{"id":161584,"date":"2020-07-28T14:33:16","date_gmt":"2020-07-28T21:33:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=161584"},"modified":"2020-08-21T12:02:05","modified_gmt":"2020-08-21T19:02:05","slug":"how-covid-19-could-impact-our-outdoor-habits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/how-covid-19-could-impact-our-outdoor-habits","title":{"rendered":"How COVID-19 Could Impact Our Outdoor Habits"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s note: Please consult the <\/em>CDC<\/em><\/a>\u00a0or your state health department for information related to the COVID-19 pandemic. When spending time outdoors, please <\/em>recreate responsibly<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 20-year-old Julia Madajczak, a Polish au pair working with a family in Virginia, liked spending time with friends outdoors. They\u2019d hang out in the evenings, playing guitars and singing, but that\u2019s about where it ended. Now, Madajczak estimates she is outdoors at least three hours every day\u2014this time walking, running\u00a0or getting outside with the children she watches. Even as public health restrictions ease, she aims to maintain these new routines.<\/p>\n

With old patterns disrupted and gyms and fitness studios still temporarily closed in parts of the country, you, too, may be turning to the outdoors as a respite and mood booster. The question is: Will all the extra people hitting the sidewalks and trails continue these outdoor habits, even as states open back up (or, in some cases, pause or revert reopening plans)?<\/p>\n

Past research about forming habits could indicate yes, says Sandy Parsons, Ph.D., assistant teaching professor in the department of psychological sciences at Rice University. \u201cIt generally takes people about 66 days to form a habit,\u201d she says. A few states, like Washington and Virginia, had initial stay-at-home orders that surpassed the 66-day mark. Many others were close to that point, with phased reopenings following the lifting of orders.<\/p>\n

Haley Steinhauser, a doctoral candidate in behavior analysis at Western New England University, agrees. If public health restrictions had only lasted a few weeks, Steinhauser expects we would have seen smaller odds of these practices continuing. \u201cBut after this much time has passed and because it may last much longer in some places, the odds are better,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

A 2009 study<\/a> published in the European Journal of Social Psychology<\/em>, revealed that after 12 weeks, most participants who had chosen a daily eating, drinking or activity behavior turned it into a habit. Given the fact that not everyone can or wants to go their gyms right now, \u201cthat timeline may even be accelerated,\u201d Parsons says.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s just one of several predictors that suggest Americans may become a good deal more outdoorsy amid the pandemic.<\/p>\n

Like Madajczak, Steve Worthy, a 50-year-old entrepreneur from Maryland, has changed his exercise habits during the pandemic. \u201cBefore my gym closed down, I would maybe try to run once or twice a month, but I hated it,\u201d he says. \u201cWithout the gym, I knew I needed a tool to get out, so I\u2019ve been working on a couch-to-5K program. I just ran for 20 minutes straight, with no walking, for the very first time. A big breakthrough for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even better, says Worthy, is the fact that he\u2019s beginning to enjoy running. \u201cIt\u2019s something I now look forward to,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m definitely getting mental benefits from the experience, and running has also given me an appreciation for being outdoors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Madajczak, too, feels the emotional gains from her newfound time outside. \u201cThe feeling of sunshine and wind on my cheeks, the sound of birds\u2014it helps me forget for one moment how much everything has changed,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Researchers refer to this experience as savoring, and Parsons says the outdoors is an ideal setting. \u201cYou can focus on the beauty of your environment, something you can\u2019t necessarily cultivate inside a gym. You can actually prolong that feeling of wellness beyond the moment,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

A 30-minute run in the sunshine, then, might deliver you several hours of feel-good benefits. Researchers<\/a> call this up-regulating positive feelings. For Madajczak, that holds true. \u201cThis is an amazing part of my life now that helps me feel more connected with my mind and body,\u201d she says. \u201cI feel healthier and realize how important that is; it\u2019s one of the best feelings you can have.\u201d<\/p>\n

The timing of the pandemic\u2014beginning as it did in the spring\u2014has also helped encourage people to get outdoors. Steinhauser pointed out that might not have been the case had it begun in winter, when people may be less likely to go outside due to colder temps. Now that it\u2019s summer, new outdoors habits have had a chance to take hold.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing outside helps me clear my mind and get rid of bad thoughts after tough days. That was something I didn\u2019t realize was possible before quarantine. Now I have a reset button in my life.\u201d \u2013Julia Madajczak<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In addition, says Parsons, many people have now conditioned themselves to believe that being outside is good and in some cases, better, than indoors. \u201cAll of the mechanisms of the pandemic have forced us outside,\u201d she says. \u201cIn order to cope, we\u2019ve had to develop a sense for what\u2019s OK and what\u2019s not.\u201d<\/p>\n

She adds: \u201cNow there is no good reason for everyone\u2019s brains to undo the psychological work and backtrack, so remaining active outdoors feels right and logical.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another potential added layer that may reinforce outdoor habits is tied to personal finances. \u201cThe economy is taking a huge hit and many people are tightening their belts,\u201d Parsons says. \u201cIf they invested in any new equipment to support outdoor activity, they don\u2019t want to let that go to waste.\u201d<\/p>\n

Steinhauser says this is especially true if the investor is reaping benefits from the expenditure. \u201cIf you\u2019ve bought a new bike and it has made riding much easier and more enjoyable for you, then you are more likely to stick with it,\u201d she explains. \u201cThe opposite also holds true: If you\u2019re not getting something out of the money you spent, you\u2019re more likely to abandon it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Feeding into enjoying new equipment or activities is the fact that humans tend to enjoy building on or mastering skills. \u201cPeople like multiple layers of complexity,\u201d Parsons says. \u201cOnce they\u2019ve mastered a skill, they want to move on to the next level.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve become a regular walker during the pandemic, you might now be seeking out longer or more challenging routes. Perhaps you\u2019ve improved your running consistency. The next step might be heading off road to run trails<\/a>. \u201cOutdoors, there are infinite places to visit and obstacles to overcome,\u201d Parsons says.<\/p>\n

Despite all the additional time spent outdoors of late, there\u2019s certainly a portion of the population that is looking forward to getting back into the gym or studio. Some gyms have reopened with requirements on distancing, mask wearing and smaller class sizes. Gym goers may be surprised, however, to find they are unconsciously averse to the idea. \u201cWe\u2019ve developed a high level of disgust for this disease,\u201d Parsons says. \u201cTurning that off will be hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Picturing yourself sweating indoors, side by side with others might not sound very appealing. \u201cEven the terminology public health officials have used with this disease\u2014that you can shed a virus\u2014is off-putting, and that\u2019s by design,\u201d Parsons says. \u201cIt\u2019s designed to make us want to stay separate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adds Steinhauser: \u201cDuring this period of time, people have learned a different way to exercise. The degree to which they feel safe and the fear they feel for indoor, contained spaces will take some time to diminish.\u201d<\/p>\n

Overcoming that psychological barrier can be a challenge, and there are some people who may never get there, Parsons says. This group of people, and those who have embraced the added time outdoors, are forming their own \u201cseparate but together\u201d sense of community. \u201cThere\u2019s something moving about seeing someone else exercising outdoors, even from a distance,\u201d she adds. \u201cWe\u2019re in this together and some part of that will carry into the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both Madajczak and Worthy expect they\u2019ll stick with their new habits. Worthy intends to return to his gym in time, but for now, he\u2019s continuing to push his running miles. \u201cGive me a year of going after it and I think I\u2019ll be able to get to some real mileage with running,\u201d Worthy says. \u201cIt boggles my mind that I\u2019ve come to enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Madajczak, the outdoors is a new place of peace. \u201cBeing outside helps me clear my mind and get rid of bad thoughts after tough days,\u201d she says. \u201cThat was something I didn\u2019t realize was possible before quarantine. Now I have a reset button in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s note: Please consult the CDC\u00a0or your state health department for information related to the COVID-19 pandemic. When spending time outdoors, please recreate responsibly. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 20-year-old Julia Madajczak, a Polish au pair working with a family in Virginia, liked spending time with friends outdoors. They\u2019d hang out in the evenings, playing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":161632,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,7,387,685,10],"tags":[1999,727],"internal-tag":[],"class_list":["post-161584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cycle","category-fitness","category-hike","category-news","category-run","tag-covid-19","tag-latest-posts"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/news\/how-covid-19-could-impact-our-outdoor-habits","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"How COVID-19 Could Impact Our Outdoor Habits","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/how-covid-19-could-impact-our-outdoor-habits","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/how-covid-19-could-impact-our-outdoor-habits"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/07\/Skrobecki_010820_0556-1.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/07\/Skrobecki_010820_0556-1.jpg?fit=2000%2C1000"},"articleSection":"Cycle","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Michelle Flandreau"}],"creator":["Michelle Flandreau"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["covid-19","latest posts"],"dateCreated":"2020-07-28T21:33:16Z","datePublished":"2020-07-28T21:33:16Z","dateModified":"2020-08-21T19:02:05Z"},"rendered":"