The length of pandemic restrictions has exceeded everyone's predictions and is having serious effects on our emotions, our attitudes toward work and our psychology in general. Even those who don't acknowledge the effects are suffering from it.
Scientists now confirm this empirical fact. In truth, it ought to be obvious -- you take a population, totally disrupt their lives, take away their hope for the future and... what do you expect?
Researchers are learning many people have lost enthusiasm for their jobs and fail to find joy in the little things that used to make them happy. Many are fearful and carry inescapable anxiety. Not knowing what is safe and what isn't produces cognitive confusion. I've certainly been affected these ways.
How 'bout you? How has the pandemic affected you?
The pandemic has shown me that working in an office day in, day out really isn't what I want. I did it for years and years because "that's what we had to do", but after working from home for a year and totally CRUSHING IT at my job, I've realized a commute and an office is not where it's at. (Honestly, I think it's so dumb and such a waste of time.) My org is currently trying to bring everyone back (sort of regardless of health concerns) and I'm super anxious about it- not only do I not want to be there because I don't NEED to be there in order to do my job, but I'm not sure of the safety policies that'll be in place? No thanks.
ReplyDelete-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
Smart insight. Like you, I spent too much of my career going to an office because I thought that was what we're "supposed" to do. It didn't fulfill me and actually depleted me of vital energy. Like you, I'm now exploring new ways to work and live. The pandemic was the catalyst for that. Thanks for your feedback!
DeleteI know at least one of my friends has decided to quit her lucrative government job to pursue her own dreams - that was due to our friend Karen dying (she'd plan to retire 6 months later).
ReplyDeleteFor me, it's made me think more about retiring, and my mental health, which has actually been a bit better since I haven't had the "GO GO GO!!" pace of my usually-stressful job. I miss the people in my office, but would be happy if they brought back half of them. Like Ashley above, many of them prefer working at home...but many of them also really miss having people around. We're social by nature - I miss the casual social interactions SO MUCH.
It's also helped me repair and strengthen my relationship with my mom. That was in a precarious state - I get tired of doing the emotional labour with her after a full day of giving emotionally at work - as she never reaches out to me. I've gotten to know her as a person much better (strangely, that has been due to giving her Storyworth, a writing prompt subscription).
Is retiring and filling your dream getting closer, Ally?
Yes, and for similar reasons. We're reassessing what makes us happy and what doesn't. The pandemic interrupted the inertia that kept us in ruts. I'm glad things are better with your mom. A friend (Emma) gave me the Storyworth subscription so I know what you're referring to.
DeleteThanks for this ❤️ I have such a hard time articulating my thoughts lately but your post nailed it on the head for me. I’m a social creature but have spent the better part of the last ten years WFH and absolutely love it. But I also had meetups with friends and a pretty active social life. The pandemic and motherhood are intrinsically connected for me, since I had Mila last April. I can’t put in words what this has done to me emotionally and sometimes I don’t like to dwell because I tend to spiral. I hate not knowing when this will be over and having to second guess every decision and the feeling that I’m constantly disappointing people. And then sometimes I worry I’m too lax and omg the guilt!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, thank you for sharing this and thinking of you and hope you’re staying well/safe ❤️
I worried about you Charlotte when I heard you were going to have a baby DURING A WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC. As if being a mom isn't already hard enough. I'm not surprised to hear you say the pandemic and your motherhood "are intrinsically connected;" of course they would be. Thanks for sharing.
DeleteI've no doubt that the pandemic has been wreaking havoc on my mental health. First there is the constant worry - for my husband, who is in his early 70s even more than for myself - and all the planning involved in the least thing you want to do. I've also noticed a waning enthusiasm for my job. I'm currently partly unemployed as a result of the pandemic, and I'm not relishing the thought of going back full time, which I won't anyway. I am glad, though, that I'm still going out to work. Working from home would not suit me at all, and would not be practical at my house either. Not being able to properly see people - even one's own family - is a wrench too.
ReplyDeleteI think we'll only start seeing the long-term mental effects when it is all over. xxx
You're right. We won't see those effects until later. Thanks for sharing.
DeleteDefinitely has. It's cut back my job, which has lead to a lot of self-worth issues. It's made every little thing an extra layer of difficult. I've always had some agoraphobic tendencies and a healthy dose of OCD to go along with my generalized anxiety disorder, so actually leaving my home is hard.
ReplyDeleteAs much fun as working from home *could* be, my job is not able to be done from home. Plus I require a certain level of structure and function to my day to day. I've also found a level of female-connection from my work. Women-friends that I likely wouldn't bond the same with in any other way. I tend to hang out in nerdy-male-dominated spaces, but my job puts me facing more women who have been an amazing support I didn't know I needed.
The pandemic layered with my city's uncertain future has made it harder to find: jobs, housing, used cars, medical care for me and my pets, food sourcing issues.
It's created a real worry for my long term vision of my future. I'm of a generation who has already been facing the reality of the "American Dream" fizzling out. The disillusioned Millenials. The pandemic has only compounded these existing issues.
Plus I'm in a city with Covidiots who are so determined to go back to "NORMAL" that they're ignoring the reality of the situation. We've done away with any mask mandate, dropping cleaning protocols and distancing. We're reopening wide open for mass events like concerts, conventions, sports ball games like nothing ever happened. While many may feel comforted with this return to normal, it's going to cause some major ripples of illness.
I do see myself seeking out things I might not have considered - enjoying things more. I've bonded more closely with my family, picked up hobbies, and dealt with issues I've put off for years. So it's had some small silver linings, but it's definitely not worth what we've lost as a world.
Thanks for sharing, bud. I hear everything you're saying.
DeleteIt hasn't taken a toll as much as I thought it would, at least not yet. The hardest part is not seeing my parents much. Working from home isn't great but I didn't like going into an office either - I just don't like my job in general so it kind of doesn't matter where I do it. To be honest, I'm enjoying a break from having to get dressed and look presentable every single day. The drawback is without having the structure and boundaries of an office space I'm much more inefficient. I feel like pre-pandemic I used to get a lot more done (not with work, I'm still doing the same amount, but like chores and other non-work things - ironic that I seemingly have more time on account of not having a commute/primping every morning but am doing less). But again, I'm sort of okay with taking a bit of a break and not being as productive! And I'm so introverted and didn't like leaving the house anyway I was basically a hermit before, so not being able to go out to restaurants or see people face to face is a-okay with me for now (except, again, for my parents). I'm very lucky that the effects are not as bad as they could have been.
ReplyDeleteI understand. I'm introverted too so your words resonate. Thanks for sharing your experience.
DeleteYou are such a compassionate, caring soul, Ally. Thank you very much for speaking about something that impacting many, yet receiving relatively little public coverage.
ReplyDeleteAll things considered, mercifully, I'm coping well thus far. The most difficult element in terms of the pandemic's impact on your day-to-day lives has been not being able to visit with loved ones for well over a year now.
This measure is endless worth it though to help ensure as many of us will be there to gather together again when doing so is one again safe (or at least considerably safer).
How, my dear friend, are you fairing on all fronts as the pandemic stretches out ever further onto a horizon whose end we cannot clearly spot in our field of vision?
Autumn Zenith 🧡 Witchcrafted Life
Thanks for sharing, pal. You correctly identify the hardest part of this experience: being cut off from loved ones. When we're able to re-unite, it will be glorious.
DeleteI'm fine. A little blue but, considering what others are suffering, it's not so bad. I'll bounce back.
It gave me more of a sense of my own vulnerability and mortality as an Aging person with some Health Issues. I never really had any Anxieties before Pandemic, but as things unraveled to the degree that they just did, well, I found myself not only facing Anxiety and Daily Stress, but an Anger towards the parts of the population who weren't taking this Seriously and weren't behaving, likely the cause of the rampant Spread and misinformation, which during a Plague, was the last thing we needed to Deal with too! Disruption of everyday life, shortages, not knowing if or when this would end, Kids being unable to go to School and forcing all of us Raising them to become Home School Teachers whether we felt equipped to or not... it was all so MUCH. I love to Hug and am Social... I found myself looking at everyone as tho' they were potentially infected and could Kill me... and my Loved Ones... I really didn't like the range of emotions and feelings it caused that were out of character for me.
ReplyDeleteYour emotions mirror mine. Being in my sixties, I couldn't avoid thinking about infirmity and mortality. COVID brought all that to the forefront.
DeletePS: I might add that as far back as last February we took COVID seriously since we lost a Great-Granddaughter to it... Princess T's Oldest Sister's Baby. Back then not much was known about it and not much could be done for Victims of it, so most succumbed and didn't get properly diagnosed. The people we've Lost... that has been the greatest Tragedy... so MANY.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for your loss. Yes, too many died unnecessarily.
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