I was recently tagged by Me,Them and the Others to write about the silver linings I have found whilst being in lockdown. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that at the beginning of lockdown I was really struggling, it started a week earlier for us than for most other people because we were self isolating due to some friends we spent time with being really poorly with Covid 19 symptoms, and I wasn’t in a good place.
I had lots of support from Daddy H and my friends as I got used to the new way of doing things. Partly my low mood was down to not being able to do what I wanted when I wanted anymore (well as much as you can do as a working mum), and partly it was due to my job.
Working from home wasn’t easy for me, I’m an Office Manager, and there is little work for me to do with no office to manage. Daddy H was home and in charge of childcare, however you try telling an 18-month old yes Mummy is home, but no she can’t play, it was breaking my heart. Two weeks into lockdown I was furloughed and it completely changed things for me.
Spending time as a family
Before I was an Office Manager, I was an Event Manager, working crazy hours and flying around the world - this wasn’t a job I felt I could sustain and be the Mum I wanted to be to H so I needed to find something new. Then a perfect role presented itself to me, 4 days a week, mixed hours, no overtime, no travel, at a company I was already familiar with. The only downside was they wanted me to start two months before I had planned to finish maternity leave.
It was a hard decision to make, but the thought of started somewhere new where I didn’t know anyone seemed too daunting. I’ve often wondered if I did in fact make the right decision, and would occasionally regret the time I missed with H going back to work so soon.
Suddenly, we’re in lockdown and I’m on furlough and I’ve been gifted back this missing time. Not only have I been given this time, but during the current situation Daddy H’s shift pattern has changed too meaning he is home for 7 days every other week, so I also get to see her bond grow with him. Before lockdown she was very much all about Mummy, but now I’m lucky if I get a look in!
Working on personal projects
Another bonus to being furloughed and having Daddy H around more, has been the time I have to concentrate on my blog and Instagram account, I’ve had time to have a little redesign of my website, write more posts, work on some collaborations which has been great fun and an ambition of mine.
It’s not just my blog which I have been working on, I also made the time to start making ‘beginners guide to cloth nappy’ videos and taught myself how to edit and subtitle in Adobe Rush, something that had seemed really scary and difficult to use before now.
Next on my list is to tidy up my Instagram, I have downloaded an on-line photography course to improve my skills and I’ve already started using some templates for my stories.
Working on our home
Two and half years ago we bought a beautiful cottage from a family whose aunt had lived there for 60 years! As you can imagine, some modernisation was required. Excited to get stuck in with the project we very quickly realised how unskilled we were at DIY which in turn led to a dip in motivation.
Just over a year after we moved in, H arrived, we had managed to get around 90% of most rooms completed and of course we took a break. Initially we planned to take 3-6 months off and get things finished now here we are in lockdown with an 18-month old and are finally running out of excuses.
We’re still taking things slowly so we don’t fall out of love with the project again but for each week Daddy H is home we target ourselves one thing to be done, and our aim is to have completed everything we can do before lockdown is over, so we’re ready for any tradesmen to come in and finish the bits we can’t (plastering I’m looking at you).
Overall, following my early wobble, lockdown has been kind to me. Don’t get me wrong we have tough days, when I would give anything just to turn her out in soft play to run off some energy, or really need to meet up with a friend and let off some steam, or get dressed up and go dancing! I miss dancing, I definitely didn’t go out enough before this. This would probably be a completely different story had I not been furloughed, or if I was attempting to homeschool right now, but for us it’s a happy one.
How about you?
What are your Lockdown silver linings?
