Accentuate the positive: what have been the BENEFITS of theLockdown/Furlough?

[winjim]

Literal masking means I can to an extent avoid metaphorical masking, which saves me some spoons. Summer was nice as people generally kept their distance and were nice and polite when queuing in the sunshine but that's all degenerated a bit now.

 

[Gunk]

Literal masking means I can to an extent avoid metaphorical masking, which saves me some spoons. Summer was nice as people generally kept their distance and were nice and polite when queuing in the sunshine but that's all degenerated a bit now.

My experience is that unfortunately people really don't give a shite.

 

[winjim]

My experience is that unfortunately people really don't give a shite.

They did when the weather was nice and before the novelty wore off.

 

[oldworld]

It took me a while to think of anything positive, much easier to think of the negatives.
I came up with : painting the outside of the house and decorating the upstairs landing.
That's not a benefit in itself but 2 jobs that would have meant less time for cycling if I'd left them for another time.

 

[slowmotion]

We seem to be drifting into the Negative aspects. For me, a great bonus has been that lockdowns gave me the perfect excuse to look up stupid topics on the internet. I dug up this one about the UK's favourite whinges...

https://www.directlinegroup.co.uk/en/news/brand-news/2019/28062019.html

 

[Ming the Merciless]

People have been forced to reassess what’s important to them. Ultimately that will be for the good. Even if they can’t realise those needs yet.

 

[newfhouse]

My commuting miles on the bike are down by about 50%. I tried during the Spring to pseudo-commute but too often found reasons to fall out of bed, shower and start working at home. So I took up running during my lunch break instead. I’ve never been a runner, never enjoyed it, but started doing Couch to 5k in May. I found I had plenty of cardio fitness but my knee and ankle joints took a lot of persuading that it was sensible. Now I run 5 km on most days that I don’t cycle to work as I find it easier to persuade myself that I’ll be back home in half an hour.

I’m still not sure I enjoy it, but I do get a buzz from being able to do it, if that makes sense. Whatever, it’s a COVID / WFH benefit for me.

 

[itboffin]

I've also got regular birds and squirrels just a few feet from the shed office window.

Odd we've less of those now i was wondering if its because they're now more widely spread across the country rather than just in really rural locations like mine, we are now seeing more wild boar all we need is to introduce wolfs & bears back as well. We had a couple months of sea eagle sights this year too added to the now common buzzard and red kites, if this is what a tiny bit of pollution reduction can do, i'm in!

 

[fossyant]

Odd we've less of those now i was wondering if its because they're now more widely spread across the country rather than just in really rural locations like mine, we are now seeing more wild boar all we need is to introduce wolfs & bears back as well. We had a couple months of sea eagle sights this year too added to the now common buzzard and red kites, if this is what a tiny bit of pollution reduction can do, i'm in!

In my case I'm there to see them, rather than being in the office, and we are feeding them !

 

[Bazzer]

It's given me some flexibility. For example, after several crap nights of sleep I decided this evening no early bed and no alarm for tomorrow. (I have tried to continue my normal work start time of 6.30am).
Mrs B also says she enjoys knowing I'm in the house, even if she has to be quiet because of telephone/conference calls.

 

[bikingdad90]

I’ve been working from home since lockdown 1.00 began on a full time basis but prior to this I used to work one or two days at home. The biggest benefit for me has been able to get hold of colleagues more easily as they can now attend less meetings and those that do take place are virtual and usually shorter and to the point.

For me personally the lack of commute means I can help gets the kids out the door for school in the morning and spend extra time with them on an evening as I finish earlier which has been nice. As a family we have benefited.

 

[Cymro74]

Many people are realising that our bureacrats are out of touch and have now grabbed more power. There is a long overdue rebalancing needed between the state and the individual and I see more people wanting to speak out.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

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[Deleted member 1258]

Being a pensioner it hasn't affected me much, but I've saved money, clubs, bars and cafe's closed means I haven't been spending as usual, I've used the car less, been putting 10 litres of fuel in it once a fortnight instead of once a week, and some of the decorating jobs I've been putting off have got done, first lockdown our through lounge got done, back to wood and plaster repainted and repapered, took me three weeks, the rooms 24 foot long and 15 wide at its widest point, this lockdown I've been tidying up the bathroom and kitchen.