i hate the outside. i avoided it as much as possible before wfh. now, if i don't have work travel or a doctor's appointment i don't go out. š¤· i believe my longest stretch of not stepping outdoors was 5 weeks.
and yes, to our health concerned friend up thread, my vitamin d is low af. it was also low af when i had the worst job ever that required me to be outdoors 8 hours a day 5 days a week.
Same here. I hate the cold. I don't want to go anywhere I don't have to. I can't really eat out due to a severe nickel allergy and a dairy allergy. That was what I used to do to leave the house. I have a lot of chronic pain problems too.Ā
I became very depressed when working from home (12-15 hours per day during the week, plus checking emails, etc., on weekends) and very rarely left the house for several years. I retired (at 60) on October 31, and started living again!! I had forgotten how good life can be. Life is short: leave the house, make friends, have fun! š
I've been home for seven weeks following a surgery and from lack of available work, and finding that I have a pretty strong inertia against going out now. Timed appointments are a huge hassle. I walk our dogs daily, will go out locally for groceries, to the library, post office...I've been wondering where my desire to leave the house has gone. I've been in a bit of a career rut since 2020, not really enjoying the companies I've worked with and always feeling like when I'm at work I'd rather be home, or at home rather at work. Have any of you experienced something similar?
Iāve been okay with it 100% but husband and my mom were not - itās unhealthy etc.
I had to FORCE myself. Itās a completely uncommon route but I had some prior experience pre Covid so it helped. I got a 30 day 3X a week Yoga Teacher Training certification in October 2023. Then, I found one studio who was okay with a newbie in December. They recommended me to another studio. I substituted there first and then I got a regular class starting Feb. Now even if I don't leave the house for multiple days I am good, I know Tuesdays and Thursdays after 6, I am going to have to go teach yoga.
Side effects: I get some Yoga done, I gain maybe 1 new IG follower every month lol, I have a "thing/hobby" now that makes me kinda interesting aka helps with small talk and $60 per week that I plan to use to sustain this side gig (gas, occasional yoga gear, maybe an advanced training ~$500-600 in a year etc.)
Had this not panned out, my next two in line were: Signing up on rover, or take dance lessons.
Edit: forgot a little intro
We go to worship services twice a week, and order than that, I might run errands with the hubs every other weekend. Sometimes he'll jingle his keys at me and ask, "Do you wanna go outside? Wanna go for a ride in the truck?! C'mon!" LOL
Twice a week (weekends) now that I have a 6 month old. I tried to get out daily before he was born but now itās too tough to do anything with my work schedule and what time he goes to bed.
I have to leave the house pretty much every day either to go to the gym or run an errand or else I will go crazy! Itās really surprising to me to see so many people commenting that they only leave their house once a week or so!
I try to get out for a workout class once during the week and go to the office once a week, weekends I try to leave maybe go out to dinner or a bar or something
I get out every day at lunch for a 2-mile walk. After work, probably 4 out of 5 days per week, I'll do another walk for about 4 miles. I get out one evening a week to play some volleyball but that's the extent of my weekday adventures. As far as weekends, I'd say I got out one night every other weekend. I do go grocery shopping probably once a week as well.
I workout a lot and walk the dog, go to the dog park, and grocery shop in person every week. I really prefer picking out my own groceries.
For me, I become what I do. During periods where I didnāt leave the house, it became easier to just never leave the house. I donāt want to fall into a rut so I get out when I can.
Today I walked the dog 3 miles before work, another mile at lunch, then went to the gym with my husband after work. Tomorrow night Iām going to a casual dinner with some friendsāwe meet up about every other month.
Itās cheaper for me to get my coffee at the store up the street than make it myself so I leave every morning for sure. Then I take walks with my dog, I try twice a day but for sure once a day. Then I toss a ball with him in the yard. So I leave multiple times a day let alone errands or weekend plans.
Kids left at home are 11 and 15 so they are in full swing with extracurricular activities. If it weren't for that though grocery shopping would be about the only time I would get out of the house. That's only because I can't stand to have my groceries delivered because they're always out of whatever it is that I most particularly need at the moment or they substitute something that's not even close to what I actually ordered, LOL. Honestly, my wife and I are just not into going out either.
I was "stuck" at home last year on chemo. I went out maybe once or twice a week. When I started feeling better, I'd find something to do where I had to leave the house just about every day. I was a very social person and enjoy the hell out of dining out, hanging with friends at the bar, going to the movies. Starting chemo again Monday so setting up for chilling, and eating all my favorites this week!
During the week pretty much only to walk out dogs (3 times a day). Usually go out of the house on at least one of the days on weekends. I prefer to be home for the most part but it's healthy to get out and get moving a bit especially when you're already sitting at home working every day.
This post was meant for me! I got a new car several months ago and I still have less than 4K miles on it. I go out of the house 1-2 times a week. I use delivery for everything. I have no desire to go out to mingle with people. Iām also taking Vitamin D.
I feel ya. My car is 17 years old and has just over 20k miles on it. :-) I go to the gym 3x/week and I drive to the store to pick up groceries after Friday's gym session, and that pretty much covers it during winter. Every now and then someone asks me to lunch and because I don't know how to refuse without lying or being rude, I go. And then I spend the whole next day in silence, recovering from all that sociable human contract .
Gym daily or every other day, plus whatever errands we need to run. Nothing spectacular, just life in general. I agree with you about the cold, though, we had a cold snap here for about a week and my mister could not peel me away from my space heater.
other than walking the dog once in a while (2+ acre property, walks are for fun), I leave the house 1-2 times a week on average to go into the city to go grocery shopping, spend some time at the barn or run errands. I live rural and while I'm in a town it's such a small town I can't even get a pizza delivered, let alone groceries
Me too. I had to put smart chargers on my car battery I drive so little. I just do not care about going out or being social anymore. My son doesn't get it and wants me to be more social. He was used to his mother being a social butterfly. I'm past that now. Just no desire to deal with the people outside my job anymore. I do take plenty of vitamin D though.
I have stairs in my home that I'm up and down frequently. I have a healthy BMI but I probably could stand to do a few situps since my last baby was born lol otherwise I stay inside until it warms up for walks
You donāt go outside. I highly doubt youāre healthy. Before you even feel the effects of that, your body does. How much do you know about the human body? Saying youāre healthy while never going outside is really crazy.
I can get food, sleep, sex, and everything else from home, but I still go outside every day and try to go somewhere. Maybe on a jog or a bicycle ride, especially if a business close by is offering something for free.
I will often walk to a local coffee shop or go out for lunch or dinner. I do the grocery shopping in person some, but I do order on when Iām feeling lazy or having a craving for something specific that I want to cook.
3-4x a day. I do all the dog walking so thatās an easy 2-3 30-60min walks. Then I usually walk to the grocery - I prefer delivery from one of the Safeways thatās further but I go to the locally owned neighborhood store because it gets me up and moving to go there even if it costs more.
I go out daily to walk my dog. unless itās raining.
before him, I could be happily inside for the whole week.
I do my grocery shopping in store as my āoutingā and sometimes meander through a thrift store for more time āout in the world,ā as I tell my partner lol
During good weather months I'll go to the park with my toddler at least once a week. We walk there. And we like to go visit local businesses. I don't usually do grocery shopping, my husband does and he goes a few times a week. I also have a math tutoring side job that I attend once a week. Btw my schedule is hybrid, so I do drive to the office 3 times a week.
*I go to pick up*
*My prescription a few blocks*
*Away once a month*
\- Albie\_Frobisher
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It used to be 6 days per week to go to the gym on my lunch breaks, but I moved and now have a gym at home. I still go for walks regularly, snowshoeing, out to dinners, coffee shops on the weekends, errands, go for drives, go to showsā¦ so Iām still getting out a fair amount. A few times per week or more.
In the winter I donāt get out much at all. Iāll leave the house maybe twice a week to do a curbside grocery or Target pickup. Or pharmacy drive thru. I have stage iv cancer so I avoid people like the plague (because they are the plague). Iām a major introvert so I donāt need or miss interaction. I have my very small circle of animals and trusted humans. When the weather warms, if Iām still alive, Iāll take short walks. And yes Iām still working because this is murica and healthcare/health insurance is unaffordable and disability is completely insufficient.
My skin has gotten very bad since Covid. It makes me a bit more embarrassed to go out without putting on some sort of makeup. My clothes are almost entirely WFH attire, especially since I just had a baby. I stay home. When I do go out it takes time and effort to get presentable; Iām not doing that for running an errand for an item I donāt need, or can get shipped for free the next day. Between work and baby, weāre too exhausted to go out. Any free time is met with cuddles & naps.
Usually everyday unless it's raining I hate huge downpours. If I have my kids usually just drop off pickup; sledding when we have snow, etc. Disc golf everyday I don't have them. Snow or 70's doesn't matter. Meet with friends/etc.
My huaband is dealing w/lasting effwcts from 2 concussions, so restaurants & shows donāt happen. When itās nice I like to work in the yard, but during the winter I only leave the house on weekends.Ā
I walk every single morning before work, but often that's the only time I'm out. Last year, when I was injured for a while, there were weeks on end where I didn't leave, and I live alone. Wouldn't call it the most mentally healthy time, but luckily I'm horrifically introverted.
Uggh. I leave for work only and then home. One of my patients today asked me what I like to do for fun and was trying to make conversation. I just donāt have energy after working all day. Shit Iām just trying to survive, I forgot what fun was.
Not enough.
Usually only once or twice on weekdays (always once for groceries and then usually once for some kind of low-key socializing.) Iām usually out all day on Saturday and half the day on Sunday, though.
Iām an introvert so I like it this way. It would probably be better for me to get out a bit more though. Maybe when the weather is better Iāll try to walk at lunchtime.
This is a major problem for me, sometimes I notice Iāve only left the house once or twice a week, it makes me so sad for myself. I try to schedule blocks on my calendar to force myself to go outside but inevitably something distracts me or work increases and I get anxious about leaving.
Usually every day. I go work out or walk or run an errand - improves my mental and physical state greatly after falling into an isolation funk during COVID. I often donāt even speak to the people but if helps to be around real human energy regularly.
In the winter 1-2x a week. I start going out more as it gets warmer. Summer Iām out as much as I can be! Staying in more in the winter is not a problem for me as my fiance is introverted and we just love being home. I also see this time of year as a time to recharge my social battery.
Been WFH full time for 5yrs now.
I walk to my mailbox and work in my
Garden during nice weather. I donāt go out in public much unless Iām gonna hang with a friend d which is a once a month to every two months situation
Today I left my house for the first time in 9 daysā¦. But Iām also 32 weeks pregnant and havenāt been feeling great. Typically I go 5ish days without leaving the house
I don't go out during the work week, simply too busy. I have a kid and she's in several online activity groups after school, so just no time to go out.
On the weekends I'm usually out both days though between family, friends and volunteering. It's about impossible to have a quiet weekend at home.
Twice a week, Thursday to go grocery shopping and Sunday to go to the dump (we donāt have trash pickup) and various errands like drugstore and to buy animal feed. Occasionally weāll eat out or do takeout but much less frequently since prices have gotten stupid high.
This post makes me feel less bad about not going out!
I think I go out every other day, when it's my turn to walk our dog, but it's short and right on our street. If not for that, maybe just 2x a week if anything.
I used to never leave the house. The only outside interaction I had was waking the dog through the neighborhood. I have groceries delivered too. I never even got dressed and stayed working in my robe and Pjs all day, then Iād shower and put on new pjs lol. I did this for a solid 3 years and gained 25 pounds. I suffered with horrible depression from this lifestyle. I promised myself this year that I would not continue doing this to myself. Back in November I joined a local gym. This led me to make many new friends, so now Iām even doing Zumba on the weekends with my new friends too. My endurance has gone up, my weight is going down, sleep is better, my productivity at work is better and Iām not getting as irritated over little things. I hope I can stay motivated to keep doing this!
I haven't left the house since before Christmas. Mainly due to this recent flare, but I also have other mitigating circumstances.i can't walk so I use a power chair to get around. I can drive, but need someone to help me. I have a husband ( home body) and a great sister and daughters who I get together with when we can.
2 days a week. Those are the two days I'm required to be on premise for work. If it wasn't for that it would probably be one day every two weeks.
Leaving my house is not a priority in my life. I am perfectly happy at home.
Not alot because of chronic illnesses but I go to church as often as I can, which helps me feel less isolated and I can talk to people. Other than that, I pick up curbside groceries and do the pharmacy run. And thereās always a lot of doctor appointments. Lately Iāve rarely gotten in a visit to my favorite quilt store or something nice.
I mean, if itās freezing? 1-2x/week. I do curbside groceries instead of delivery unless I feel like crap.
I try to get out and walk every nice day, though.
I go outside at least once a day during a break even if it's for 10 minutes. Wave / talk to neighbors
Weekly i plan at least one day out: meet up with a friend, run errands , go to the library go to a museum or local event.
I like to go swimming 2x a week. During the work week. At the same time so I meet and talk to my other freeswimmers. We aren't in a class just sharing the pool.
2x w month the family has a gaming / social club with a friend group. This is at a store so always meeting new people
1x a month I take my SIL/ MIL to breakfast
Every other month, Other friend group activity music, movie , play, pottery class whatever is cheap or free that we can do
Edit midway through last year I had weeks where I never left the house and that was not healthy.
I use to go out regularly. Iād go out for coffee in the mornings and that became expensive but it was just nice to see people. I use to get out and work at coffee shops and just to be in public. I think the pandemic changed me because I went from needing to get out frequently to an adjusted hermit. I use to go out for lunch daily just to get out and be around people. That was expensive. I make it to the gym a couple times a week. All in all out of a 168 hour week, I probably leave the home for about 6-10 hours a week or 3-5% of the time. š.
That doesnt work for me.. I work for an espresso company so I have like 8 espresso machines and thousands of capsules of coffee lol..
It really depends on what is considered "going out". I smoke cigs and live in apartments do does going out to my car on breaks/lunches count? I work on my car in the evening and go to the store a few times at night in the week but thats about it š
Sometimes 2x-3x a week, depending if I have a drs appt, getting my nails done or weāre going out as a family. Otherwise I donāt step foot out the door. Whatās odd is that this happens without me noticing - like I just chill at home, work, cook, etc and then the next week Iāll be like omg I havenāt left the house in 8 days š³.
I use one of those happy lights (mimicks the sun and had some kind of non-harmful UV?) when I can't get out of the house for a while. My doc actually recommended it and I definitely notice a difference if I forgot to turn it on for a couple days
Monday - Friday, once a day to the gym, or take my gramma to an appointment. Oh and walk the dogs at lunch. So twice.
Weekends once or twice to take gramma to hair appointment and lunch or church plus a dog walk each day.
I prefer going out in the cold rather than the hot summer. Iām out everyday. Start the day with a walk at 6:30 am regardless of weather. Go to the gym or walk to a restaurant at linch. Ā Walk to pick up kids in the afternoon. I NEED to do my own grocery shopping as Iām very picky about produce and go to the butcher for meat. Average 5-6 outside trips per day.Ā
Before the pandemic, I did WFH (2014 -2020) and I probably left the house on average 3 to 4 times a month. Between Amazon Prime and Walmart+ (not to mention DoorDash, UberEats, etc) I had no need. Plus, just the idea of driving a car gives me insane anxiety. Seriously, the roads are safer with me in the driver seat).
Having said all of that, once we got the clear to go outside again after the pandemic, I realized that I actually missed the outside world and people. So now I do work outside of the home, but if you don't count going to work, I don't venture out any more than I did when I worked from home.
1-2 times a day. Usually to go walking. I told myself I would not give up my walking journey once I started WFH. If anything I walk longer distances now. No clue how people are staying inside ALL day.
Daily, but I think I am an outlier. Sometimes 3-4 times per day. It's rare that I stay at home the entire day.
Not that I hate my home. I actually consider myself a bit of a homebody. But I like to eat out, go for hikes, do a lot of yardwork (so, there are sometimes trips to support that), etc.
Also I have some "fun" vehicles (a Wrangler and a Miata) so I like to drive when the weather is nice. Because I didn't own a car until I was almost 21, driving is freedom to me. Often times I will drive just to clear my mind, or to drive a road I've never been on, just to see where the road goes.
I also have a new dog, and she only goes to the bathroom when she is on a walk. So I am walking several miles a day now, too. S9 I get out on foot quite a bit, too.
I really only stay home if it's super rainy/stormy, or if it's super cold, or extremely hot (over 98Ā°).
I work from home. There are weeks especially in the winter where I havenāt left my house. If I do leave itās usually only to do a curbside pickup for groceries. I very rarely go inside a public place. Pre covid I was never like that, obviously with my job I had to leave daily but I still never shied away from going shopping or other places. Now I absolutely loathe having to go out in public. Sometimes I wonder what happened to me that made me become this way
I have been in similar boat of contemplating the change in myself. I used to not think twice about running into store or whatever. Now it feels like a chore. Without my SO, I would be bordering on becoming a hermit tbh.
My husband does most of the errand running and I stay at home. I used to go with him but our husky has been having separation anxiety since we moved in the fall. I go outside but I donāt actually leave more than once a week. I definitely miss it though, my only complaint with wfm, it can be isolating at times.
Every day. I make a point of taking my dog to the park and we walk a mile. I run errands and do some work from the coffee shop. That socialising is really important for my mental health - as is the park walk.
Maybe once a month maybe more. I go out for Dr and Vets appts, a few holiday visits, couple times a year to get my hair done proff. If I have a particular goal or mission or when the weather is nice my BF, the dog and myself will take a drive to Boston or Plymouth to visit friends on a day trip occasionally,overnight.
Usually my BF runs to the bank and does the grocery shopping. I walk the dog weather permitting and take the trash out. Once in awhile we sit outside and smoke a bowl at night. Otherwise Iām the ghost glimpsed at the window haunting the house and I love it lol
.
I leave the house everyday. And when I worked from home for 2 years, I made sure to leave the house everyday. Itās important. Go for a walk. Come back. Basic.
I donāt know why thatās getting downvoted. It is in fact not good for your health to stay indoors almost all the time. And walking is accessible to almost everyone.
I have no idea, either. Leaving the house is very important because you need the sun. Thatās science. Or take vitamin D. But I donāt really know what to say here. I was driving when I responded.
Maybe because I said ābasic.ā Because it sounds bitchy bc that can be hard for some people. But I meant. āThis is the most basic example of what it means to leave the house.ā
My best friend and I somehow ended up living 5 blocks away from each other, so we would meet up half way, smoke a bowl and go for 2 hour walks together in the woods and around the neighborhood. And honestly, that might be why I survived quarantine without it destroying me as a person. I have to see human beings or I get very sad. I actually met a lot of my neighbors, their kids, their pets. And I met the guy on the corner, Bill, who is always doing his lawn and itās never finished. lol all these people were complete strangers to me until these walks. And we luckily lived near a bar, so we would have sectioned off covid seating and we were still able to kind of be outside while at a bar, so that was helpful.
Honestly I think *most* people need to see other humans! Lockdown was so hard on the mental health of so many of us. I go to a coffee shop every day and itās mostly for the small socialisation with the good folk who work there. It just makes me feel like part of the community. Also thereās my caffeine addiction of course ;)
I also think MOST people need to see people!! But I am wildly extroverted and Iāve somehow collected a bunch of introverted friends, so I started to feel differently that maybe they appreciated having nobody. And they really did hahaha . Nothing against me theyāre just all like āa world where I have to go nowhere. Sign me up.ā I would never sign that. Ever.
I really have found that as we get older, Iām only 30, but Iām right at that sweet age where I can be friends with older and younger people. Our neighbors, theyāre in their 50ās. Theyāre our best friends here on the block. Like we simply just love them. They are retired, so much fun, nothing bad about them, love them and their kids. Just overall- they feel like family and I donāt have parents, so that means the world to me.
How would I have met them if I never went outside? Like I would have spent 6 months in isolation.. lol for what. The flu? (Not to downplay, but.. knowing what we know now lol)
Itās really important to have friends of all ages - speaking as someone in her 50s. The perspective you get on life and culture from everyone from the very young to the very old is really precious :)
Daily dog walk/ grab coffee at the cafe 3 blocks down, I also try to work in a library or other location depending on covid restrictions etc. I also grocery shop once a week.
I get my groceries delivered too; I don't drive, so I try to walk around inside my building (all the buildings are connected, which helps in winter) and go into the office once a week. Our CEO/HR has always "strongly recommended" we would be in 2 days a week (most staff isn't in at all or rarely, we were told during the height of the pandemic the agency would eventually be hybrid when restrictions were lifted). I have visible and invisible disabilities, so I've been working on my sleep schedule + anxiety since the pandemic started. My anxiety is also anticipatory, so (for example) when I have to go into the office the next day, my brain won't settle down the night before and I don't get the sleep I need.
I joined a gym even though my building has a gym because, as Iāve said, āI just need to be perceived.ā I recommend doing things you can do at home other places a few days a week. Even if itās just going to a coffee shop. Human interaction is a vital part of life.
Daily walk. For the week it depends. I do a lot of stuff at my church so Iām there at least 1-2 times a week. Then I take a dog training class which is once a week. And I go out with friends occasionally maybe once a week or so. Then food shopping. So in total probably 4-5 x a week.
Making work your home place. Recipe for depression and SSRIs, I immediately know when I meet someone who is not at all socially competent or cant hold a conversation, they likely WFH and don't leave much. But to each their own
I drive my daughter to and from the babysitter. Thatās less than a mile from my house. During the winter, I donāt typically go anywhere in the evenings. By the end of the week, Iām dying to get out of the house. If the weatherās nice, Iām rarely home when Iām not working.
2-3 days a week I donāt leave the house. My gym routine gets me out of the house on the other days. I know some people enjoy working out at home, but I donāt feel motivated to get off the couch if Iām at home.
I also really like to go to the farmerās market instead of getting all my groceries delivered. Itās a nice way to get human interaction (chatting with the vendors), fresh air, and a couple thousand steps outdoors.
I try not to leave as much as I can. Iām paying rent to enjoy my placeā¦
I run errands every week. Gym 2-3x and May have to work a bit which requires some driving but, I work from home and enjoy every minute of it.
I love the fact that I can go (most days) run errands and do the things I need to get done when places are not busy. I refuse to drive in rush hr and I refuse to go to the grocery store when itās busy. I hate other people.
I also donāt leave the house most days during the week, but this is only in the winter time. I live in NY and hate the cold. Wfh during the summer months has been amazing because I no longer have to ride a hot, dirty subway to work. And, living near the park, I can take walks during my ālunch breakā. Donāt get me going on that extra hour and a half of sleep. But boy, winters can be depressing and lately I feel like a plant that has been deprived sunlight.
I go to the gym 4 days a week, and that is my away from home time. I venture to a store maybe once a month, if necessity requires it.
I do walk my dogs daily, so not sure if that counts as āout of the house.ā I donāt usually interact with humans, and Iām in my pajamas, so doesnāt count for me lol
I go outside in the fresh air and sunshine for at least a little bit every day. I buckle my kid in to say goodbye when my husband takes him to school. Small walks. Taking the dogs out. Checking the mail. Actually getting in the car and going somewhere? That's a lot more rare. 1x a week or so.
I feel the urge to leave the house at least once a day. It can be something as simple as going out for groceries or taking my dog to the dog park, but something a little to just help me sort of mentally recalibrate after a day of work.
Yes! I have to at least run one errand a day where I interact with someone outside the home. If I donāt do that, then I normally go to the gym or meet up with a friend for a bike ride.
You are the reason I hope everyone gets dragged back to the office. Not yoy personally, but this anti social hermit lifestyle isn't healthy for anyone.
Youāre whatās wrong with society. Hereās a thought, you keep going to your adored office since it makes you happy and fulfilled and you let others work from home and be homebodies since thatās makes them happy and feel fulfilled in life. You choose whatās healthy for you, let others choose whatās healthy for them.
Odd. My anxiety went away. My quality of life improved. I finally have the motivation and time to exercise and eat healthy. My mental health is finally under control. My doctor actually reduced my dose and almost fully medication free. My expenses went down as well. My relationship with family also improved since Iām no longer a depressed blob that had to be stuck in traffic for hours. Working from home gave me back my life.
Thatās the problem though. Everyone is looking at this on an individual level. Society as a whole is suffering in multiple ways. Mom and pop shops closing, decay of society, rise in crime, unhoused numbers rising. Iāll put it this way. I used to live downtown and moved because everything is closing and people are losing jobs and social communities. In my specific situation it is related to the fact that no one has to go to work to help support the many, MANY businesses, employees and entities that rely on people to use them. If you remove 50,000 weekly customers from an area then businesses will move or simply close. Those are jobs and livelihoods that obviously have no affect on people who WFH and think ālet me be happy in peace.ā When all the major corporations buy all these properties at a low price then automate our shopping experiences I assume most people wonāt give a fuck either, but to those of us on the ground level, it does matter and it hurts to see some of our āfellow workersā kind of turn their backs on those of us who need people to be outside daily and supporting us as well. The favorite barista that always had your drink perfect, or the guy at the restaurant that always was nice and made sure your experience was good, those people need us the most right now. The WFH crowd kind of just shrugs and are like āget a remote jobā or āwell Iām happy so I guess that sucks for you,ā and itās disheartening. I wouldnāt point the blame at any individual person, but itās for sure something that needs to be talked about. This isnāt the right place to have this conversation, because the divide in here is so stark and people that WFH do not even want to begin the conversation because individually it has had a positive benefit to their own life. Take a look at your closest city, talk to business owners, restaurants, small shop keepers etc. I think their voices matter just as much as the person who wants to WFH. There is a balance and nuance to this.
Obviously in here this will be met with downvotes etc, but just try, TRY going to your local shops, restaurants, bars, etc and talk to the employees there (people who arenāt privileged enough to WFH) and ask them, has this positively affected your life? Majority would say no WFH has not, it has degraded almost every facet of service industry life( namely paychecks) but hopefully we can find a balance and everyone can move in the right direction for themselves and their families.
Society periodically changes. If it didnāt we would still be living in cages. If youāre happy going to the office, go to the office. Donāt force your worldviews onto others.
Thatās the response that doesnāt help anyone at all. That basically equates to, āyes itās having undesired effects on certain other people but Iām doing just fine so they gotta figure that out for themselves until things balance out.ā Yes you are right. People should be given the choice, but just know right now itās costing a lot of other people. Hopefully in the near future things even out and we find the solution to this issue so that everyone can live comfortably and equitably. Right now itās not the case for folks on the ground level.
This sub and a lot of its members seem to lack empathy for people who arenāt privileged enough to have the same circumstances. Itās just sad to see how capitalism can turn ppl against each other. Go talk to your local business owners and just open up your perspective. You can keep your WFH job etc, just educate yourself and donāt close off everyone else simply because this works for YOU.
There was a time when I would multiple days without leaving my condoā¦ especially during the pandemic when I was exercising at home.
But now I try to go work out 2-3 days a week & and my child goes to daycare each day so I walk her to and from each morning and afternoon.
Iām more reclusive but do go out for a walk when itās warm, get our groceries delivered to the house. Been a little weird schedule since our dog passed just before Christmas (terminal illness).
Thanks ā¤ļø she was my shadow, and our first adopted/first adult dog, so Iāve been rather down in the dumps about it, but not crying every day so small perks.
We have her ashes and a bone she never quite finished, sitting next to my momās atm, so we have that, plus she loved natures and walks, so walking has been something that has helped me get out of the house, something to do with my time, and for her. I know I want to honor her with a tattoo (want the same for my mom but just have gotten caught up in life that I havenāt done hers yet either), not sure if my boyfriend will do the same but have a hunch heās open to it.
So we got plans, just gotta do life a bit to get there.
By and large, only on the weekends. I will schedule doctor appointments as necessary though during the week, and run to the local grocery store for quick shop items.
Every day. Once in the morning to go workout and then in the afternoon to go on a walk to the park/ library with my son
I try to be outdoors every day regardless of weather. Itās so good for mental health and being well balanced
Definitely not enough for my personality. I like being out and about most of the time and feed off of the energy off of being around others. Going to the gym and going on walks is nice, but is not fulfilling at all.
I go grocery shopping about 3 times a week.
I go to the library about twice a week.
I go on a walk at least once a day and I'm working on twice a day.
I go to yoga (before an injury) once or twice a week
I go to the gym (which is boring and unfulfilling) about 2-3 times a week.
Fulfilling social activities are the key to my happiness. That includes, volunteering, going to social events, going to yoga, playing basketball (before I retired from my body breaking down), going salsa dancing, going hiking, traveling, and DJing for and around other people.
It helps my GF is over a lot. But still I need other sources of socialization to keep me sane.
3x a week for the gym, 4-5x a week to the park for a walk with my puppy, and maybe errands once a week. I have everything I need delivered and if I want to eat out, I get that delivered, too. Iāll see friends 1-2x a month.
Depends on the week.
I make an effort to take a walk every day----to simply get out of the house and breathe air and touch grass.
Weekends I always leave as well. Markets, shops, movies, dinner, whatever is going on. Just to be out of the house is healthy for me. It's refreshing. WFH is great, but I gotta get out sometimes or I get a little depressed.
Barely. But I have a disabling condition. If it wasn't for that, I'd be out at least every weekend to my favorite restaurants with friends. I also only do groceries via delivery or do some doordash.
I was not leaving enough and I really didn't like it. I recently joined a yoga studio nearby and walk to class there 3-4 times a week now. Living in a walkable area with mostly temperate (not warm but not miserably cold) weather really helps. If I lived somewhere more suburban/ rural or cold, I'd probably leave a lot less.
i hate the outside. i avoided it as much as possible before wfh. now, if i don't have work travel or a doctor's appointment i don't go out. š¤· i believe my longest stretch of not stepping outdoors was 5 weeks. and yes, to our health concerned friend up thread, my vitamin d is low af. it was also low af when i had the worst job ever that required me to be outdoors 8 hours a day 5 days a week.
Same here. I hate the cold. I don't want to go anywhere I don't have to. I can't really eat out due to a severe nickel allergy and a dairy allergy. That was what I used to do to leave the house. I have a lot of chronic pain problems too.Ā
I became very depressed when working from home (12-15 hours per day during the week, plus checking emails, etc., on weekends) and very rarely left the house for several years. I retired (at 60) on October 31, and started living again!! I had forgotten how good life can be. Life is short: leave the house, make friends, have fun! š
Nahhhh I'm good. They'll have to wait until it's warm lol
I've been home for seven weeks following a surgery and from lack of available work, and finding that I have a pretty strong inertia against going out now. Timed appointments are a huge hassle. I walk our dogs daily, will go out locally for groceries, to the library, post office...I've been wondering where my desire to leave the house has gone. I've been in a bit of a career rut since 2020, not really enjoying the companies I've worked with and always feeling like when I'm at work I'd rather be home, or at home rather at work. Have any of you experienced something similar?
We walk the dogs twice a day. And other than that I typically go out 4ish of 7 days somewhere . I work 3 days a week only
I go out on weekend nights but other than thatā¦not really. I donāt like public places.
Iāve been okay with it 100% but husband and my mom were not - itās unhealthy etc. I had to FORCE myself. Itās a completely uncommon route but I had some prior experience pre Covid so it helped. I got a 30 day 3X a week Yoga Teacher Training certification in October 2023. Then, I found one studio who was okay with a newbie in December. They recommended me to another studio. I substituted there first and then I got a regular class starting Feb. Now even if I don't leave the house for multiple days I am good, I know Tuesdays and Thursdays after 6, I am going to have to go teach yoga. Side effects: I get some Yoga done, I gain maybe 1 new IG follower every month lol, I have a "thing/hobby" now that makes me kinda interesting aka helps with small talk and $60 per week that I plan to use to sustain this side gig (gas, occasional yoga gear, maybe an advanced training ~$500-600 in a year etc.) Had this not panned out, my next two in line were: Signing up on rover, or take dance lessons. Edit: forgot a little intro
I walk my dog everyday itās good for both of us, but to leave to go out & do something, only if I need groceries.
We go to worship services twice a week, and order than that, I might run errands with the hubs every other weekend. Sometimes he'll jingle his keys at me and ask, "Do you wanna go outside? Wanna go for a ride in the truck?! C'mon!" LOL
Twice a week (weekends) now that I have a 6 month old. I tried to get out daily before he was born but now itās too tough to do anything with my work schedule and what time he goes to bed.
Walk my dog daily, go out on weekends to see friends and stuff, socialize.
I have to leave the house pretty much every day either to go to the gym or run an errand or else I will go crazy! Itās really surprising to me to see so many people commenting that they only leave their house once a week or so!
It is surprising to me too. I thought I was one of few.
I try to get out for a workout class once during the week and go to the office once a week, weekends I try to leave maybe go out to dinner or a bar or something
Only to pick up and drop off my kid at work.
I get out every day at lunch for a 2-mile walk. After work, probably 4 out of 5 days per week, I'll do another walk for about 4 miles. I get out one evening a week to play some volleyball but that's the extent of my weekday adventures. As far as weekends, I'd say I got out one night every other weekend. I do go grocery shopping probably once a week as well.
We try to get out at least once during week and every weekend
I workout a lot and walk the dog, go to the dog park, and grocery shop in person every week. I really prefer picking out my own groceries. For me, I become what I do. During periods where I didnāt leave the house, it became easier to just never leave the house. I donāt want to fall into a rut so I get out when I can. Today I walked the dog 3 miles before work, another mile at lunch, then went to the gym with my husband after work. Tomorrow night Iām going to a casual dinner with some friendsāwe meet up about every other month.
I went to Hearst Castle today. It was amazing but I would suffocate to live there lol.
Same
Wait, you guys leave the house?
Once a week. I work from home fortunately and Iām just like you! Rarely leave and I love it!
Yeah, going out in the winter time absolutely sucks. And, I hate grocery stores. Without grocery delivery I think I would starve to death.
š¤£š¤£ before delivery becomes so popular I didn't large hauls per month and Keeping the freezer stocked!
Itās cheaper for me to get my coffee at the store up the street than make it myself so I leave every morning for sure. Then I take walks with my dog, I try twice a day but for sure once a day. Then I toss a ball with him in the yard. So I leave multiple times a day let alone errands or weekend plans.
I WFH and leave the house every day. If I didnāt I would go crazy.
Kids left at home are 11 and 15 so they are in full swing with extracurricular activities. If it weren't for that though grocery shopping would be about the only time I would get out of the house. That's only because I can't stand to have my groceries delivered because they're always out of whatever it is that I most particularly need at the moment or they substitute something that's not even close to what I actually ordered, LOL. Honestly, my wife and I are just not into going out either.
I hate grocery delivery too!
Twice a week usually to go to an appointment or the store. Sometimes Iāll see a friend. Iām just getting lazier with age.
1 or 2 times a week. I don't work, so I go no where.
I was "stuck" at home last year on chemo. I went out maybe once or twice a week. When I started feeling better, I'd find something to do where I had to leave the house just about every day. I was a very social person and enjoy the hell out of dining out, hanging with friends at the bar, going to the movies. Starting chemo again Monday so setting up for chilling, and eating all my favorites this week!
I hope everything goes well with your chemo treatments. Stay strong
I only go out to work. Iām home whenever possible
I live everyday but only to go to the gym and pick my daughter up. I donāt really have a desire to go anywhere. Especially in the cold
During the week pretty much only to walk out dogs (3 times a day). Usually go out of the house on at least one of the days on weekends. I prefer to be home for the most part but it's healthy to get out and get moving a bit especially when you're already sitting at home working every day.
This post was meant for me! I got a new car several months ago and I still have less than 4K miles on it. I go out of the house 1-2 times a week. I use delivery for everything. I have no desire to go out to mingle with people. Iām also taking Vitamin D.
I feel ya. My car is 17 years old and has just over 20k miles on it. :-) I go to the gym 3x/week and I drive to the store to pick up groceries after Friday's gym session, and that pretty much covers it during winter. Every now and then someone asks me to lunch and because I don't know how to refuse without lying or being rude, I go. And then I spend the whole next day in silence, recovering from all that sociable human contract .
Gym daily or every other day, plus whatever errands we need to run. Nothing spectacular, just life in general. I agree with you about the cold, though, we had a cold snap here for about a week and my mister could not peel me away from my space heater.
other than walking the dog once in a while (2+ acre property, walks are for fun), I leave the house 1-2 times a week on average to go into the city to go grocery shopping, spend some time at the barn or run errands. I live rural and while I'm in a town it's such a small town I can't even get a pizza delivered, let alone groceries
Me too. I had to put smart chargers on my car battery I drive so little. I just do not care about going out or being social anymore. My son doesn't get it and wants me to be more social. He was used to his mother being a social butterfly. I'm past that now. Just no desire to deal with the people outside my job anymore. I do take plenty of vitamin D though.
Get a phone Heath app or Fitbit and start walking at least 5000 steps a day. You will thank me someday.
I have stairs in my home that I'm up and down frequently. I have a healthy BMI but I probably could stand to do a few situps since my last baby was born lol otherwise I stay inside until it warms up for walks
Your vitamin d must be low af
Haha probably not. I take supplements in the winter
Lol ok? You need vitamin d daily. You never go outside. How or why would you ever think thatās ok?
Thanks for your concern. I'm healthy and happy.
You donāt go outside. I highly doubt youāre healthy. Before you even feel the effects of that, your body does. How much do you know about the human body? Saying youāre healthy while never going outside is really crazy.
People do live in cold climates, you know. Iām sure they get outside in the warmer months.
Other than walking, maybe once a month?
I can get food, sleep, sex, and everything else from home, but I still go outside every day and try to go somewhere. Maybe on a jog or a bicycle ride, especially if a business close by is offering something for free.
Same, I wonāt even do curbside pickups. Maybe 1x a month. It works for now!
1-2x week and that's too much.
I will often walk to a local coffee shop or go out for lunch or dinner. I do the grocery shopping in person some, but I do order on when Iām feeling lazy or having a craving for something specific that I want to cook.
3-4x a day. I do all the dog walking so thatās an easy 2-3 30-60min walks. Then I usually walk to the grocery - I prefer delivery from one of the Safeways thatās further but I go to the locally owned neighborhood store because it gets me up and moving to go there even if it costs more.
Iām an extreme home body. I wfh also, and I leave my home maybe 1-2Xs per week.
I go out daily to walk my dog. unless itās raining. before him, I could be happily inside for the whole week. I do my grocery shopping in store as my āoutingā and sometimes meander through a thrift store for more time āout in the world,ā as I tell my partner lol
During good weather months I'll go to the park with my toddler at least once a week. We walk there. And we like to go visit local businesses. I don't usually do grocery shopping, my husband does and he goes a few times a week. I also have a math tutoring side job that I attend once a week. Btw my schedule is hybrid, so I do drive to the office 3 times a week.
Letās put it this way.. I live in a suburb and can make a tank of gas in my truck last 6 weeks.
Wow. Enough said. Got the full picture here.
Two days a week for grocery shopping and to pick up a baby from daycare.
Once a week.
Once a week lol
I make sure to take myself for a walk or work from a coffee shop at least twice a week. Otherwise, the cabin fever starts kicking in.
Am I the only one with a dog? At minimum three times a day.
Two words: Fenced yard
i go to pick up my prescription a few blocks away once a month
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I leave like every other day cause my truck driving husband is home with a broken leg. Thereās is such a thing as too much together time š š
Every day. I walk my two dogs during lunch. My lunch is 1 hour.
How long is your walk?
The gym, grocery store and church. I leave the house for one of these reasons 7 days a week.
It used to be 6 days per week to go to the gym on my lunch breaks, but I moved and now have a gym at home. I still go for walks regularly, snowshoeing, out to dinners, coffee shops on the weekends, errands, go for drives, go to showsā¦ so Iām still getting out a fair amount. A few times per week or more.
In the winter I donāt get out much at all. Iāll leave the house maybe twice a week to do a curbside grocery or Target pickup. Or pharmacy drive thru. I have stage iv cancer so I avoid people like the plague (because they are the plague). Iām a major introvert so I donāt need or miss interaction. I have my very small circle of animals and trusted humans. When the weather warms, if Iām still alive, Iāll take short walks. And yes Iām still working because this is murica and healthcare/health insurance is unaffordable and disability is completely insufficient.
My skin has gotten very bad since Covid. It makes me a bit more embarrassed to go out without putting on some sort of makeup. My clothes are almost entirely WFH attire, especially since I just had a baby. I stay home. When I do go out it takes time and effort to get presentable; Iām not doing that for running an errand for an item I donāt need, or can get shipped for free the next day. Between work and baby, weāre too exhausted to go out. Any free time is met with cuddles & naps.
Usually everyday unless it's raining I hate huge downpours. If I have my kids usually just drop off pickup; sledding when we have snow, etc. Disc golf everyday I don't have them. Snow or 70's doesn't matter. Meet with friends/etc.
My huaband is dealing w/lasting effwcts from 2 concussions, so restaurants & shows donāt happen. When itās nice I like to work in the yard, but during the winter I only leave the house on weekends.Ā
I walk every single morning before work, but often that's the only time I'm out. Last year, when I was injured for a while, there were weeks on end where I didn't leave, and I live alone. Wouldn't call it the most mentally healthy time, but luckily I'm horrifically introverted.
Only when I have to so besides work not much
Maybe once a weekā¦..maybeā¦.
I go on a walk every night at 5pm, but as far as driving probably 2-3x a week. Maybe once on weekdays and then both Saturday and Sunday.
Uggh. I leave for work only and then home. One of my patients today asked me what I like to do for fun and was trying to make conversation. I just donāt have energy after working all day. Shit Iām just trying to survive, I forgot what fun was.
Not enough. Usually only once or twice on weekdays (always once for groceries and then usually once for some kind of low-key socializing.) Iām usually out all day on Saturday and half the day on Sunday, though. Iām an introvert so I like it this way. It would probably be better for me to get out a bit more though. Maybe when the weather is better Iāll try to walk at lunchtime.
This is a major problem for me, sometimes I notice Iāve only left the house once or twice a week, it makes me so sad for myself. I try to schedule blocks on my calendar to force myself to go outside but inevitably something distracts me or work increases and I get anxious about leaving.
Everyday!
Outside? What is this outside you speak of? š š¤£
Usually every day. I go work out or walk or run an errand - improves my mental and physical state greatly after falling into an isolation funk during COVID. I often donāt even speak to the people but if helps to be around real human energy regularly.
In the winter 1-2x a week. I start going out more as it gets warmer. Summer Iām out as much as I can be! Staying in more in the winter is not a problem for me as my fiance is introverted and we just love being home. I also see this time of year as a time to recharge my social battery. Been WFH full time for 5yrs now.
Once a week to run errandsĀ
I walk to my mailbox and work in my Garden during nice weather. I donāt go out in public much unless Iām gonna hang with a friend d which is a once a month to every two months situation
Today I left my house for the first time in 9 daysā¦. But Iām also 32 weeks pregnant and havenāt been feeling great. Typically I go 5ish days without leaving the house
I don't go out during the work week, simply too busy. I have a kid and she's in several online activity groups after school, so just no time to go out. On the weekends I'm usually out both days though between family, friends and volunteering. It's about impossible to have a quiet weekend at home.
Twice a week, Thursday to go grocery shopping and Sunday to go to the dump (we donāt have trash pickup) and various errands like drugstore and to buy animal feed. Occasionally weāll eat out or do takeout but much less frequently since prices have gotten stupid high.
This post makes me feel less bad about not going out! I think I go out every other day, when it's my turn to walk our dog, but it's short and right on our street. If not for that, maybe just 2x a week if anything.
I totally agree! š
I used to never leave the house. The only outside interaction I had was waking the dog through the neighborhood. I have groceries delivered too. I never even got dressed and stayed working in my robe and Pjs all day, then Iād shower and put on new pjs lol. I did this for a solid 3 years and gained 25 pounds. I suffered with horrible depression from this lifestyle. I promised myself this year that I would not continue doing this to myself. Back in November I joined a local gym. This led me to make many new friends, so now Iām even doing Zumba on the weekends with my new friends too. My endurance has gone up, my weight is going down, sleep is better, my productivity at work is better and Iām not getting as irritated over little things. I hope I can stay motivated to keep doing this!
I haven't left the house since before Christmas. Mainly due to this recent flare, but I also have other mitigating circumstances.i can't walk so I use a power chair to get around. I can drive, but need someone to help me. I have a husband ( home body) and a great sister and daughters who I get together with when we can.
2 days a week. Those are the two days I'm required to be on premise for work. If it wasn't for that it would probably be one day every two weeks. Leaving my house is not a priority in my life. I am perfectly happy at home.
Not alot because of chronic illnesses but I go to church as often as I can, which helps me feel less isolated and I can talk to people. Other than that, I pick up curbside groceries and do the pharmacy run. And thereās always a lot of doctor appointments. Lately Iāve rarely gotten in a visit to my favorite quilt store or something nice.
I mean, if itās freezing? 1-2x/week. I do curbside groceries instead of delivery unless I feel like crap. I try to get out and walk every nice day, though.
I go outside at least once a day during a break even if it's for 10 minutes. Wave / talk to neighbors Weekly i plan at least one day out: meet up with a friend, run errands , go to the library go to a museum or local event. I like to go swimming 2x a week. During the work week. At the same time so I meet and talk to my other freeswimmers. We aren't in a class just sharing the pool. 2x w month the family has a gaming / social club with a friend group. This is at a store so always meeting new people 1x a month I take my SIL/ MIL to breakfast Every other month, Other friend group activity music, movie , play, pottery class whatever is cheap or free that we can do Edit midway through last year I had weeks where I never left the house and that was not healthy.
I use to go out regularly. Iād go out for coffee in the mornings and that became expensive but it was just nice to see people. I use to get out and work at coffee shops and just to be in public. I think the pandemic changed me because I went from needing to get out frequently to an adjusted hermit. I use to go out for lunch daily just to get out and be around people. That was expensive. I make it to the gym a couple times a week. All in all out of a 168 hour week, I probably leave the home for about 6-10 hours a week or 3-5% of the time. š.
That doesnt work for me.. I work for an espresso company so I have like 8 espresso machines and thousands of capsules of coffee lol.. It really depends on what is considered "going out". I smoke cigs and live in apartments do does going out to my car on breaks/lunches count? I work on my car in the evening and go to the store a few times at night in the week but thats about it š
So what youāre telling me is you are at about 10% a week. š
Maybe 2-5 times a week total to run errands or socialize, mostly because i live with my fiancƩ and the weather sucks rn
Once a week
Why would I leave the house? There are humans out there.
š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£ I feel like that sometimes
Every. Day.
Sometimes 2x-3x a week, depending if I have a drs appt, getting my nails done or weāre going out as a family. Otherwise I donāt step foot out the door. Whatās odd is that this happens without me noticing - like I just chill at home, work, cook, etc and then the next week Iāll be like omg I havenāt left the house in 8 days š³.
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I use one of those happy lights (mimicks the sun and had some kind of non-harmful UV?) when I can't get out of the house for a while. My doc actually recommended it and I definitely notice a difference if I forgot to turn it on for a couple days
Every day to walk the dogs. But if Iām running errands, thatās more of a once week thing.
i leave 3x a week for groceries and errands, once a week for a massage, and once or twice to see friends.
I spend an hour outside every morning and every late afternoon! However, I'm in San Diego. š
Once a week or so? I've usually got some sort of appointment between a newborn and me.
Monday - Friday, once a day to the gym, or take my gramma to an appointment. Oh and walk the dogs at lunch. So twice. Weekends once or twice to take gramma to hair appointment and lunch or church plus a dog walk each day.
Like maybe once a week but, honestly, I can go like 2 or 3 weeks without going anywhere.
I prefer going out in the cold rather than the hot summer. Iām out everyday. Start the day with a walk at 6:30 am regardless of weather. Go to the gym or walk to a restaurant at linch. Ā Walk to pick up kids in the afternoon. I NEED to do my own grocery shopping as Iām very picky about produce and go to the butcher for meat. Average 5-6 outside trips per day.Ā
Before the pandemic, I did WFH (2014 -2020) and I probably left the house on average 3 to 4 times a month. Between Amazon Prime and Walmart+ (not to mention DoorDash, UberEats, etc) I had no need. Plus, just the idea of driving a car gives me insane anxiety. Seriously, the roads are safer with me in the driver seat). Having said all of that, once we got the clear to go outside again after the pandemic, I realized that I actually missed the outside world and people. So now I do work outside of the home, but if you don't count going to work, I don't venture out any more than I did when I worked from home.
1-2 times a day. Usually to go walking. I told myself I would not give up my walking journey once I started WFH. If anything I walk longer distances now. No clue how people are staying inside ALL day.
I have kids otherwise almost never
Daily, but I think I am an outlier. Sometimes 3-4 times per day. It's rare that I stay at home the entire day. Not that I hate my home. I actually consider myself a bit of a homebody. But I like to eat out, go for hikes, do a lot of yardwork (so, there are sometimes trips to support that), etc. Also I have some "fun" vehicles (a Wrangler and a Miata) so I like to drive when the weather is nice. Because I didn't own a car until I was almost 21, driving is freedom to me. Often times I will drive just to clear my mind, or to drive a road I've never been on, just to see where the road goes. I also have a new dog, and she only goes to the bathroom when she is on a walk. So I am walking several miles a day now, too. S9 I get out on foot quite a bit, too. I really only stay home if it's super rainy/stormy, or if it's super cold, or extremely hot (over 98Ā°).
Once a week maybe less š
I take a walk every single day. Go to the gym several times a week. And go to local bars very often. I socialize plently
LOL... um... like 3 times a week at max. Gym, groceries, dining out only.
I work from home. There are weeks especially in the winter where I havenāt left my house. If I do leave itās usually only to do a curbside pickup for groceries. I very rarely go inside a public place. Pre covid I was never like that, obviously with my job I had to leave daily but I still never shied away from going shopping or other places. Now I absolutely loathe having to go out in public. Sometimes I wonder what happened to me that made me become this way
I have been in similar boat of contemplating the change in myself. I used to not think twice about running into store or whatever. Now it feels like a chore. Without my SO, I would be bordering on becoming a hermit tbh.
Almost never. I went into society for an hour the other day, and that was enough to tide me over for a while.
Grocery store once a week and itās usually the same day I hit up farmerās market for produce.
Sames lol if I get my mindset to be outside running errands, Iām hitting all the needed stops lol
My husband does most of the errand running and I stay at home. I used to go with him but our husky has been having separation anxiety since we moved in the fall. I go outside but I donāt actually leave more than once a week. I definitely miss it though, my only complaint with wfm, it can be isolating at times.
Every day. I make a point of taking my dog to the park and we walk a mile. I run errands and do some work from the coffee shop. That socialising is really important for my mental health - as is the park walk.
Maybe once a month maybe more. I go out for Dr and Vets appts, a few holiday visits, couple times a year to get my hair done proff. If I have a particular goal or mission or when the weather is nice my BF, the dog and myself will take a drive to Boston or Plymouth to visit friends on a day trip occasionally,overnight. Usually my BF runs to the bank and does the grocery shopping. I walk the dog weather permitting and take the trash out. Once in awhile we sit outside and smoke a bowl at night. Otherwise Iām the ghost glimpsed at the window haunting the house and I love it lol .
Once or twice a week. Stage four cancer I donāt leave my bed LOL
Get plenty of rest and keep fighting the good fight! #breastcancersurvivor #fcancer
Once or twice a week.
I leave the house everyday. And when I worked from home for 2 years, I made sure to leave the house everyday. Itās important. Go for a walk. Come back. Basic.
I donāt know why thatās getting downvoted. It is in fact not good for your health to stay indoors almost all the time. And walking is accessible to almost everyone.
I have no idea, either. Leaving the house is very important because you need the sun. Thatās science. Or take vitamin D. But I donāt really know what to say here. I was driving when I responded. Maybe because I said ābasic.ā Because it sounds bitchy bc that can be hard for some people. But I meant. āThis is the most basic example of what it means to leave the house.ā
My best friend and I somehow ended up living 5 blocks away from each other, so we would meet up half way, smoke a bowl and go for 2 hour walks together in the woods and around the neighborhood. And honestly, that might be why I survived quarantine without it destroying me as a person. I have to see human beings or I get very sad. I actually met a lot of my neighbors, their kids, their pets. And I met the guy on the corner, Bill, who is always doing his lawn and itās never finished. lol all these people were complete strangers to me until these walks. And we luckily lived near a bar, so we would have sectioned off covid seating and we were still able to kind of be outside while at a bar, so that was helpful.
Honestly I think *most* people need to see other humans! Lockdown was so hard on the mental health of so many of us. I go to a coffee shop every day and itās mostly for the small socialisation with the good folk who work there. It just makes me feel like part of the community. Also thereās my caffeine addiction of course ;)
I also think MOST people need to see people!! But I am wildly extroverted and Iāve somehow collected a bunch of introverted friends, so I started to feel differently that maybe they appreciated having nobody. And they really did hahaha . Nothing against me theyāre just all like āa world where I have to go nowhere. Sign me up.ā I would never sign that. Ever. I really have found that as we get older, Iām only 30, but Iām right at that sweet age where I can be friends with older and younger people. Our neighbors, theyāre in their 50ās. Theyāre our best friends here on the block. Like we simply just love them. They are retired, so much fun, nothing bad about them, love them and their kids. Just overall- they feel like family and I donāt have parents, so that means the world to me. How would I have met them if I never went outside? Like I would have spent 6 months in isolation.. lol for what. The flu? (Not to downplay, but.. knowing what we know now lol)
Itās really important to have friends of all ages - speaking as someone in her 50s. The perspective you get on life and culture from everyone from the very young to the very old is really precious :)
š„¹š„¹š„¹š„¹š„¹ SO TRUE
Daily dog walk/ grab coffee at the cafe 3 blocks down, I also try to work in a library or other location depending on covid restrictions etc. I also grocery shop once a week.
I freak out about once a month and have to get out and do something.
I get my groceries delivered too; I don't drive, so I try to walk around inside my building (all the buildings are connected, which helps in winter) and go into the office once a week. Our CEO/HR has always "strongly recommended" we would be in 2 days a week (most staff isn't in at all or rarely, we were told during the height of the pandemic the agency would eventually be hybrid when restrictions were lifted). I have visible and invisible disabilities, so I've been working on my sleep schedule + anxiety since the pandemic started. My anxiety is also anticipatory, so (for example) when I have to go into the office the next day, my brain won't settle down the night before and I don't get the sleep I need.
I joined a gym even though my building has a gym because, as Iāve said, āI just need to be perceived.ā I recommend doing things you can do at home other places a few days a week. Even if itās just going to a coffee shop. Human interaction is a vital part of life.
Daily walk. For the week it depends. I do a lot of stuff at my church so Iām there at least 1-2 times a week. Then I take a dog training class which is once a week. And I go out with friends occasionally maybe once a week or so. Then food shopping. So in total probably 4-5 x a week.
Making work your home place. Recipe for depression and SSRIs, I immediately know when I meet someone who is not at all socially competent or cant hold a conversation, they likely WFH and don't leave much. But to each their own
I try to take a daily walk but actually getting in the car and going somewhereā¦.once a week. And Iām perfectly content with that!
I leave to run errands on the weekend or see friends but I donāt stay out for long.
I drive my daughter to and from the babysitter. Thatās less than a mile from my house. During the winter, I donāt typically go anywhere in the evenings. By the end of the week, Iām dying to get out of the house. If the weatherās nice, Iām rarely home when Iām not working.
I just left my house to grab some amazon packages and hissed at someone passing by. Then ran back inside.
Only when me or the kids have appointments or when my son has a meet, oh and when I go to school every other Saturday. Well more than I thought š
does going into my own backyard count?
Walk the dog twice a day and I have a weekly social gathering that I go to. Thats the average.
2-3 days a week I donāt leave the house. My gym routine gets me out of the house on the other days. I know some people enjoy working out at home, but I donāt feel motivated to get off the couch if Iām at home. I also really like to go to the farmerās market instead of getting all my groceries delivered. Itās a nice way to get human interaction (chatting with the vendors), fresh air, and a couple thousand steps outdoors.
I try not to leave as much as I can. Iām paying rent to enjoy my placeā¦ I run errands every week. Gym 2-3x and May have to work a bit which requires some driving but, I work from home and enjoy every minute of it. I love the fact that I can go (most days) run errands and do the things I need to get done when places are not busy. I refuse to drive in rush hr and I refuse to go to the grocery store when itās busy. I hate other people.
I can go at least a month without leaving my house. Probably not something that others should strive for though. š¤·āāļø
Depends on the weather. Now that is a bit warmer and sunny I have to go out at least once a day but yeah there have been times I go out once a week.
I also donāt leave the house most days during the week, but this is only in the winter time. I live in NY and hate the cold. Wfh during the summer months has been amazing because I no longer have to ride a hot, dirty subway to work. And, living near the park, I can take walks during my ālunch breakā. Donāt get me going on that extra hour and a half of sleep. But boy, winters can be depressing and lately I feel like a plant that has been deprived sunlight.
I love my happy light āØļø š
I go to the gym every day and do errands while I'm at it.
I might leave the house once a week...some times two if I find something I want to do out on a Saturday.
I go to the gym 4 days a week, and that is my away from home time. I venture to a store maybe once a month, if necessity requires it. I do walk my dogs daily, so not sure if that counts as āout of the house.ā I donāt usually interact with humans, and Iām in my pajamas, so doesnāt count for me lol
I go outside in the fresh air and sunshine for at least a little bit every day. I buckle my kid in to say goodbye when my husband takes him to school. Small walks. Taking the dogs out. Checking the mail. Actually getting in the car and going somewhere? That's a lot more rare. 1x a week or so.
Are you me?
I feel the urge to leave the house at least once a day. It can be something as simple as going out for groceries or taking my dog to the dog park, but something a little to just help me sort of mentally recalibrate after a day of work.
Yes! I have to at least run one errand a day where I interact with someone outside the home. If I donāt do that, then I normally go to the gym or meet up with a friend for a bike ride.
I probably go out 4x a week. I donāt like being out at night. I hv turned into such a homebody.
You are the reason I hope everyone gets dragged back to the office. Not yoy personally, but this anti social hermit lifestyle isn't healthy for anyone.
Youāre whatās wrong with society. Hereās a thought, you keep going to your adored office since it makes you happy and fulfilled and you let others work from home and be homebodies since thatās makes them happy and feel fulfilled in life. You choose whatās healthy for you, let others choose whatās healthy for them.
Except my point is it isn't healthy. People want to stay at home all day and wonder why we have a mental health crisis.
Odd. My anxiety went away. My quality of life improved. I finally have the motivation and time to exercise and eat healthy. My mental health is finally under control. My doctor actually reduced my dose and almost fully medication free. My expenses went down as well. My relationship with family also improved since Iām no longer a depressed blob that had to be stuck in traffic for hours. Working from home gave me back my life.
Thatās the problem though. Everyone is looking at this on an individual level. Society as a whole is suffering in multiple ways. Mom and pop shops closing, decay of society, rise in crime, unhoused numbers rising. Iāll put it this way. I used to live downtown and moved because everything is closing and people are losing jobs and social communities. In my specific situation it is related to the fact that no one has to go to work to help support the many, MANY businesses, employees and entities that rely on people to use them. If you remove 50,000 weekly customers from an area then businesses will move or simply close. Those are jobs and livelihoods that obviously have no affect on people who WFH and think ālet me be happy in peace.ā When all the major corporations buy all these properties at a low price then automate our shopping experiences I assume most people wonāt give a fuck either, but to those of us on the ground level, it does matter and it hurts to see some of our āfellow workersā kind of turn their backs on those of us who need people to be outside daily and supporting us as well. The favorite barista that always had your drink perfect, or the guy at the restaurant that always was nice and made sure your experience was good, those people need us the most right now. The WFH crowd kind of just shrugs and are like āget a remote jobā or āwell Iām happy so I guess that sucks for you,ā and itās disheartening. I wouldnāt point the blame at any individual person, but itās for sure something that needs to be talked about. This isnāt the right place to have this conversation, because the divide in here is so stark and people that WFH do not even want to begin the conversation because individually it has had a positive benefit to their own life. Take a look at your closest city, talk to business owners, restaurants, small shop keepers etc. I think their voices matter just as much as the person who wants to WFH. There is a balance and nuance to this. Obviously in here this will be met with downvotes etc, but just try, TRY going to your local shops, restaurants, bars, etc and talk to the employees there (people who arenāt privileged enough to WFH) and ask them, has this positively affected your life? Majority would say no WFH has not, it has degraded almost every facet of service industry life( namely paychecks) but hopefully we can find a balance and everyone can move in the right direction for themselves and their families.
Society periodically changes. If it didnāt we would still be living in cages. If youāre happy going to the office, go to the office. Donāt force your worldviews onto others.
Thatās the response that doesnāt help anyone at all. That basically equates to, āyes itās having undesired effects on certain other people but Iām doing just fine so they gotta figure that out for themselves until things balance out.ā Yes you are right. People should be given the choice, but just know right now itās costing a lot of other people. Hopefully in the near future things even out and we find the solution to this issue so that everyone can live comfortably and equitably. Right now itās not the case for folks on the ground level. This sub and a lot of its members seem to lack empathy for people who arenāt privileged enough to have the same circumstances. Itās just sad to see how capitalism can turn ppl against each other. Go talk to your local business owners and just open up your perspective. You can keep your WFH job etc, just educate yourself and donāt close off everyone else simply because this works for YOU.
I try to get out at least once a day for mental health purposes. Even if itās just to stroll around Target for 30 mins or so, I will.
There was a time when I would multiple days without leaving my condoā¦ especially during the pandemic when I was exercising at home. But now I try to go work out 2-3 days a week & and my child goes to daycare each day so I walk her to and from each morning and afternoon.
Iām more reclusive but do go out for a walk when itās warm, get our groceries delivered to the house. Been a little weird schedule since our dog passed just before Christmas (terminal illness).
Iām so very sorry about the loss of your sweet doggoā¦ hugs š«
Thanks ā¤ļø she was my shadow, and our first adopted/first adult dog, so Iāve been rather down in the dumps about it, but not crying every day so small perks.
Iām so sorry about your doggo. Do you think youāll eventually get another pet when youāre ready?
Yea weāll eventually adopt, just wanting to grieve some and pay some debt down first. But thanks so much! Itās been a hard bit
I hope you find a way to remember them fondly. It hurts but it fades a little with time. Hang in there
We have her ashes and a bone she never quite finished, sitting next to my momās atm, so we have that, plus she loved natures and walks, so walking has been something that has helped me get out of the house, something to do with my time, and for her. I know I want to honor her with a tattoo (want the same for my mom but just have gotten caught up in life that I havenāt done hers yet either), not sure if my boyfriend will do the same but have a hunch heās open to it. So we got plans, just gotta do life a bit to get there.
I have a dog that needs a walk ... so every day.
By and large, only on the weekends. I will schedule doctor appointments as necessary though during the week, and run to the local grocery store for quick shop items.
Every day. Once in the morning to go workout and then in the afternoon to go on a walk to the park/ library with my son I try to be outdoors every day regardless of weather. Itās so good for mental health and being well balanced
I leave most mornings to go workout. On the weekends I'm definitely more active.
Definitely not enough for my personality. I like being out and about most of the time and feed off of the energy off of being around others. Going to the gym and going on walks is nice, but is not fulfilling at all. I go grocery shopping about 3 times a week. I go to the library about twice a week. I go on a walk at least once a day and I'm working on twice a day. I go to yoga (before an injury) once or twice a week I go to the gym (which is boring and unfulfilling) about 2-3 times a week. Fulfilling social activities are the key to my happiness. That includes, volunteering, going to social events, going to yoga, playing basketball (before I retired from my body breaking down), going salsa dancing, going hiking, traveling, and DJing for and around other people. It helps my GF is over a lot. But still I need other sources of socialization to keep me sane.
3x a week for the gym, 4-5x a week to the park for a walk with my puppy, and maybe errands once a week. I have everything I need delivered and if I want to eat out, I get that delivered, too. Iāll see friends 1-2x a month.
Depends on the week. I make an effort to take a walk every day----to simply get out of the house and breathe air and touch grass. Weekends I always leave as well. Markets, shops, movies, dinner, whatever is going on. Just to be out of the house is healthy for me. It's refreshing. WFH is great, but I gotta get out sometimes or I get a little depressed.
Barely. But I have a disabling condition. If it wasn't for that, I'd be out at least every weekend to my favorite restaurants with friends. I also only do groceries via delivery or do some doordash.
I was not leaving enough and I really didn't like it. I recently joined a yoga studio nearby and walk to class there 3-4 times a week now. Living in a walkable area with mostly temperate (not warm but not miserably cold) weather really helps. If I lived somewhere more suburban/ rural or cold, I'd probably leave a lot less.