‘Being a keen introvert, I’m finding lockdown fairly easy to deal with. Don’t get me wrong, the whole thing is horrific, but it’s slightly less so for those of us who would rather be sans people during normal times. Let me explain a few of the joys of lockdown as an introvert…’

I haven’t been forced to change my habits

My free time has been spent in much the same way it was pre-lockdown. I go to work, come home, and do my own thing. By ‘my own thing’, I mean I go for a run before changing into my jammies. I then cook, eat, watch some Netflix, read, and annoy my husband. Pre-Covid, my weekends were spent at home, or out exploring with Les. Although there’s currently no exploring, nothing much has changed. We didn’t eat out at restaurants, attend parties, or gather in large groups, anyway. It’s all business as usual as Casa Tam.

The drive to work is quiet

The single greatest thing about being a key worker is the drive to the office. The journey that usually takes me 60 minutes can now be done in 45. This isn’t because I’m driving any quicker, but because there are no tourists or other traffic to hold me up. What’s even sweeter about the whole deal is having the freedom to sing louder than ever.

During ‘normal’ times, I tend to turn my music and singing down a few notches at traffic lights, or when I’m in any kind of queue where other cars are present. At the moment, these are few and far between, so I don’t. I happily screech along with an assortment of tunes until I get where I need to be. I have successfully avoided an ASBO as there’s no one close enough to report me.

I’ve abandoned office wear

I can’t tell you how great it is to get up for work and throw on casual trousers. It’s not unheard of these days for me to rock up to the office in sweat pants and a hoodie. If I’m not seeing customers, what’s the harm? It’s not like anyone’s around to complain about my attire. Plus, if I still have to travel to work while others work at home, I should be as comfortable as they are. If I didn’t have colleagues or have to walk from my car to the office door, rest assured, I’d be in my jammies.

I can sing when I’m running

I have indulged in a spot of singing in my pre-covid life.  However, this obscene behaviour was restricted to deserted country roads. These days, I do it regardless of my location because, well…no people. Plus, it’s difficult to resist the temptation to sing along when a good song comes through my headphones. I admit it probably looks very strange to the few cars that pass me but do I care? No. No, I do not.

I no longer have to cringe when walking past groups of people

If there’s one thing that makes my inner introvert roll her eyes, it’s having to walk past groups of people on the street. I can usually see them up ahead and have to make the decision whether to cross the street and have them think I’m completely rude, or just walk past and be sure they’re judging me for some unknown reason. In lockdown, there are no groups. And it’s wonderful.

There have been days when I’ve gone for a run over my lunch break and not seen another person. It’s like living in The Walking Dead without the flesh-eating zombies. When I *do* meet people, I find everyone is much friendlier and open to saying a quick ‘hello’ on the way past.

I have more time to spend on ‘other’ things

There’s been so much emphasis on keeping fit, baking, cooking, and generally doing new stuff during lockdown, it’s been hard not to feel like I should be involved in some capacity.  Despite living a fairly normal life, it appears I’m not immune to a bit of FOMO.

I have taken up yoga (why didn’t anyone tell me it’s nowhere near as easy and relaxing as it’s made to look?). I’ve been reading actual books instead of just listening to them on Audible, and I’ve even started the ’30 Days to a Cleaner House’ thing which, let’s face it, is something NO ONE saw coming.

Although I’m trying to focus on the positive aspects of lockdown, there are some definite downsides. I’ll give the lowdown on them tomorrow. You’re welcome. Have you been enjoying the joys of lockdown as an introvert?

 

Suz xx