Anyone else feeling exhausted or just demotivated?

[User135644]

Not because they've got Covid but just the effects of nearly two years of this pandemic.

Maybe it's the shorter days as well now, mid winter, but i'm dreading going back to work tomorrow, I just haven't got the motivation/energy for it.

It's not like i've had a busy Christmas either, i've mostly took it easy since Christmas Eve and been at home. Had a nice time Christmas Day with close family but had no motivation to do anything else. Won't be doing anything New Year's Eve and cancelled social arrangements in the weeks before Christmas. The realisation we've got a bleak January ahead (always a shit month anyway) is eating away.

I know how you feel. I've been off work since Christmas Eve and not really done anything and it's back to work tomorrow, albeit working from home. We didn't see anyone over Christmas as someone came into the office with Covid and my elderly, frail family decided not to take the risk of coming to us. With any luck they'll be coming on New Years Day but it's not the same. I hate January at the best of times but I'm dreading this one.

Not sure if I am exhausted or demotivated but I'm not getting a lot done.

I do have lots of things I want to do. I just need to get my finger out!

@PinkSparklyPussyCat Sorry your Christmas was spoiled. We all isolated as much as we could in the couple of weeks before, but it can't be helped when it comes to your workplace.

I was extremely low last January (who wasn't?) but was WFH and the performance targets were easy, which helped with the demotivation. Now the performance targets are impossible with the current workstream and I can't even be arsed leaving the house to go to the office.

Definitely. I'm fed up of having to carefully think about everything I'm doing.
Want to go to a Toddler group with my son? Book in advance because fewer spaces and potentially not be able to book at all because spaces are limited and groups are popular.
Want to eat out? Take my husband's anxiety about the virus into consideration (which essentially means we won't go out).
Want to go shopping? Don't forget your mask.
Want to visit family? Do a lateral flow and hope you're not carrying the virus.
Want to try and make friends in the local area? Struggle to hear what anyone is saying behind their masks because I have a hearing loss.

And on. And on. I'm tired. I just want to socialise and go about my business. Half our staff meetings are taken up with discussing risk assessments related to Covid and things that were previously easy just seem to have all manner of hoops to jump through. I feel so isolated from everything.

We tested positive for covid on Xmas day. Honestly just feel so deflated. We had covid in the summer too and missed a big family wedding. So missing a big family Xmas just felt so unfair. I have 2 weeks off work but basically have been stuck in my house and I’m so fed up. I know I could have things worth and I’m totally grateful I have a nice house and a wonderful family and far too much cheese but I honestly am losing the plot after nearly 2 years of this!

Worse. Not worth.

It couldn't be helped and I know I sounded like a spoilt child when I was moaning about it. I'd just been looking forward to it for so long! I'd been careful and only agreed to go into the office as a favour to someone else.

Last December/January I was on the verge of handing in my notice. I'm not quite as bad this year but it wouldn't take much. We have more work than we can cope with and there's no sign of things improving. I know what you mean about not leaving the house to go to the office. I usually hate working from home but I really can't be arsed now. At the moment it's voluntary to go in and I've been making myself do it just to get out but I'm dreading it becoming compulsory.

Yes, very demotivated here! In my case, I work in a school and spent most of December worrying about catching Covid and how that would bugger up our plan to have recently widowed and unwell MIL for Christmas. The constant anxiety around lateral flows plus all the usual rushing around doing Christmas prep and feeling like everything had to be ready early just in case we had to isolate.

It was exhausting.

Me too, I have so much to do but I am post covid and have no energy or even interest

I was totally exhausted before Xmas. Luckily I have two weeks off and have managed to go away on holiday in the UK. Having a decent break really, really helps. I am telling myself that it'll be another three months and by March we'll be finally done with Covid. No idea if that's true or not but it helps me believing that these now are finally the last three months. Good luck with getting through it all and just rest as much as you can when not working.

I've got a long weekend booked for my birthday in March. I'm really hoping it's third time lucky as I had to cancel in 2020 and 2021. I've got some other UK holidays booked for next year as I really don't think I could take the stress of travelling abroad at the moment.

This is me.

I hate not being able to plan anything and having people treat you like a possible disease vector. Plus I’ve been comfort eating which just makes everything worse.

I’ve only had one holiday away in nearly two years. Had a two week trip planned but had to cancel it (got all my money back at least).I have the money to travel but it’s just too hard right now. I was so burnt out at the end of the work year.

I’m on a week off work right now and not doing much apart from reading and watching TV. Part of me feels guilty but it’s my week off so why not do what I feel like?

Next year I plan on taking a proper three week break and travel for two of those weeks.

Oh absolutely. This bloody thing seems like it will never end. There are fewer better motivation-killers than that. I’ve been in isolation for 2 christmases in a row. Am I supposed to look forward to the next one?

I’m getting to the point where I feel I won’t be able to just ‘move on’ once it is finally over. We will all carry a bit of trauma around with us into the future. Perpetual anxiety about vulnerable relatives, second guessing everything you do in case it puts you at risk, planning everything with contingency, disappointments over and over and over again, the rollercoaster of changing rules and surprise announcements.

How will we ever be able to forget it and move on?