Ask HN: How are you holding up?

Fairly well, all things considered. I've been using the forced isolation time to set (and try to achieve) several personal goals that I didn't have time for previously. I've been contributing to open source and writing more, which has had a surprisingly good impact for career prospects (after publishing an article that got a good amount of traction I had a 5x increase in recruiters reaching out, even though I'm not actively looking).

I also got accepted to speak at a (now virtual) industry conference which checked another goal I had set for the year.

Outside of work I've also reconnected with a number of friends from college who live in different places. Lately I've seen a lot more people reconnecting this way; I suppose the forced quarantine changes the dynamics of who is "easy to hang out with" since everyone is confined.

My wife and I have been taking evening walks a lot more, which has been good for our physical and mental health.

The only things that have been difficult are not being able to visit older family members, not being able to enjoy the typical NYC activities, or hang out in person with friends, and traveling. We used to travel 6-8 times a year and are really itching to get out of the apartment these days.

I just have to say thanks for asking. I don't know if folks outside of a given field understand the particular insanity one in that field suffers.

TL;DR: on paper I have a perfect job/damn good life but I legit cannot force myself to do any work.

Let's look at the brass tacks for me and why I should be so happy: 1. 5+ years salary in the bank. 2. Several rental properties, all operating normally, covering all of our monthly expenses. 3. A high-paying remote job with infinite autonomy. 4. 10-month old baby, our first. My mom provides free childcare.

This person has it all, right? Oh my god no I have never been this miserable. Our partners are insurance companies, and they are always slow to work with. With COVID they are effectively non-operational when it comes to implementing new software. This means we just spin our wheels.

Life have never been so meaningless from 9-5. There are days when I don't even open my editor or attend meetings. There is just this incredible detachment amongst the whole team.

When I clock out, life is perfect. I never liked going out or anything anyways, so it's just the perfect excuse to sit and home and work on my creative projects.

I am currently working on a plan to take a leave of absence because the alternative is that I just resign. Sitting so close to the life I've always wanted (being a couch potato) and having my beautiful son to be with all day has made it impossible to contribute to my team and the guilt of that is gutting me.

Surprisingly well, given the circumstances.

Before lockdown, I had already been looking for jobs. Since then, I've been rejected pre-interview by a handful of companies, and have bombed out of a handful of interviews at the final stage.

I was also made redundant a few weeks ago, so I'm nearing the point where I need to find myself a new job.

Despite that, it's been weirdly nice to sit at home, on my own, and simply learn again. Obviously, I'm freaking out about being out of work soon, but I'm hopeful that the stars will align and at least one company will offer me something.

Better now.

I was in the process of moving in Netherlands when the lockdown happened most of my day-to-day stuff were already there when the borders closed with me on the wrong side. I had to live with my mother during two months in my teenager clothes doing remote working and my job as a TA with a 13" Fedora laptop remotely connected to a Windows workstation and screen sharing through Teams. It was painfull and very hard.

I managed to cross the borders last month and now, I am finishing my contract in Belgium before going back to Netherlands and finding a job (and an appartment) there.

I managed to put more money on the side during that time but it was the only positive thing that happened the last three months. My focus was off, I was highly unproductive. I have already WFH in the last year and it was good because I was able to balance it with a active social life. Being stuck at home with the space as a working desk, a sleeping roam and the only part of the appartment where I could be alone was... well not a good time.

on one side, not much has changed on my work situation since I've been working from home since 2018 as a freelancer.

but yeah, some projects that has been agreed on with future client previously is either canceled or pending until further notice. and that has forced me to tighten my family expenses while I'm struggling to find another job or projects.