To not leave the house when wfh?

[museumum]

Am I unreasonable to not get outside at this time of year?
I feel like it’s not healthy. But I’m struggling to go for a walk or run in the dark.
what do you do if you wfh and children old enough to take themselves to and from school.

I work from home 4 days a week. Two days I go to the gym before work, the other two I’m out in the evenings so it works well.

I WFH and make sure I go out when I've finished work. Partly because it marks the end of the working day, and partly because I'd go stir crazy if not.

I guess we're all different. For me it's even more important to get out in the cold dark months. Blowing the cobwebs away blah blah, but it really works for me and I couldn't imagine anything worse than not leaving the house day after consecutive day! Just a 20 minute walk, whatever sun there is, fresh air... It makes me feel better every single time.

Some days I do some I don’t.

I won’t tomorrow. Dd is coming home from uni so I will put some chilli or something on to slow cook in the morning. Then make the salad, sour cream etc at lunch time.

By the time I finish and she gets here it will be dark. Definitely not going out in the cold and dark.

Ds gets himself to school in the morning. Dp is walking the dogs tomorrow. I will go on the treadmill for half an hour a couple of times during the day.

Today I walked the dogs first thing before I started and at lunch. It really depends on what else I have going on and what my work day is requiring.

I go for a walk at lunchtime everyday, unless it is really pouring. One evening and one morning I go for a run. One evening I join a bootcamp group. It really is the best for my overall health to get outside as much as possible.

I do a walk before I log on so my commute or at lunch or both. Could not spend a day and not get fresh air.

I rarely work from home now, but cannot stand being in all the time. I go out before work, at lunchtime and after work. Where I am, it is light before work and at lunchtime which helps. Even a brief walk helps.

Can't you eat lunch at your desk then take a half hour walk? My husband works from home and does this so the dog can have a midday walk as well as one early morning and evening.

I go for a walk every lunchtime, sometimes in the morning and evening to and from the shops. If it’s cold and icy I wear my walking boots, always have hat, coat and gloves anyway.

I have dogs so have to go walking. up out for a bit in morning then lunchtime. I eat my lunch at my desk then afterwards. I need it for my head and also notice if I slack off a bit the pounds start to creep back up so force myslef. you only have 3 more weeks till shortest day of year and then the eves start getting brighter

Do you do any exercise inside your house? I can happily stay inside for days but then I can’t sleep!

If I wfh and my daughter is doing her own thing I usually try to go for a walk or to the gym at lunch time or in the evening.

You don't get vitamin D in autumn, winter and early spring in the UK from sunlight. The sun isn't strong enough.

The reason to go outside in daylight in those seasons is mental and physical health reasons.

It’s really unhealthy, both mentally and physically!
go out before work, walk at lunchtime, join a gym,
go to the supermarket, go out to get lunch…..

Do you melt in the rain?

I have a working lunch, and during my half hour "lunch" break, I go for a walk. I have also started to take a 5 minute walk around the block, mid morning and afternoon. I normally walk in the evenings when it is light, but I have switched to daytime to get some daylight.

@Reugny in the rain being blown by the icy wind off the North Sea? You betcha - I have no wish to go back to work wet and bedraggled even if at home.

I'm not in your situation (wfh but not IN my house. On farm/workshop etc. So outdoors is compulsory) so not quite the same re needing to just get some fresh air and exercise. But I do think it is important for me to make the effort to leave the property regularly, and if I did have an indoor job just to leave the house, because I would enjoy staying home TOO much and could easily turn myself into an agoraphobic hermit and I don't think that would be healthy for me in the long run.
Depends how often you wfh I think. If it's 5 days a week then the lack of exercise alone isn't good for you, minimum for decent health is supposed to be like 20 minutes a day isn't it?

This. I leave my flat every day, unless the weather is really bad, or I'm sick. I would go stark raving mad if I stayed at home all day every day. Fresh air and exercise are necessary for everyone - whether they believe that or not.

I must say I had never realised so many people loved staying at home all the time until I got onto MN.

I quite often don’t, I normally try and make sure to do some standing/walking desk work or do an exercise video/peloton class on the app at lunch time to get the blood flowing.

My kids have been sick for 4 days and I am SO READY TO LEAVE THIS HOUSE. We’re out everyday bar Sunday for school/nursery run and swimming lessons at the bare minimum, usually more. I couldn’t stay in the house all these days… I already feel apocalyptic after these 4 days, I honestly feel weird.

@ForGreyKoala That is me. I have to leave the house every day. The longest I have gone without going outside is when I had to isolate with Covid and I went a bit strange (I had virtually symptomless Covid so felt well ).

I've got a standing desk and walking pad, so I walk and work at the same time!

It’s incredibly bad for you to be so inactive. You need to get your heart pumping at least a little bit.

During lockdown when so many of us were WFH, a group of local friends of mine started a walk one morning before work. We've kept it going ever since (I only WFH 1 day, but thankfully it's this day). It's a great chance to get some exercise and socialising in, energises me ready for work, and being out in nature is great for the mood. But if you're not very keen, then don't!