I wanted to discuss this topic because this is a conversation I’ve been having a lot in all avenues of my life — with my best friends, my coworkers, my sisters, the strangers in line at the store: are you more of a homebody after the pandemic?
Before the pandemic, I was pretty much out of my apartment from 8am to 8pm. I lived my life on-the-go. I commuted, worked eight or nine hours, and then, most days, had plans after — whether it was a group fitness class, happy hour with friends, a date, or networking event. It was a rare day when I went directly home after work and spent the rest of the evening there. And, I traveled often — both for work and pleasure — often spending three or four weekends in a row out of town.
Then, March 2020 happened.
And we all know how that went.
I was suddenly home all. the. time.
And, it was a huge disruption to my routine — which is one of the reasons why I think the pandemic was so mentally challenging in those early, dark days. (Not to mention the isolation, fear of getting sick, worry for my loved ones and our essential workers, an economy in free fall.)
But once I got in the swing of my new, home-centric life that was forced upon all of us during the month of war — dare I say — I actually quite enjoyed it. It was nice to settle into a slower pace of life, with more meals cooked at home, more television binge watches, and more lazy weekend mornings with nowhere to be by a particular time.
At first, I wondered if a bit of Stockholm syndrome was at play, but as time marched on, it became abundantly clear: I’m a bona fide homebody now. Read more “Are You More of a Homebody After the Pandemic?”