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Original poster

Anyone else noticed a difference between...

123 replies

Onceuponatime1818 · 16/05/2021 11:00

Those who continued going out to work throughout this pandemic and those who worked from home?

My friends are pretty split 50/50 and those that still used public transport to work and had to go into work seem to be enjoying the news freedoms way more than those who stayed home. Their kids are back at groups like gymnastics and swimming. Those who worked from home seem to still be staying home and their kids just go to school and back.

Anyone else noticed this?

The government have scared so many people shitless how’ are they going to support those people to get back to normality?

OP posts:
Allthereindeersaregirls · 16/05/2021 15:50

Ohshitiveturnedintomymother

That's not what brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr is saying at all!

They're talking about people like me and DH (I've worked out of home throughout), DH has done a mix. We realized that we enjoy a quieter life with fewer social engagements and don't miss dining out. We've also done some stuff with our garden, and I've rather be in there than a pub beer garden (plus I don't like the kids bring in pub beer gardens, they may disturb others). So we've not been to the pub or eaten out yet. I also loathe in person shopping so we've got a good online supermarket shop routine going and I've never enjoyed clothes shopping so have ventured to the city centre. I don't want to go out and about as I did previously, I've learned I prefer to live without those things. I don't think everyone should feel the same though.

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 16/05/2021 15:57

exactly, I am a bit fed up of hearing about me “cowering” at home in “fear” - nothing could be further from the truth - I genuinely prefer it and may never have realised had I been stuck in the hectic rut of 2h of my day spent commuting, having to leave at 6am to avoid traffic, working in an open-plan office full of background noise, distractions, staff constantly interrupting to ask the same questions over and over. I’m not going to be persuaded to change that with daft arguments about “the economy”. The market can adapt to my habits, not the other way around. I am not a slave to the market, it serves my needs.

Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady · 16/05/2021 15:59

Not true in my case.

Me and OH have w9rked from.home throughout.

Ds is back at dancing and swimming. Been out for a nice long walk today and sat in a beer garden. Have been seeing my parents indoors for weeks.

I never want to go back to the office but that's because I fucking hate it!

Thefourbells · 16/05/2021 16:00

Yes I'm definitely not cowering in fear.

I was just anti social before covid and I'm still anti social Grin

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 16/05/2021 16:01

[quote Macaroni46]@brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr that's fine if your circumstances allow you to stay at home. Some of us have no option but to work outside of the home! It's not as simple as being 'happy' and 'content' at a less stressful way of living.
Besides, other people being prepared to go out of the house to work eg fuel providers, food suppliers, delivery drivers etc are enabling you to stay at home. [/quote]
But that wasn’t my point. The claim made by the OP here is that the people who worked from home no longer want to participate in the daily grind we used to call “normality” - which some people suggest is due to fear of COVID. My point is that at least in my case it has nothing to do with fear and everything to do with wanting to live like I now do instead of returning to the toxic and stressful rat race of the old normal.

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 16/05/2021 16:10

I was in the workplace throughout, albeit two days weekly with two at home. I have noticed a very understandable difference in caution between those that have been in the workplace throughout and those at home the whole time. Lots of those of us in work were bricking it at the start, so it absolutely makes sense that some people feel similarly uneasy now.

I'm still sticking to all guidelines, and have done right through (apart from an occasional second daily exercise periods in the first lockdown), but am quite happy to get on with whatever's permitted, as for example going shopping involves much less risk than work.

KurtWilde · 16/05/2021 16:10

Yes, definitely.

anon12345678901 · 16/05/2021 16:12

Nope, I work from home, have since the pandemic began. I go to the gym early every day, my child goes to their activities 5 days a week too. I'm glad my office is reopening soon. It's all dependant on the individual.

TillyTopper · 16/05/2021 16:16

I think @brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr has a good point. DH and I have wfh for the past 14 months. I don't really care about CV19 - I've had it, I assume he has, we've both had the first vaccine. It doesn't stop me doing anything I want apart from booking a holiday because I can't book where we want to go right now.

We're certainly not worried about CV19, we continue to see our sons who are at Uni we go out and do what we are allowed to but frankly I've saved quite a lot of money in the last 14 months and I don't intend to go back to consuming as I was before. We've cut the takeaways, coffees, food out, nice clothes from our budget and our savings are much better for it.

Oblomov21 · 16/05/2021 16:36

I have worked from home for one job and worked in the office for my other part time job, throughout covid.

I don't have the severe anxiety that seems so prevalent. Why all this neurosis is all over mn, I'm struggling to grasp.

I've obeyed all the rules, but gone about my business normally'ish, eg trying to only go to the supermarket last year, when we absolutely had to.

I don't recognise or feel the anxiety that so many feel.

cardibach · 16/05/2021 16:51

@brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Not everyone who is staying home is “scared” or “cowering”. That’s utter crap. We are “happy” and “content” with this less stressful way of living.
While I wouldn’t suggest you were scared or cowering, I don’t find being able to meet friends for a coffee or meal stressful either... it makes me much more happy and content than staying at home. Mind you, I live alone. Perhaps you would feel differently if you did.
LatteLoverLovesLattes · 16/05/2021 16:52

@Onceuponatime1818

I do hope there’s lots of support from the government to try and get people less scared of going out again. I read something on here which called it psychological warfare and I really agree. I don’t even listen to the radio in the car any more as it’s not stop stay home save lives. You can still go out and about and enjoy yourself and save lives.
Maybe people just don't want to go out

Maybe they don't see being in their own homes as some form of penance, but actually like their homes.

Maybe they're happy with their families and don't need to be out ??

Jesus.

Original poster
Onceuponatime1818 · 16/05/2021 16:58

@LatteLoverLovesLattes

Well yes, obviously those people don’t need support. But there’s a lot of people out there petrified of every day life and do need help.

OP posts:
Original poster
Onceuponatime1818 · 16/05/2021 17:09

@brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I’m just saying what I’ve seen quite clearly from my circle of friends/work colleagues.

I say live and let live, and if people
Are happy staying home more then good for them but it’s worrying for those who want to go out but are too worried to.

OP posts:
IEat · 16/05/2021 17:31

I wouldn’t call getting public transport to work everyday with the knowledge that I am being out at risk enjoying the freedom of being out! Then i work then travel home .. been bloody lucky not to get covid

Allthereindeersaregirls · 16/05/2021 17:37

[quote Onceuponatime1818]@LatteLoverLovesLattes

Well yes, obviously those people don’t need support. But there’s a lot of people out there petrified of every day life and do need help.[/quote]
Are there though? I certainly don't know any. And I wouldn't presume those not doing the things you are allowed to do now are scared, I'd presume they were like me and just hadn't missed them. Unless you told me otherwise.

I also agree that lots of places are not currently enjoyable due to the crowds- we recently went to a local country park and both the normal and overflow carparks were full with queues to get in. We went home. I can't see how that could be enjoyable but each to their own.

Original poster
Onceuponatime1818 · 16/05/2021 17:57

@Allthereindeersaregirls

Yes, I know lots. Work as a safeguarding teacher and I’m chasing families who are too scared to send their kids back into school.

OP posts:
Allthereindeersaregirls · 16/05/2021 18:09

[quote Onceuponatime1818]@Allthereindeersaregirls

Yes, I know lots. Work as a safeguarding teacher and I’m chasing families who are too scared to send their kids back into school.[/quote]
And they aren't shielding or using it as an excuse because they can't be arsed?

minipie · 16/05/2021 18:14

Virtually everyone I know has been wfh the whole time (office jobs)

They all can’t wait to get back to normal and have booked into clubs, restaurants etc. Zero exceptions.

Original poster
Onceuponatime1818 · 16/05/2021 18:17

@Allthereindeersaregirls

No; they are scared, I speak to them daily. They also worry about public transport.

OP posts:
SilverGlitterBaubles · 16/05/2021 18:44

I think this is true to a certain extent OP although I think maybe less so up to the new Indian variant scare. I went out for lunch with a friend recently (outside) and it was her first meal out since Dec 2019, she admitted that she was too terrified to venture out last summer when lockdown needed even to eat or drink outside somewhere. She is not high risk but utterly terrified as if it was Ebola. She has WFH right through and does the whole quarantine of post and deliveries and cleans shopping with shopping anti bac etc. She is having major anxiety about being asked to return to her workplace. So sad for someone young who was such an outgoing social person before all this.

Fishandhips · 16/05/2021 18:46

@Onceuponatime1818

Those who continued going out to work throughout this pandemic and those who worked from home?

My friends are pretty split 50/50 and those that still used public transport to work and had to go into work seem to be enjoying the news freedoms way more than those who stayed home. Their kids are back at groups like gymnastics and swimming. Those who worked from home seem to still be staying home and their kids just go to school and back.

Anyone else noticed this?

The government have scared so many people shitless how’ are they going to support those people to get back to normality?

Yep I have noticed this too, only within my friendship group of course so not claiming its the case everywhere!
PetraRabbit · 16/05/2021 23:09

I think there's some truth in what you say, OP, just because staying at home can institutionalise you. But I also think lockdown has suited a lot of introverts, so the type of person they were pre-Covid has a bearing.

I do know people who I can't really make out. An example would be someone I know who caught Covid and had nothing more than a weekend feeling a bit hungover who a month later claimed to be so terrified of Covid that she refused to go to work (public-facing) and was willing to lose her job over it. She was one of a few people I know who talked up the threat and how we must all stay inside, but at the same time was "in a bubble" with about 3 different households.....whatever suited really. Possibly some people just don't think it through in any logical way.

Normandy144 · 16/05/2021 23:16

Me and DH worked from home pre pandemic and I would commute to the office once a week. We've worked from home throughout the pandemic and I have to say I'm the opposite of your OP. My kids are in school,back at clubs etc as soon as stuff was open. We've been heading out wherever and whenever possible even during the January - March stay at home campaign. Can't wait for normal life and not scared in the slightest!

EBearhug · 16/05/2021 23:43

Have been WFH throughout, because I haven't had a choice. No news on when the office will reopen,but I'd like to go to a 3/2 split between home and the office, being in the office on days I will see people. I already worked from home one day a week anyway. We've had a couple of work trips to the pub - obviously a limited group, the ones we actually want to socialise with. The person I really want to see from work is in the Netherlands, so that will have to wait anyway.

I was back in the swimming pool as soon as it opened, and am probably fitter than I've been for a while! I have booked in-person aquafit and yoga classes as they start up this week. I'm used to having a lot if time alone (I live alone,) but there's a balance, and when I'm not seeing people, I'd rather it was my choice rather than enforced circumstances.