Is lock down making you lazy.....

To those who say travelling to distribution centres etc is too difficult or dire, then in the vicinity of large trading estates, and single large employers you find these days large numbers of workers who travel from the areas they live in, often very many miles away, and then sleep in the backs of the vans they own. Apparently Severnside near Bristol and around Birmingham there are large numbers of people who live in such a manner so they can have stable relatively well paid employment.

Many come from such areas as Cornwall, North Devon, mid and north wales. That is all part of the employment situation in today's Britain. Of course, you cannot have a lazy or cannot be bothered attitude to live such a life. That said I am off to bed for a few hours as I am on shift at 11:30pm tonight.

By the way, I do not do heavy manual work inside the centre as I hold a LGV driving licence, so there are six of us they call "shunters" that move the heavy vehicle trailers on an off the loading docks throughout the night. Not what anyone would call heavy work but highly active connecting, moving, dropping and reconnecting trailers over how many hours we are given or a set amount of work takes. The weather can often dictate how long we work. Often told we will be working for ten hours but the weather then changes that to eleven or twelve.

I try to keep busy. I arrange a hike on the hills with different friends most days whatever the weather. Also had renovation work completed in my house. I managed to miss the really ghastly internal wall and chimney breast removal by being abroad and returned to unplastered walls. Houseful of tradesmen for weeks kept me occupied with tea making and kitchen layout planning. The decorator finished a week ago and it seems very quiet now. Except there is a problem with the flooring and the whole lot may have to come up and be relayed again. The whole renovation project took loads of my time and made lockdown more bearable.

Having worked full time for 53 years, with no breaks, and still working now, I reckon I've earned the right not to apply to work in a distribution centre now. It's someone else's turn. Like the younger people who are desperate for a job because they've been made redundant. Time for the older people to move over and give others a chance.

phoenix if I remember correctly, where you live a bus runs by about once a week

You've no excuse, then, phoenix
You could catch the bus to this large distribution centre in Plymouth, although you might have to change buses en route, work your shifts all week then catch the bus home again. I think the bus journey takes about 24 hours and the scenery is lovely.

Been out for a walk a chat with then this morning, just absolutely lovely.
You're not locked down then?

Well, my advise to them along with many I work alongside of is "get your backside into gear and go along to one of those centres and get yourselves employed".

I wonder if you had realised that this is a site mainly aimed at older people, Sara70? The name Gransnet may give a clue. I do realise that a parent can become a grandparent at a very young age but generally speaking, this site is aimed at older people who may well be retired, have had active social lives, workedhard for charities etc but may have been told to shield.

I'm also a bit confused why those who already work alongside of you need the advice to get your backside into gear and go along to one of those centres and get yourselves employed.

But perhaps I'm misunderstanding your post.

EEJit

No. I was lazy tobegin with.

That made me laugh. ? At least you're honest.
The state of my house is getting on my nerves but I can't get motivated.
I'd planned to give rooms a fresh coat of paint during lockdown 1. It never happened!
I love being out in my huge garden but that's come to an end now.
I feel more optimistic for next year and have promised myself to start the decorating after Christmas. Watch this space though

There is a good article in today’s Telegraph about how we deal with a crisis by pulling together, gaining comfort and strength from the shared experience.
Of course lockdown and shielding made that sort of thing well-nigh impossible (as it said, you don’t make a Zoom call to say how down you may be feeling) so I don’t think anybody need feel ashamed of admitting they may be struggling with the absence of the routines their former life.
It’s not about paid work so forget about shelf stacking or picking -leave that to the younger generation who need the income and it’s not about laziness either.
In fact the “rudderless” feeling is a reaction to the adrenaline fuelled national mood when the virus first impacted us. Yes, there is hope on the horizon in the shape of a vaccine but that may be a long way off. In the meantime there is no way of “fighting” Covid19, just taking precautions and sitting it out.
Most if not all of us strike me as women of “action” - when the need arises who has not dropped everything to make a mercy dash to their children and grandchildren when a new baby arrives? When a child is ill and parents need help, who has the little ones to stay to give the parents a break? Or does regular pick ups and drop offs from or to school (often involving a long drive and considerable time commitment) ? Who is regularly involved with childcare?
Who may at the same time be caring for a partner who has a life limiting illness?
Just because you are not fully engaged with the activities which gave your life shape before Covid - you are not lazy , hopefully this times will return and we will be rushed off our feet like we were before!
Incidentally I have not seen many, indeed any moans about lost (paid) employment from contributors to this thread, but a “cri de coeur” which invites reassurance, understanding , but above all empathy not virtue signalling from anybody who has been “lucky” (and it is down to luck) enough never to have felt it.

Yes, too lazy to say more.

phoenix

Ha! Plymouth is over an hour and a half from me, sod that.

And just a hop, skip and a jump from East Cornwall.

Charleygirl5 yes your correct, public transport here is pretty dire!

Callistemon

Sara70
Are you 70?
If so, poor you, having to work such long hours in manual labour at your age. It must be hard. I did shelf stacking when I was much younger and I know how hard it was, but it is probably more computerised these days.
You have my commiserations.

Thankfully I do have a bit of pension and can scrape by.

I am in my early fifties. Became a Mum at seventeen, therefore have a daughter in early thirties who now has a near one year old who is a wonderful granddaughter for me.

Been out for a walk a chat with then this morning, just absolutely lovely.

phoenix if I remember correctly, where you live a bus runs by about once a week so if for any reason you could not drive life would be very difficult for you, especially getting to work and finding another job would be almost impossible.

I would not take away a job from somebody younger but being 77 now I would class myself as being unemployable and should be staying indoors, which I do because of my age and medical conditions.

Yes I'm the same it's good to know it isn't just me. Missing the contact with family and my sisters. I do a zoom with my immediate family but my sisters don't use the computer so we have the odd phone call .

When you can take a break from “Fulfilment “ an apology is still due Sara70 - nobody likes being accused of something they are not or insulted on the site do they?
As I said it is always a good idea to check your facts and be big enough to admit when you have been out of order.

I think it’s very common at this moment of time to feel like this, especially if not in good health, just do what you feel you have to and do not feel guilty! I don’t! I make lists every day but my lists are getting shorter, ?? more to do with health issues though, I do try and go out and get exercise most days! But blow if I’m going to feel guilty at sitting down when I want to, I don’t do guilt ?

Oh Phoenix, you are so inspirational! I will join GreenGran if I may, to help shift/demolish the Eiffel Tower. I have never yet made it past level one without freezing on the spot. I love meringue and a dollop of sweetness would go down a treat. ?

Ha! Plymouth is over an hour and a half from me, sod that.

Sara70
Are you 70?
If so, poor you, having to work such long hours in manual labour at your age. It must be hard. I did shelf stacking when I was much younger and I know how hard it was, but it is probably more computerised these days.
You have my commiserations.

Thankfully I do have a bit of pension and can scrape by.

phoenix

So, Sara70 they travel 10 to 20 miles to work, that's nothing when you live in a rural area.

Perhaps you can tell me of any of these centres in North Devon, or even over the border in Cornwall?

Phoenix, Plymouth is a large centre for transport, so, several large distribution centres are in that area. That said, there is a program on BBC currently regarding Cornwall and the problems of finding regular none seasonal work down there especially in regard to young people.

Chewbacca

^But of courses, manual work in such places is far below many of those doing all the moaning.^

How to make a sweeping, generalised statement about people and circumstances you have no idea about.

Not unexpected though, is it!

I wouldn't dream of pinching the job of a younger, fitter person.

I'm having a lovely time dog sitting and would take him for a walk but it's just started tipping down.
Sod's Law!! ?

So, Sara70 they travel 10 to 20 miles to work, that's nothing when you live in a rural area.

Perhaps you can tell me of any of these centres in North Devon, or even over the border in Cornwall?

No, lockdown hasn't made me lazy. We rarely went anywhere before, so our lives haven't changed all that much.

I have a car Sara70, but not happy driving in the dark, so will stick with the job I have, thank you.