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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder how often you leave the house?

345 replies

Mouseandashrew · 25/08/2021 13:58

Would you say once / twice a week is normal?

OP posts:
RobinPenguins · 26/08/2021 10:24

@speakout

RobinPenguins

Fine if walking is the only exercise you get.
WFH gives me time to engage in much more physical pursuits than walking.

You must have misread the part where I said “cycling”. I also swim (which I dare say isn’t active enough for you either) but find it harder to make time for that now because I used to do it on my lunch break at the pool next to work.

Anyway, it’s great that you’re using your extra time gained from wfh to pursue physical pursuits - nationwide activity levels suggest most people aren’t, so at a population level it’s not a good thing.

speakout · 26/08/2021 10:41

RobinPenguins

I think no matter whether people WFH or in an office they will have an approach to exercise or lack of TBH. You talk of some exercise being "artificial"- I could suggest that swimming laps in a pool is no more "natural" than doing zumba or weight training TBH.
My point was that WFH technically allows for more time to exercise.
There are also many people who work in offices who have a commute that involves very little walking and no cycling.
Roads are jammed with cars at rush hour. I imagine many of these people only have a few steps to their desk.

LittleMysSister · 26/08/2021 10:41

@BeauxRingarde

By the time it reaches the end of the day and everybody else is home, I can see why you wouldn't go out of your way to go out just for the sake of it, unless you needed something from a shop or are meeting someone else

Well that's the thing, surely you are meeting someone else or going to a shop? It's not normal to see no-one and order everything in

I do both, but not every day. Might meet a friend once a week, probably need to pop to the shop maybe twice?

I think unless you're consciously making an effort to get out at least once a day it is pretty easy to stay in sometimes when you're working from home, I can totally see how it happens.

LittleMysSister · 26/08/2021 10:46

I think no matter whether people WFH or in an office they will have an approach to exercise or lack of TBH.

I agree with this, I think if people are into exercise, either for enjoyment or commitment to their health, they will do it regardless of wfh or not. My dad is one of these people, he exercises most days, is always very active. It hasn't changed now he's retired compared to when he was out at work 7-7 - he always made time.

Me, however.....

RobinPenguins · 26/08/2021 10:51

@speakout

RobinPenguins

I think no matter whether people WFH or in an office they will have an approach to exercise or lack of TBH. You talk of some exercise being "artificial"- I could suggest that swimming laps in a pool is no more "natural" than doing zumba or weight training TBH.
My point was that WFH technically allows for more time to exercise.
There are also many people who work in offices who have a commute that involves very little walking and no cycling.
Roads are jammed with cars at rush hour. I imagine many of these people only have a few steps to their desk.

Up to a point. I don’t like exercise but had an active commute because it was quicker, easier and cheaper than going in the car.

I didn’t mention swimming as an example of the “non artificial” exercise, that was when you suggested exercise as part of a daily routine was only ever walking.

Of course there are people in offices who drove there, but even that would mean they were still probably getting more exercise than at home, unless they literally park at their desk. Even a little bit of walking is better than no walking.

Your argument works both ways, people who are using time gained from wfh to exercise rather than sit in front of the TV are those who would have done exercise anyway because they like it.

Wfh may have been positive for you but it hasn’t been positive for the nation’s health.

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 26/08/2021 10:57

Most days. Might have one day a week when we stay in, but only if the weather's truly vile.

LindaEllen · 26/08/2021 11:04

It depends 100% on your circumstances. Over lockdown for example all I had was work (I've always worked from home) and DP was working longer hours as a key worker, so I probably left the house twice a week. I usually leave for shopping, to see family or for hobbies - so when all of those were taken away I just didn't really bother.

Now though, I leave the house most days even though I still WFH. I think it's good - if you can - to at least go out for a short walk every day, just so you've been out and done something.

Gwenhwyfar · 26/08/2021 11:12

"But with, for example, an active commute the exercise is built into your life, it’s not something you’re having to artificially introduce into it.

If you’re inherently lazy like me it’s much harder to force myself to do an exercise DVD or go for a jog or bike ride for the sake of it than it was to cycle to work which I was doing because I needed to get to work. "

Exactly. I pop to the shop at lunchtimes, but it's just 10 minutes. There's no way I can motivate myself to go on a walk to nowhere every day that would amount to the same amount of walking as my commute, without even talking about the walking I did at the office itself.

"Building exercise into people’s everyday lives has been shown to be much more effective and sustainable."

Exactly.

Gwenhwyfar · 26/08/2021 11:15

"Wfh may have been positive for you but it hasn’t been positive for the nation’s health."

Exactly. The big boss where I work is much slimmer than before lockdown and that is apparently common for people who are invited to lots of big work conferences, travel and lunches in normal times, which stop in Covid, but for the average person lockdown and wfh is a massive barrier to keeping to a healthy weight. We are less active and close to the fridge and constant temptation.

Gwenhwyfar · 26/08/2021 11:23

" Yesterday, for example, I went out to the shop as we ran out of milk, then a bit later took one child to the train station, came home to work, went out to meet a friend for a walk, came home to work, went out to collect another child, came home to work, went out to pick up car from service garage, later went out for a swim, later went to drop something off to a friends house, later went to meet dh for a drink, .....thats what, 8 times in and out? Average enough day, could easily have been more."

Wow! If you finished work at 5pm for example, you then went to the garage then came home again before going out swimming then went to a friend's house, this takes you to at least 7pm I suppose then you came home again and then went out again for a drink? I'm shattered just thinking about it.
I don't think I ever go out more than twice. Once at lunchtime and then maybe once again in the evening. If I had more than one thing I'd combine, but maybe that's because when you're on public transport you don't have the inclination to go home and then back out again.

UserStillatLarge · 26/08/2021 11:26

@speakout

RobinPenguins

I think no matter whether people WFH or in an office they will have an approach to exercise or lack of TBH. You talk of some exercise being "artificial"- I could suggest that swimming laps in a pool is no more "natural" than doing zumba or weight training TBH.
My point was that WFH technically allows for more time to exercise.
There are also many people who work in offices who have a commute that involves very little walking and no cycling.
Roads are jammed with cars at rush hour. I imagine many of these people only have a few steps to their desk.

Depends entirely on your lifestyle?

I used to walk a mile to work, walk a mile home and often have informal meetings at lunchtime where I walked with a colleague. Plus I worked on the second floor and across multiple buildings, so I naturally had to move around a lot just to get between places.

Now I work longer hours, and often don't have a lunch break as my job is more time consuming to do at home so I don't have that inbuilt exercise. I do try to go for a walk at lunchtime but only manage it about half the time.
So, for me, WFH means less exercise. Also, Covid has meant my gym (chosen because it was the only one close enough to walk/cycle to) has closed. So I now do exercise videos at home, so don't even need to leave the house to do this.

My attitude to exercise hasn't changed, but what I've lost is all the walking and moving about I used to naturally do as part of my working day, that is time consuming and difficult to replicate (going for one 2 hour walk at the end of the day is much less appealing than lots of smaller walks over the course of the day).

Neverrains · 26/08/2021 11:28

I don't think I ever go out more than twice

I have to go out at least at twice for school and childcare pick ups and drop offs (sometimes that’s 4 times depending on my work hours). So anything else is on top of that… gym, walking the dog, seeing friends, popping to the shop etc. Easily 4-5 times a day, sometimes more. I don’t see leaving the house as a massive effort though… it’s just life.

HarrietsChariot · 26/08/2021 11:31

Pre-covid I'd go out once or twice per day, I'd only spent a handful of days entirely indoors in the previous two decades, times when I was very unwell.

Since the pandemic struck I've stayed in as much as possible, usually I will go out once a week to the supermarket and sometimes a second time if I need to go to another shop. Plus taking the bin out, that makes three times.

Spidey66 · 26/08/2021 12:11

Every day. I work and we have a dog.

I have had planned surgery twice of late (cataract and gallbladder) and had to self isolate prior to this to ensure I was covid free so I wfh and my husband walked the dog. That's the only time. Even after the gallbladder surgery I was encouraged to take a short walk so I would take the dog round the block or something.

HeronLanyon · 26/08/2021 12:16

I live separately from my dp currently work from home. Usually do leave my flat once a day, some days it can be 4 or 5 times as live central London and easy to pop out for one thing round the corner type leavings. Add in going to see dp a couple of times a week minimum. Having said that some weeks I do not leave my flat for several days in the week. Started in hard lockdown and I don’t mind it one bit when it happens.

5128gap · 26/08/2021 12:33

It varies, sometimes it ends up twice a week, other times several times a day. But I don't think of 'leaving the house' (or not) as having much relevance, as the important things are excercise, social interaction and stimulation. I could leave the house and drive to the shop and back for milk and get none of those things. Alternatively I could stay in, do some strenuous gardening, read a fascinating book and have a friend round for dinner.

Nigelsplans · 26/08/2021 12:44

I was isolating for a cough when the first lockdown started and I think it is the first time in my life I've been at home that long. Was quite fun, but I wouldn't like to make a habit of it. Since then usually at least twice a day for work/care obligations, plus walking/cycling/errands.
Now, I'm in and out all day - I see my mum, my young adult family, work, dog walk, usual appointments/errands. I have a handful of good friends who I like to see individually say for a coffee or a walk and the odd bigger social event though not a party animal at all.
DH is a cyclist and also walks with me, and does the food shop usually so he's out and about too despite WFH.
Every now and again I get a day when I don't have to go out, and I cherish those days (especially if DH is out and not under my feet, much as I love him) But it's by no means my norm.
I think each to his own really, as long as you're happy with it and not lonely.
I wonder what happened to OP @Mouseandashrew
Good thread though. Food for thought.

Belladonna12 · 26/08/2021 12:46

I agree that leaving the house/garden isn't necessarily relevant. I have a nice garden and friends/family often visit. I also chat to neighbours a lot while in the garden and colleagues via teams. There are five of us in the house so I feel I get plenty of social interaction whether or not I go out. I have a lot of home exercise equipment so don't visit the gym anymore. I have always hated shopping so only do so if I really need something and can't get it delivered.

Balonzette · 26/08/2021 13:40

Every day. I work full time and have two kids so have to get out a lot, but also I hate staying in all day. Where I live, it's really cheap to eat meals out and most people do, so if I have nothing to do and stay in all day I'll always go out for dinner in the evening.

uncomfortablydumb53 · 26/08/2021 14:19

I don't work due to disability but go out daily, otherwise I'd seize up!
Distance varies due to pain

UnsolicitedDickPic · 26/08/2021 14:21

I try and go out every day, but I also ensure we get down time at home. I do, however, notice that when my mental health takes a dip I might not leave the house for days, and that can quickly become a problem.

SwimmyG · 26/08/2021 17:32

I go out as little as possible so once/twice a week perfectly normal for me. If it’s a week where I’m working from home and I’m stocked up on stuff I won’t go out at all. I am autistic so much prefer being in my own space, with all my stuff. I think people that feel the need to be out and about all the time are the abnormal ones. I never go stir crazy at home. I have so much I can do.

Mummabear89 · 26/08/2021 17:50

I have children so during term time I leave the house at least twice a day maybe more if I need shopping. During the holidays I leave it less often just depends on what the plans are.

psuedocream3 · 26/08/2021 17:59

I rarely go out but there's good reason. I don't drive, we live rural enough to not have anything local enough to warrant walking to but close enough to a motorway, and local roads have no footpath (backroads) so not safe to wander around, especially with kids. We do have a large property with quite alot of land and I do go out every other day to check on the garden and pick fruit and vegetables as they ripen, not sure as that counts as going out. Besides that it's mostly hospital appointments which average once a week at the moment but sometimes several in one week, going out for that reason is a chore rather than a pleasure. We do enjoy family day out sometimes too. If I had a car I would probably go out every day for the sake of it and waste money doing so!

Nyala · 26/08/2021 18:07

I go out to go to work 4 days per week. I stay in on my 3 days off. I might go for a walk, maybe once a fortnight, that is unrelated to travelling to or from work.

Socialising is rare, something I usually save for annual leave.

I might be anxious. I might just be a lazy git.