What will your future hold?

Whoever said (probably many people by now) that we’re living through unprecedented times was absolutely right.

Many people are furloughed from their role whilst others are still hard at it – at the rock face, nursing us through this pandemic, or ensuring we have our basic needs met and our cupboards full.

A portion of society, from a range of industries, are working from home, like the team at Rucklidge Law Ltd; they’re able to do so because of the nature of their work and the wonders of technology.

If you were to glance through various social media platforms, you’d see that some people are finding the act of working from home easier than others. It certainly comes with its challenges, and more pressure is added if you’ve to also home-school children and shop for elderly relatives.

That so many people are dying from this dreadful virus is truly, truly terrible. It’s difficult to think of any positives when faced with the bleak reality of this situation. However, perhaps for our mental health as much as anything, we should sometimes try and balance the feelings of widespread powerlessness, grief and frustration with things that we can be grateful for.

For instance, lockdown life is allowing many of us to spend more time with our families. There’s no commuting for those furloughed or people working from home, which could give them the feeling that there are a few extra hours in the day. A greater, renewed sense of appreciation for our families and loved ones is likely rife in every household, given the constant reminders of the fragility of life. Gratitude also for the smaller things that we don’t always have the time to appreciate…such as a full tummy, warmth and shelter; the beauty of Mother Nature around us; birdsong; connection to anyone anywhere via the internet; plenty of literature and media available for us to devour…the list could go on. Perhaps working from home has been a real eye-opener and it will be the first thing requested when restrictions are lifted.

As family lawyers, we tend to deal with the fallout of broken relationships and situations fraught with worry and angst, so it’s heartening for us to see people actively embracing family life and enjoying so much time together as a unit.

At some point (hopefully, in the not too distant future) we’ll look back on this time like any other memory stored in our grey matter. We will hopefully have forgotten the stress and fear of the pandemic by then and will be instead enjoying ‘normal’ life once again.

What will your future life look like? Has the lockdown helped you make some decisions about your future? Will you opt for a change of career, for example? Move to a new city? Go back to school?

Maybe your future involves a shake up of your family’s make up. It’s sad but true that some people, during this pandemic, will come to the conclusion that their partner and their relationship are not fulfilling them as they once did. If that’s the case, call us before you come out of lockdown.

It feels a lot like the film Groundhog Day at the moment – the mental lockdown having as much impact on most people as the physical lockdown. In retrospect, it may not be the ideal breeding ground for decisions that will have a huge impact on your life – call Rucklidge’s for impartial, unbiased advice on 0113 880 0864.