I started doing 1 or 2 drinks pretty much every evening during the pandemic, and more during the weekend, and much more when going out. I didn’t really see any issue at all, but very gradually I became sadder, slower, less motivated.
Of course I didn’t notice that until I’d stopped for a few weeks. Now I can’t think of a single reason to drink. At this point in my life, it takes more than it gives.
I feel like it’s probably always been that case, but I doubt I would have thought so as a young man.
This happened to me in the pandemic too. Working from home is kind of a drag, and building a division between work and home, logging off and sitting on the porch with a drink was such a lovely way to do that. But it quickly felt like too much drinking, alcohol is literally a downer, a central nervous system depressant. So I started going for a Pokemon go walk instead, and keep the drinking to weekends, except some weeks a half glass of wine with one supper, if it makes it better tasting. Never a full serving though.
We do joke at work about logging off and drinking when it’s stressful but most of us are not really daily drinkers and I have literally never touched alcohol at a work party or happy hour at any job and nobody cares, nobody makes a big deal about it.
Working from home is kind of a drag, and building a division between work and home, logging off and sitting on the porch with a drink was such a lovely way to do that.
That’s exactly what I said to myself. Although I am very good at working from home, and have since found healthier ways to create that division. The biggest one being: just don’t work outside of working hours lol.
Glad you were able to put the booze in its place. Pandemic hit a lot of workers like that.
I tried having a solitary drink here and there, but found even that left me feeling bummed and sluggish the next day. So I just stick to the fun drinks for now.
Yeah people are really underestimating how much work from home can fuck people up. I could never do it. I need to get out and change up that context. I am fully expecting an organic backlash at some point where people start demanding upscale office space again.
There are coworking spaces that are a good, flexible arrangement for this. I know a couple people who will grab a desk downtown at their own expense. It’s probably nice getting to know folks from outside your company in the same coworking space.
But I’m a loner and I’ve got my little workspace at home just perfect now, so I don’t really go in unless it’s to meet over lunch or something.
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I started doing 1 or 2 drinks pretty much every evening during the pandemic, and more during the weekend, and much more when going out. I didn’t really see any issue at all, but very gradually I became sadder, slower, less motivated.
Of course I didn’t notice that until I’d stopped for a few weeks. Now I can’t think of a single reason to drink. At this point in my life, it takes more than it gives.
I feel like it’s probably always been that case, but I doubt I would have thought so as a young man.
This happened to me in the pandemic too. Working from home is kind of a drag, and building a division between work and home, logging off and sitting on the porch with a drink was such a lovely way to do that. But it quickly felt like too much drinking, alcohol is literally a downer, a central nervous system depressant. So I started going for a Pokemon go walk instead, and keep the drinking to weekends, except some weeks a half glass of wine with one supper, if it makes it better tasting. Never a full serving though.
We do joke at work about logging off and drinking when it’s stressful but most of us are not really daily drinkers and I have literally never touched alcohol at a work party or happy hour at any job and nobody cares, nobody makes a big deal about it.
That’s exactly what I said to myself. Although I am very good at working from home, and have since found healthier ways to create that division. The biggest one being: just don’t work outside of working hours lol.
Glad you were able to put the booze in its place. Pandemic hit a lot of workers like that.
I tried having a solitary drink here and there, but found even that left me feeling bummed and sluggish the next day. So I just stick to the fun drinks for now.
Yeah people are really underestimating how much work from home can fuck people up. I could never do it. I need to get out and change up that context. I am fully expecting an organic backlash at some point where people start demanding upscale office space again.
There are coworking spaces that are a good, flexible arrangement for this. I know a couple people who will grab a desk downtown at their own expense. It’s probably nice getting to know folks from outside your company in the same coworking space.
But I’m a loner and I’ve got my little workspace at home just perfect now, so I don’t really go in unless it’s to meet over lunch or something.
Glad to hear you’re feeling better now. That’s one habit that can gradually sneak up on you over time.