Since my last post, my life has changed dramatically. In March, I was working from home but by April, I was furloughed. The last couple of months in coronavirus lockdown have been weird to say the least.
Over the time I have achieved all sorts of things in the home and garden and, from another positive perspective, I am fitter and stronger than I have been for some time. But, in all honesty, I have struggled to adjust to the different pace of life. The main reason for not being able to completely embrace the time away from the office is the genuine fear that I am on the long and lonely road to a destination called “Redundancy”.
Back in 2011 I spent some time in that place and it wasn’t comfortable. Back then I wrote this piece - https://www.adrianbaldwin.net/the-musings-of-a-reluctant-house-husband-aged-40-and-three-quarters.html - and the whole experience of unemployment was the catalyst that lead to the creation of this website.
After the best part of nine years, this site might have to revert to its original purpose – to help me in the process of finding another job.
Of all the stuff that in recent weeks has kept my mind and body busy, I haven’t spent any time on the blog until now. Because I normally love writing, I have been reflecting on why. I have decided that the answer is psychological – I am trying to avoid re-associating my site with the anxiety of job loss.
Fingers crossed that I am worrying about nothing. And fingers crossed that all the years of blogging what I really think, hasn’t made it impossible for this site to meet its founding objective again…
The scenario of still being employed, but not actually working, and worrying about becoming unemployed is why I refer to furlough as being a form of purgatory – neither properly employed nor unemployed. Though I have finally done some things that I’d been putting off for years, as well as achieve some things that it would have taken me years to get around to otherwise, furlough leave certainly doesn’t feel like a holiday - I just can’t relax.
On the bright side, furlough has been a lifesaver from a financial perspective. Without it my employer most probably wouldn’t have survived. From a personal angle, furlough pay is rather more advantageous than job seekers allowance.
I also appreciate that in many respects I am lucky, others are facing greater hardships than me. I also haven’t been ill, so am grateful for that.
Job hunting is my least favourite activity and with the economy in recession, companies failing, the jobless count rising every month (currently 2.8 million) and the virus still circulating, I am not anticipating an easy ride.
Furlough for me is a certainty though July, but after that, who knows.
Wish me luck.
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Over the time I have achieved all sorts of things in the home and garden and, from another positive perspective, I am fitter and stronger than I have been for some time. But, in all honesty, I have struggled to adjust to the different pace of life. The main reason for not being able to completely embrace the time away from the office is the genuine fear that I am on the long and lonely road to a destination called “Redundancy”.
Back in 2011 I spent some time in that place and it wasn’t comfortable. Back then I wrote this piece - https://www.adrianbaldwin.net/the-musings-of-a-reluctant-house-husband-aged-40-and-three-quarters.html - and the whole experience of unemployment was the catalyst that lead to the creation of this website.
After the best part of nine years, this site might have to revert to its original purpose – to help me in the process of finding another job.
Of all the stuff that in recent weeks has kept my mind and body busy, I haven’t spent any time on the blog until now. Because I normally love writing, I have been reflecting on why. I have decided that the answer is psychological – I am trying to avoid re-associating my site with the anxiety of job loss.
Fingers crossed that I am worrying about nothing. And fingers crossed that all the years of blogging what I really think, hasn’t made it impossible for this site to meet its founding objective again…
The scenario of still being employed, but not actually working, and worrying about becoming unemployed is why I refer to furlough as being a form of purgatory – neither properly employed nor unemployed. Though I have finally done some things that I’d been putting off for years, as well as achieve some things that it would have taken me years to get around to otherwise, furlough leave certainly doesn’t feel like a holiday - I just can’t relax.
On the bright side, furlough has been a lifesaver from a financial perspective. Without it my employer most probably wouldn’t have survived. From a personal angle, furlough pay is rather more advantageous than job seekers allowance.
I also appreciate that in many respects I am lucky, others are facing greater hardships than me. I also haven’t been ill, so am grateful for that.
Job hunting is my least favourite activity and with the economy in recession, companies failing, the jobless count rising every month (currently 2.8 million) and the virus still circulating, I am not anticipating an easy ride.
Furlough for me is a certainty though July, but after that, who knows.
Wish me luck.
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