The worst thing about self-isolation - Positive Wellbein...

Positive Wellbeing During Self-Isolation

9,738 posts

The worst thing about self-isolation

39 Replies

For me, it's finding myself still in my pyjamas at 6.45pm! I have given myself a stern talking to and am just off for an instant wash, brush up and change of clothes for the evening! And I know I'm not the only one who has succumbed to this.

My daughter, a senior police officer in the Met has been working from home for the past few days. She was required to check-in for a last-minute conference call with colleagues yesterday, only to remember at the last second that she was having a 'duvet day', and had to quickly tilt her screen before she was discovered in her Paddington Bear pyjamas.

Tomorrow's a new day and I promise to do better!

The ability to reply to this post has been turned off.

39 Replies
Oldfloss profile image
Oldfloss

Ha ha..we will keep you to that!

For me PJs are for bedtime or being ill in bed when small!

I change in the afternoon anyway after a shower, ready for a relaxed evening..yep old fashioned...😉

The worst thing about self isolation right now..not having small granddaughter coming for her care days xx

in reply to Oldfloss

Oh yes Oldfloss that’s a real heartache and bless her. She must be so confused.

Oldfloss profile image
Oldfloss in reply to

She will be..I have been around since she was born and cared for her since she was 1, when Mama went back to work for two days a week..plus all the extra days 🤣

in reply to Oldfloss

Imagine how lovely that first hug and kiss will be when this is finally over.

in reply to Oldfloss

For me that's one of the best things, our iron is broke and I'm like so what noones gonna see us anyway 😂 think things like this put that sortve stuff into perspective that it doesn't really matter, but I know what you.mean you get to a point where your like I really should wash 😂

in reply to

You are right Florence 83. My husband still has to work and needs fresh white shirts, otherwise I think I might have joined you and thrown the iron away. I don't do his shirts though. Not a chance! (Of all hated chores, ironing is at the top of my list!)

Have a great day and thanks for cheering me up!

in reply to

Omg I'm terrible at ironing shirts their the worst 😂 no problem

in reply to

Hi Florence83, detestable things! I think my hatred of them started with my nursing uniforms back in the 1960s. I was an army nurse, so turn-out was demanded at such a high standard. Our dresses were like huge shirts and had to be ironed in strict order, small bits to large. By the time we'd done the large, all the small bits needed going over again. Awful.... 😫

in reply to

Safe to say if I was in the army I'd be kicked out on my first day 😂

in reply to

🤣🤣

Thanks Jerry, good to know!

So glad to hear of a partner in crime!

sassy59 profile image
sassy59

That made me smile. I’ve been telling Pete he had to get dressed as I want things to be normal, not that they are of course.

I’ve even been putting make up on. I’m nuts! Xxxxx

in reply to sassy59

Not nuts sassy59. Amazing! X

sassy59 profile image
sassy59 in reply to

Thank you for such kind words. Xxx

Jennymary profile image
Jennymary

As I live on my own in a first floor flat I quite often have duvet days, especially in the winter or when the weather's miserable outside, it saves on the washing and ironing 😊😊😊

in reply to Jennymary

Good thinking Jennymary!

Lisa11171 profile image
Lisa11171Ambassador

I find the longer I stay home, the less I shower, get dressed, or do anything. This is a good reminder that we need to remember to do this. Let’s try to make this a group goal. There’s nothing wrong with skipping one day, but after that I find myself depressed and it gets harder to do it.

Welcome to the group!!

in reply to Lisa11171

That does happen Lisa11171! That’s why I’m trying to take myself in hand. Going to try hard anyway. 😄

LiisaM profile image
LiisaM in reply to Lisa11171

I have been using a planner and write down my (reasonable) goals for each day. As I complete them, I draw a line through them, which is motivating (somewhat.) If I don't complete them, I have to move them along to a following day.

SORRELHIPPO profile image
SORRELHIPPOReading Rabbits

Mine change their name from being pyjamas to lounge wear about 11.30 am.

Haha LOVE that. Repurposing shall commence tomorrow at 11.30am sharp. Thank you.

secrets22 profile image
secrets22

Oh dear..count me in,i have become rather slapdash very recently and often stay in my PJ's half the day and eating everything in sight,so much so i will soon be as big as a whale,

i continually put things off until another day ,and another day comes and i'm still putting things off,and the pile of paperwork is building up to an unstoppable mass,and i dont much care.

in reply to secrets22

Hi secrets22,

Oh I so identify with what you say. Sometimes there's so much personal admin in life and a couple of packets of crisps and a bar of chocolate seem to provide the answer. But do take care of yourself. I know you have special reasons for needing to do that right now. All the very best to you, and stay safe.

secrets22 profile image
secrets22 in reply to

thankyou so much Callendersgal......much appreciated.

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50

Your post made me laugh Callendersgal, because I can identify with it totally. Bed wear and dressing gowns are so comfortable aren't they! It's usually almost lunch time before I change out of mine - so afraid that someone will knock on the door!

I came to the conclusion ages ago that what I need is a nice warm kaftan to put on instead of a dressing gown, the type of thing that could be worn outside too.

Jean

in reply to jeanjeannie50

Hi jeanjeannie50, I'm glad it made you laugh. We so need that extra chuckle right now. I too live in fear of the postie arriving unexpectedly and causing me much embarrassment when he needs to deliver a parcel.

A kaftan is a great idea, or some kind of coverall you can fling on at speed when that unexpected knock on the door comes!

LiisaM profile image
LiisaM

You mean you have not graduated to wearing your daytime clothes at night? Ha-ha!

But now a serious question: why do we change clothes between day and night? Especially when you get to your 70's or 80's? How did this convention begin?

in reply to LiisaM

Haha LiisaM,

I am pretty much at that stage now! By the time I get changed, it's time to get back into my pyjamas.

You know what? I think young people have it right. It's quite common here now for youngsters to pop out to the supermarket and they really don't care about any stares they may get. So long as you are adequately covered, what's wrong with 'jammies', for goodness sake. We all wash ourselves and our clothes regularly .

It's just a leftover from a socially more restrictive age that has lots of us feeling socially awkward about the idea. And of course in days gone by, when hygiene was a little more 'iffy' and work clothes dirtier and more uncomfortable, it was probably a good idea to get out of them, last thing at night.

I'm trying but often still failing to get dressed at the socially required hour, now I'm home all day and I'm finding more and more people who think that's perfectly fine! Thanks for your post, and have a happy day and stay well.

LiisaM profile image
LiisaM in reply to

You post an interesting idea--that young ones have been seen in public in jammies, (usually just bottoms here,) which is the opposite of what I was thinking: if my daytime clothes are comfortable, why not sleep in them? I can just wash them after a day or two.... And if my daytime clothes are not comfortable, why am I wearing them at all?!

in reply to LiisaM

Absolutely LisaM, the other way around works fine too!

Kathp profile image
Kathp

I know exactly what you mean! We have been self isolating for 12 days now & I found myself in my pjs for much of the day at the beginning; I felt the need to check in on my family/friends on my phone mainly by texting or WhatsApp & before I knew it the day had almost gone - and it was time for our routine walk!

But this week has been a bit better, I think mainly because of the lovely weather and the fact that we had some jobs we wanted to do outside before it changes.

And yes the worst thing is being cut off from my son & his fiancée and their adorable little dog named Rolo - waving through the window isn’t quite the same. They’ve been a godsend through this strange time (having to move their wedding from August to next spring & also suffering mild Covid-19 symptoms both themselves, being both NHS workers hasn’t been easy for them but they’ve been absolutely great despite all this).

Stay safe everyone x

Hi Kathp,

From the looks of it, I've been in good company! I too have now limited my PJ days and try to decide early on in the day whether it's to be one of those or a more disciplined approach. I'm already worrying about my hair! It's the bum-fluff of old age and looks awful when it isn't severely tamed with a good cut. I'm investigating making some stretchy turbans from some tops I've had enough of, or contemplating going back to the backcombing of the 60s, but not smoothing it, thus sporting the 'mad professor' vibe!

Thanks for joining in this thread, and have a great day, in your PJs or, more formally.

Very best wishes and please stay safe and well.

oldwomaninpain profile image
oldwomaninpain

I have to dress first thing as dog needs her 7am saunter round the block so I am dressed all day, bad thing is some day clothes are now lasting three plus days (I tell myself it's to save on washing!), defo admit I no longer shower every day - the furbabies don't seem to mind if mum pongs a bit

make up has not been a priority since I moved to Spain 8 years ago

I do make sure I ''sparkle'' for my weekly trip to the supermarket, don't want to get stopped by the cops in a slovenly, smelly state AND I might just meet someone I know - not that my acquaintances are early risers like me, nor do they queue up outside supermarket at 8.30 for 9am opening, I just chat with anyone there, keeping a safe two trolley distance of course (it's the only human interaction I have all week)

Stay safe everyone

Ann xx

in reply to oldwomaninpain

Hi Ann, new rules for a new way of life I say! What happens indoors, stays indoors 😆 xx

oldwomaninpain profile image
oldwomaninpain in reply to

as I kip in the buff pjs are out of the question but I do have a couple of very useful kaftans, need no undies, and, with a coat on, even the early morning dog walk is easy

Lynd profile image
Lynd

Apart from missing all the important people in my life I have an obsessive thought of a particular meal I love.

Every week my husband and I would go to a small local hotel for lunch. I always had steak bagett with salad and a small bucket of chips. The chips were to die for. I can not replicate them. I miss that outing so much. Shows how we take the small things for granted 😁

in reply to Lynd

That sounds divine Lynd. I'm even missing it myself and I haven't tasted it! And yes, it's inevitably the small things we end up missing, rather than all the big ticket things we think we would!

MissKota profile image
MissKota

Just came across your post and had to laugh. I’m definitely a pj girl. I shower after breakfast and often just put on clean pjs. I now have 28 pairs and tbh I don’t really care who sees me in them. They’re no different to a t-shirt and leggings.

Also, at risk of being thought a slattern, I haven’t ironed anything for the past 5 years lol.

The ability to reply to this post has been turned off.

You may also like...

What are some things to do to help while self isolating?

count 2 onethousand. etc. I love to pick a song a day but doo wop is so cool.I go to You Tube and...

Self isolation projects

times. I therefore decided a while ago to sort myself out with a few hobbies/ projects to keep me...

Trying to cope with self isolation

Staying Positive during Self-Isolation

wellbeing, not only during lockdown but since becoming poorly. I find many of my day to day chores...

Coping duri g self isolation

it hard to motivate myself as I would always find other ways of distracting myself It would seem...