One year on... how has it affected you ?

Well.... apart from a brief period of vague normality in the summer ... that’s us been in lockdown or major restrictions for a full year..

Just wondering how it has been for YOU?

A negative , a positive and something that will change in you / your life as we move on would be good to see...

For me:

Negative - no foreign travel I try to work abroad as much as possible and travel in between jobs so being stuck in one place has been tricky.

Positive - I started my own business while stuck at home and is showing good signs of growth. I will keep it on as a sideline even if/when I go back to working for other people.

In addition to travel ... I’ve missed live music more than I can explain. I will not be missing any opportunities to see/do both as much as possible once able to do so.

Anybody else?

 

Negative- I put on 2 stone in 3 months
Positive - I lost 3 the next 6 months.

To be honest mate, my glass is always half full but I struggle to find any positives personally over the last year other than I haven't lost any really close loved ones.

I've worked constantly I suppose, but I am almost burst! Took a cut in money but worked more than ever.

I miss getting a cuddle from my mam, my kids are going stir crazy with no social life, we * up the ten.

Totally agree live music is the thing I've missed loads too.

Good luck with the venture.

 

Negative, it has made me very emotional and I shed tears very easily now .
Positive, it has made me more tolerant of other people and focus on positive things in life .

 

Negative a lot of bad stuff in personal life, including self isolation away from wife and daughter after catching COVID just before Xmas. Missed Xmas.

Positive Missed Xmas with my bi**h of a mother in law. Almost dying also gave me a new lease on life I do what I want when I want less than no f**ks giving.

 

Lock down has been weird for us.

Work wise, I haven't stopped. Worked all the way through the past 12 months which has kept things kind of normal.

Personally, our holiday to Florida was cancelled in September last year. We decided to use that money to sell out house and buy a detached property in a nice area. So that's been amazing.

Also my anxiety levels dropped so much due to the slower pace of life. Now we're coming out I'm feeling the anxiety levels climbing again due to busier shops, road traffic etc

 

Was off work 13 weeks. Seen 3 mates die, non Covid related but IMO it could have been avoided if not, seen mates businesses collapse but apart from that brand new.

Edit: Had a holiday cancelled as well. (Ps this isn’t tongue in cheek)

 

It's actually had a positive impact on my job. I prefer my current working environment and I'm working more hours than I was pre-lockdown. Applied for postgrad primary teaching because of it and got in, so I can't wait to get started with that.

I've also got fitter during it all. Been out walking as much as I can and it's definitely something I'm going to keep doing when everything is back to "normal".

Biggest negative has been my coaching on the side. My team have missed out on a year of football and development, and it's been torture not being able to see them three times a week. Thankfully training is back now though and games are coming soon.

In terms of something that will change. Probably being able to go to the cinema and concerts again. I would only usually see 2/3 films a year in the cinema and maybe go to a couple of gigs. But I'm definitely going to go more often.

 

It’s given me an excellent opportunity to save money and focus on self improvement and getting my mental in the right place. I can honestly say I’m in a much better position now than I would have been had there been no pandemic. I’ve been fortunate enough to have not lost any loved ones to it and my deepest sympathies are with anyone who has.

 

I've been furloughed through it and job is probably on a shoogly peg. Not been home since last February either. I have seen my dad twice when he was working near me but only for an hour or so outside.

I have enjoyed walking a lot more though and the dog has never been so fit
Oh and i've been able to binge a lot of programs and films.

 

Spent a shitload of time with the wee man I wouldn’t have got otherwise which is easily the biggest benefit to me. Pace of life slowed down completely as well which has been enjoyable to a point. Also built a pub in my back garden which has been a Godsend for a couple of months. Work has been steady and I enjoy WFH.

Negatives; live music and eating out are 2 of my favourite things - an entire year without a concert would have been unthinkable before this. So in context considering how much has been lost by so many I don’t have anything to complain about really.

 

I think my mental health is worse off for it. I can't complain as I'm in the privileged position of working for a company that has been successful throughout lockdown and given the nature of my work (digital) I've seen my workload skyrocket. That's undeniably a positive and I'm grateful for that but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't taking it's toll on me, especially recently. Feel mentally drained. Need to get out and about more often as I'm not getting enough air or exercise. I'm easily irritable as anyone who reads HP&R can attest

Haven't seen my girlfriend in going on 5 months as she's living in Sweden. Lockdown kind of threw our plans off but happy to have made it over there for 6 weeks last year. Could have been far worse.

I'd say lockdown has also appealed to my entrepreneurial spirit. Working on a couple of digital projects of my own that I'm hoping will supplement my income eventually.

 

It fuked me up in some ways, i was getting fit , cycling , walking and swimming, with the swimming pools closed it put me all to * . The pool was more safer than the fukin supermarkets .

Worked on a few jobs and got a few bob , was covid tested weekly on one of them ( swabbed ) and temp taken daily. The jobs i was on were safer than the supermarkets..

Miss the crack with my workmates on the job also in the pub.

We are all living in an open prison, for those who are working just now....work, eat,, sleep...rinse , work , eat , sleep,, rinse

 

I had to pretty much close my business for 3 months between March and June last year. I enjoyed spending more time with my kids (and wife I suppose) but spent too much time stressing about work and arguing with folk on this forum!
I’ve never been busier since I went back to work so really wish I could go back in time and make the most of the time off, unlikely to happen again.
I find it tough these days working with not much to look forward to at weekends.
I can’t wait to having a bit more freedom back but compared to what others have gone through, I’ve been really lucky.

 

I’ll be honest and say it has had a profound effect on me and I genuinely believe the after effects will shorten my life.

Ive been shafted at work and at the earliest opportunity I will be back to my bolthole down south where there are no Sevconians and better pay.

on the positive side I have discovered some spectacular *, I was correct in thinking my partner is a pain in the *, I actually watched the masked singer and gogglebox and I hate pretty much everything.

So, all good at my end...............

 

*

4 people have died I know , 2 close people , 1 of cancer , 2 of covid and an unrelated.

My pal with cancer I feel could have had better treatment but alot of appointments were cancelled etc plus I couldn't visit him for a year.

Just lucky my family are safe thats the way I look at it now as people have had it worse with losing loved ones.

 

I haven't experienced lockdown at all really so kind of hard to say, think I spent like 10 days in a locked down Scotland, which was bad enough.

I pretty much landed in sweden as it all kicked off last year, so yeah it's been gym and pints for me like usual.

Pubs shut at 8pm here now, I'll survive I guess.

 

Negative..... turned 60

Positive....... covid year doesn't count...
So still 59.

 

Negative - gained nearly 2 stone
Positive - lost 2 stone this Friday.... maybe.

Positive - got a raise that covers all my bills so felt like a teenager living at mummies...

Negative - not any better off because she keeps putting it all into over payments so no longer can I feel like a teenager.

Positive - getting really strong with my garage gym
Negative - weights are a nightmare to get.

Positives - learned to make the best fajitas ever
Negative - really pain n the * trying to loose weight when you can make the world's best fajitas.

Positive - you do save more having * all to do.

Negative - I bought a kamado and once delivered ill be spending alot more on slow cooked and smoked ribs. Bringing American holidays home! (This is a negative because I'm trying to loose weight)