Anyone gained anything good from Covid

[kylie122]

Just curious as just seen a post which asked the opposite

For me I was lucky to work during lockdown and have saved so much money

Hope this post doesn't offend anyone

I am pleased you asked the question and to hear how some have benefitted.
Some people with health probs didn't, I nearly died because an operation was delayed 12 months until it was an emergency.
It is so nice to hear about how some families grew stronger and a little closer. Perhaps that is part of what is meant by the Blitz Spirit, it isn't only the stubbornness to carry on.

We spent more time together over the various lockdowns than we have in our entire family life. I’m not sure the poor kids enjoyed being stuck in with us as much as we loved being home with them.

Saved loads of money but that was due to all the fun stuff being cancelled so I think that counts as a break even rather than a gain.

Have and still WFH for 2 years, also saving £££ on fuel, holidays have been cheaper and less busy flights and resorts, roads were quiet when schools were closed.

Saved some money and done stuff to the house with it - but it doesn't outweigh the negatives for me.
I'd rather feel like I did before covid than I do now. But this is a positive thread so I won't dwell on that.
I'm envious of those who have overall had a positive time.

Working from home has saved me money and I am no longer on antidepressants

l am fortunate that covid had/ has very little impact on my life. Pre covid l had lost my husband , then my Dad, and then my youngest was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder which resulted in him being home schooled anyway, all within a short time frame so l was already having to adjust to some huge and permanent life changes.

My social life improved somewhat during Covid. Zoom book club, zoom creative writing group, zoom everything! I'm disabled and I wouldn't be able to attend these classes in person. Mine and my husbands life hasn't changed too much. He is an essential worker. My son is too. He was hit much harder with the lack of social life.

My toddler stopped catching infection and we had more sleep thanks to that. However, the colds return with vengeance now 😂

Yes, actually!

Finally accepted/realised I needed treatment for a condition I have because lockdown exacerbated the issue and now I'm doing better than I ever have mentally.

DH and I have improved our communication and relationship generally a lot - Covid-related financial issues and job issues and obviously being stuck together could have been testing and it's really honed our communication working through it all.

Work-wise, it's been a revelation - we now have a much happier workforce, as WFH forced us to take steps back and support (rather than hover over) our team. We now have flexible and homeworking for everyone, with proper tools and support for project management, and we're more productive than we were pre-pandemic (and happier for it).

It's been fucking awful in lots of ways - I've lost 2 family members, one to Covid itself and one to something else, but because of Covid I didn't see them for several months before they died. DH and I have been utterly, eating a can of spaghetti hoops for tea and having no heating on last December skint and there was a time we thought we might be homeless. I didn't take a single day off work for 18 months and worked 12 hour days 6 days a week for a good chunk of it. It has tested me enormously. But I have taken good from this last 2 years, too, and it was a good reminder to think about that too, so thanks OP :)

I had a reset. Had been trying to get a more suitable role internally with no joy. Heard about a fully funded talent programme to retrain in the grant giving sector, applied and won a place! Have been on my placement for 6 weeks on a year programme so far and loving it!

Feeling less alone as a hermit during lockdown.

Dp and I had only moved in together and combined our families a couple of months before lockdown. It gave us all time to get to know each other and work out our relationships without all of the usual outside factors.

Yes. I was on maternity leave for the worst of the lockdowns so was luckier than most, and returning to work on wfh has made life much easier for us, especially as DH's previously very anti wfh employer now allows him to do 2 days a week wfh.
We also save thousands in travel fares and childcare for the commute time.

I don't want to overplay this, because all in all lockdown has been horrific, but there have been some advantages.

One aspect of my job has become immensely easier due to Zoom and will never go back to travelling up and down the country for face to face meeting.

I signed up to a fresh fish delivery early on lockdown (the company presumably were trying to find additional revenue streams outside of restaurants). We have been eating so well and my cooking has improved also.

I got to see a lot of theatre that was streamed, that I wouldn't have had a chance to see in the flesh. Hamilton, many of the National Theatre stuff that was streamed, the ALW initiative. That was great.

So some small mercies, yes.

My, at the time, 3 year old DS had a sort of reset in lockdown 1. He still wasn't sleeping properly and the first lockdown did him the world of good. He rested and started sleeping well at night, I think he was chronically overtired and lockdown made him rest. He's slept well since.

Dh has been WFH and still is so sees more of me and DS.

The end of sixth form and the beginning of lockdown coincided for my DS and it was a complete revelation to see how much more efficient and happy he was learning remotely. (I guess this depends on personality type.) He did say that the optimum for him would be learning from home with one day a week in school for practical activities and meeting friends in person.

Before Covid I’d been desperately trying to get counselling but couldn’t due to the conflict with my working day. During the first lockdown I started counselling via Zoom which wasn’t possible before. This provided minimum disruption.

Also saw my previously low pay increase quite a bit - and a promotion - (wasn’t a possibility before). Due to counselling I was better able to manage things that were holding me back - residual effects of multiple past traumas - stop holding myself back, take care of and organise myself better, etc.
This has had a knock-on effect with my professional life. Mental health did get worse before it got better.

Have been very fortunate to be able to work from home throughout, and my productivity soared, with less interruptions. With all our roles, WFH was previously unthinkable.

The negatives - of course the lack of freedom, and also had to return home after arriving on holiday on the first night. A couple of family members and friends have been hit by covid - overall those close to me have thankfully recovered.

I sadly did lose a very elderly relative, although it likely wasn’t because of covid, just with covid. They had other advanced health problems and had already deteriorated prior to the pandemic. While terribly sad and they are of course irreplaceable, in a way it’s kinder and I’m glad they are not suffering.

I do know a couple of people who have lost close family due to covid - so I’m lucky in that respect and also that my job isn’t in healthcare. I’m also lucky to be relatively young and healthy.

Put on a couple of stone with lack of activity WFH and comfort eating, so slowly reigning this back in with exercise and eating sensibly.

Just hoping things will get back to normal soon and really hoping that’s possible.

This whole pandemic has changed peoples lives in multiple ways and I think it’s fair to say that there have been some positives, as well as the negatives and just terrible side of things.

generally, it's great that so many employers are embracing part time and flexible working in a way many wouldn't have countenanced before.

Galleries and exhibitions are brilliant with social distancing - often harder to organise tickets and can't drop in - but amazing to walk round an exhibition and not have to shuffle round in an enforced conga with your elbows held in becuse it's too crowded.

It's nice to read the positives you've all had. I don't think it is insensitive. I'm glad so many people found a positive as so much devastation has occurred for others even without directly experiencing the illness and its effects.

Mine and DH's lives didn't change much, being key workers we still went to work. The dc missed out on the social stuff, we missed days out and we just started to explore going abroad with the DC and they were relishing it being old enough to get something out of it. I'm worried they'll be getting to old to enjoy going away with parents soon .

DH was off work for five months. DC1 was waiting to go to uni, and couldn't go out and see friends etc. Both of them were much more available to DC2, who craves their company. We had some really good times together as a family. As a fulltime carer for DC2 who is disabled, I had a much easier time than usual because DH and DC1 were sharing the load.

DC1 had a better start to uni because of Covid. They have ME, and uni was always going to be hard work. With everything being done remotely, there was no need to traipse off to class constantly. When they were too fatigued to concentrate on the online lectures, they could watch later. Though they missed clubs and activities and going out, life was easier because those temptations weren't there.

Yes. Paid off my credit card, overdraft and have a very healthy bank balance. It’s amazing how much money I frittered away on commuting and ten quid lunches from Pret.

I worked on a covid ward. I don't think my mental health will ever recover. So much sadness. The fear that I would bring it home to my family was just awful. When the inevitable happened and we were hardly ill with it, it was like a miracle. I am grateful for that.

Like pp say, it made things easier for many with disabilities. Parents Evening online is great and things I couldn't contemplate attending in person were accessible. We started regular video calls with family. We both wfh permanently now and my team at work are far closer than we ever were in the office.

Paid off credit card, paid off overdraft, fixed up house, sold house and moved up the ladder.

It was like a financial reset. Sick of covid now though