relationships.

[Becca19962014]

How little we know about others lives. I heard so many stories standing waiting for medication, truely we know nothing about those around us. I learnt good things and bad about people I thought I knew and turned out I never really did.

[Furries]

[quote Wingedharpy]@Porridgealert : Me too.
I discovered the ISS too during lockdown - truly fascinating.
It's been up there over 20 years and no-one told me.[/quote]
Am annoyed, as I can’t find it now, but when the Spacelink satellites were launched and I was looking into how to find them, someone online (can’t remember where) gave the name of an app which showed all of the satellites/junk floating around up there.

It pretty much blew my little old brain scanning my phone across the sky. I mean, I knew stuff was up there, but had no idea how much!

[Furries]

@user1477391263

How many people are envy-ridden dog-in-a-manger types who basically love lockdown because now everyone else is having a miserable time just like them.

Flipping Nora, there’s always one!

[Susannahmoody]

How many people that live close to me actually work from home / are independently wealrhy/v. early retirement

[OddshoesOddsocks]

What an arsehole I was! I was in a rut, miserable but I didn’t see it, trying to put a brave face on but mostly failing.
Lockdown was like a reset for me, I relaxed into it and took it day by day. Homeschooling was a challenge but we did it and I honestly think I’ve come out the other side a happier and more settled person.

My boss told me yesterday that there’s been several positive comments from regular customers and that i go above and beyond the call of duty. Those words would NEVER have come out of her mouth before lockdown!