Work-from-homers, retirees, etc., what are your signs that you need to shape up and get out more?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Been working from home for over 3 years now since the lockdown began. These days, other than a weekly or so trip to shop and run errands, I hardly go out much at all.

Haircuts went from every 6 weeks or so to every 6 months (if that). Gave up shaving, and now I only run a trimmer over my shaggy beard maybe once a month. I almost never wear anything but shorts in warm weather, and in cold weather, ‘lounge pants’, which are basically glorified, slightly nicer versions of sweat pants. At least one of my kids has told me “you look like a hobo” on more than one occasion. I do at least shower regularly, since I try to get some form of exercise most days of the week.

This morning, to get myself presentable to meet Mrs. solost, who still works in an office, for lunch, I went to trim my beard and ear hair…and discovered, to my horror, a nose hair long enough for a small child to tie a tire to and swing from :scream:

Got me to thinking, maybe, just mayyybe I should tighten up the ol’ grooming routine a bit more. Perhaps buy some more clothes that can’t double as Pyjamas.

How have you Dopers been doing in similar circumstances, having had a change from a daily routine of going out in the world to interact in meat space with other humans, to mostly being at home? Any realizations either large or minor, like I had: “yeesh, need to clean up my act a bit…”

2

I just went through something a little like that. I do get out regularly, because even though I WFH I need to go into the office for meetings quite often, plus I teach a music class 2-3 times a week.

However, East Hawai’i is incredibly casual and there is simply no need to dress up 99% of the time. And I’ve never been particularly appearance conscious. I’m always content to be at the low end of the scale on what’s socially acceptable, clothing-wise.

So I had stopped cutting and dying my hair, completely renounced makeup (which I never used much of anyway), and wore the same old clothes, with my main criterion for daily clothing selection being “is it comfortable?” Other than keeping up good personal hygiene, I basically wasn’t doing anything related to being presentable.

Then I had a live conference to attend in Honolulu, so I figured I should rouse myself from my grooming torpor and get a haircut and dye the grey.

OMIGOD. I looked about 10 years younger and much more attractive. Everyone I know reacted positively, exclaiming, “love the new haircut!”

So, I’m doing my best to keep it up, at least for now. I’m moderating a conference next month, so I’ll be sure to spiff up for that, at least.

But I’m retiring this summer, after which I’ll spend tons of time gardening, so I’ll probably go back to slob mode eventually.

3

For me, it was my worsening sleep, and also that I simply did not feel…physically exerted. Sure, my brain was fried from my work and studies, but my body had this “Give me my running and pleasantly-sore-satisfaction-of-exercise” nagging feeling.

4

During the Covid work from home era I developed a callous on my right foot, even though I hadn’t been walking much. After work from home mandate ended I went to my doctor who sent me to a foot specialist since I am diabetic. The specialist told me that he had been seeing more of this since people started working from home, turns out that lots of people had just been shuffeling around the house and developed similar foot issues.

5

I went to order a drink at Starbucks and sounded like the dungeon-keeper in The Princess Bride before he clears his throat. I did the same, and spoke normally, but realized I hadn’t actually spoken aloud for about a month. Self-service checkout, I go running alone, etc. Part of why I went back to work.

Moving to KY was the cure. I can’t make it from my house to my car without having to endure a meandering conversation about pretty much nothing.

“Going for a run.” "Yes. “Good day for it.” “Seems so.” “Don’t care for running myself.” “It’s not for everyone.” “Yep.” “Well… have a nice day.” … “Back from running?” “Yes.” “Don’t care for it myself.” “So you said.” “Still, nice day for it.” “Certainly.”

6

I’m a retiree and shamelessly dedicated to staying at home. If it wasn’t for grocery shopping, the occasional medical appointment, and an occasional dinner, movie, or hockey game, I’d probably never leave the house. I mostly resent ever having to do so.

I have never been so miserable as when I went to the ER a few years ago with what turned out to be a heart condition, and was not allowed to go home for nearly a week until they were satisfied that they had inflicted a sufficient amount of medical care on me that I would not darken their door a second time.

7

I’ve been retired for about 12 years now.

I need to lose some weight, but am otherwise in good shape.

I walk daily, play bridge at my local club twice a week … and recently spent a month in Las Vegas! :sunglasses:
(I reckon travelling 12,000 miles coints as getting out. :wink:)

8

Worked from home with few short exceptions since 2006. But COVID really got me cooped up, not just not-at-an-employer-provided-desk. It’s given me a moderate but not insignificant amount of agoraphobia. Taking a train to visit someone in the city seems like a major challenge requiring a checklist and a lot of worrying about what I’ve forgotten. I’m out of the habit of being out of the house for more than grocery-fetching or equiv and I’ve lost the routines.

9

Too many afternoon spent watching old TV series that have come round so often I can practically recite the dialogue. Mind you, the proliferation of “archive” channels here means I can currently switch between four different versions of Simenon’s Maigret stories

10

I’ve worked on and off from home for a fair few years before covid, so got into a rhythm that makes me feel good about it.

The biggest thing for me is to get up and get ready as if I’m going to the office - get up early, have a shower, wash my hair, do my make up and dress properly - not in lounging-round-the-house attire. Clean jeans, nice top, shoes, the works.

Have breakfast and get out of the house before work - walk the dog, go for a run, nip to the shops, anything to get moving and get some air.

Tidy up the house before you sit at your desk - fluff the cushions, open the blinds, make the bed, pick up the dirty laundry, empty the dishwasher. Basically make the house fit for drop in guests, even if no one is coming round.

Never, ever switch the TV on during the day - that is sure fire way to end up sofa surfing, which always makes me feel like a slob. Turn on the radio instead.

All the above make me feel fresher, fitter and more alert.

Also helps that I can’t stand mess or slouchy clothes - they make me feel like I’m off sick.

11

I got dressed for work every day during covid, because it made me feel more normal. My “dressed for work” was somewhat slouchy when i went into the office, but the only part i changed was that i stopped wearing shoes. (People say masks are uncomfortable. Sure. Like shoes are uncomfortable. I still wear both to go out.)

I’m still working from home. But i get out for other reasons. I square dance, play bridge, and volunteer at a soup kitchen. None of those requires me to dress up, but they all make me look presentable.

I decided not to dye my hair when it first started going gray. There’s no question that gray hair makes me look older. But i talked with people who dyed their hair, and that’s a LOT of work. Just not worth it. (And some other reasons.)

12

Going gray makes you look older than you would look with your natural hair color. But I actually look younger since I stopped dying - part of it is that my shade of gray is in style and part of it is I never have roots.

13

Full time work at home for 3 years.

Things that have changed -

  • I have to plan special trips to town/store. I used to just drop by on my way home.
  • I could sleep in, but I now get up earlier and sometimes work longer hours.
  • I’ll sometimes take a 2 hour break in my day (see above special trip to town)
  • I’m actually loosing some weight. Think I’m eating less or better or both.
  • More relaxed. If they called me back to work I would have to think about early retirement. It’s pointless.

Like Wolfpup, I’m very comfortable just staying home. If I was not, I would be doing something fundamentally wrong.

Sure, I hang out on the SDMB, but being around live people is difficult for me because of my hearing loss. Got a big project coming up, and people want a face to face meeting. Well I do better with headphones and zoom meetings. If people have proper microphones. Throwing a laptop on a table and pointing it at 4 people really is not a good use of that application. Laptop mics suck, and pick up all the background noise.

14

Interesting side topic developing on whether to go gray or not. From a male perspective in our culture, it seems like it’s thought of as vain and vaguely ridiculous for a man to dye his hair, unless he’s an actor or an anchorman or something, similar to a balding man wearing a toupee. Whereas for a woman it’s much more socially acceptable to do so.

I still have a full head of hair, and my natural hair color is very dark brown, almost black, so the gray really stands out. But I’ve never seriously considered dying it, except a brief period just before the pandemic when I was starting to look for another job. Being a tech industry worker, which is notoriously ageist, I thought it might help. Ironically, the main reason I was looking for another job before the lockdown is because my company was supposed to be very liberal about partially working from home, and I wanted to WFH at least one or two days a week, but my boss kept coming up with reasons why I needed to come into the office. Talk about a case of “be careful what you wish for”!

Anyway, the hair on the top of my head is still mainly dark- I got the ‘distinguished’ graying around the temples thing mostly. But, my eyebrows have gone totally gray, which seems weird-- usually I see the opposite-- men who have gone totally gray on top, yet still have dark eyebrows. Going back to when I was looking for another job, I also considered maybe getting some ‘Just For Men - Beard’ and dying my eyebrows only. I actually photoshopped a pic of myself with just my eyebrows darkened, and I swear it took 10 years off me.

Fast-forward to now, and again, I don’t really care anymore. I have a full beard that is almost totally gray, and along with some extra weight I can’t seem to shake off no matter how much exercise I get, I have a bit of a Santa look going…or maybe at least late-period Hemingway :smirk:

15

The pandemic has really turned me into a recluse, and I’ve got to do something about that. Having been out of the office for three solid years - quite honestly, I miss the interaction.

The other monkeywrench that’s thrown in things is that family and friends are scattered over the DC area, and I’m >20 miles outside the Beltway in Calvert County, MD. Driving in to work, which was just inside the Beltway, made it much easier to get together with people after work, because I was already >20 miles closer to them. Always starting from way out here really takes away the casual get-togethers, and so we see people way less often.

My exercise has also fallen off, but at least I can do something about that. I need to put a new rear derailleur cable on my bike, but once I do that, I can start riding when the weather’s decent. And this month, I’ve been running occasionally in the mornings.

My son has taken over the lawn mowing, which is good, but it was another regular form of exercise that I don’t get anymore.

At least I’ve lost weight during the pandemic: my wife and I have been eating healthier, and we’ve both lost weight. I’m currently about 13 pounds down from my pre-pandemic weight, and only 3-5 pounds above where I really would like to be.

I shower at least every other day, and my haircut schedule is back to its regular every ~6 weeks. I don’t trim my beard quite as often, maybe once every ~10 days now. It was more like every fourth day when I was still in the office. But every ~10 days is frequently enough that if I have to look presentable on short notice, it only takes a few minutes to trim the beard properly.

But the big thing is that I’d like to be around people more. I’m retiring at the end of the year, and I intend to add some volunteer activities to my schedule then. Hopefully that should help.

16

Only slightly relevant: I was recently listening to a podcast where one of the speakers referred to himself as an “avid indoorsman.”

I liked it :slight_smile:

17

I mentioned in the thread just before yours how I was frustrated that I didn’t get to WFH at all before the lockdown when others in the office did get to WFH part time…when surprise– lockdown, and permanent full-time WFH.

Being a bit of an introvert, WFH suits me just fine for the most part, but I did really like and get along well with my coworkers and I do miss the IRL interaction too. Zoom meetings are just not the same.

18

Retired for three years. I’m out at live music three nights a week on average and see friends, sometimes a lot of friends, at every show. Pilates once a week. Meal with a friend or out on a date typically once a week. Grocery shopping and other errands weekly at least. Walks or bike rides. There’s the occasional day where I don’t leave the house but it’s pretty rare.

19

Well, I’m retired, sold my house and moved to a small apartment with the cat. My family lives elsewhere and my friends have dwindled alarmingly. It’s very isolated here but I have a beautiful view and everything I need and most of what I want… I am slowing down and getting those old folks aches and pains, going silvery gray, sadly gaining a lot of weight. I do go out once a day at least, even to the library to hear a lecture or the grocery store across town to get a few things. (I listen to the radio, or CDs, on the way, LOUD.). It’s something to do… Come home and think ‘what should I stuff in my maw tonight’. Read, surf the internet, watch a movie on tv, listen to a music channel (oldies, blues, spa music)… My world is becoming very small, but I hope to get out more, walking or park concerts in the warmer weather. I do meet friends for lunch or to walk thru the mall, but it’s tough trying to keep up with the younger ones… Poor kitty is kind of bored cooped up here, but I put a bird feeder up and we’re entertained - thrilled! - for hours every day!..I’m very introverted and sometimes don’t speak to anyone for a week. I recently was betrayed and ghosted by what I thought was a lifelong friend of over 30 years who found some better people to be with. So I’m trying to get over that and find a way to move on… I did arrange for an organization to call me every day at a certain time and if they didn’t hear from me in two days in a row, to contact a relative nearby who has a key to my place. I don’t want to keel over dead here, be eaten by the cat, not be found for months.

20

Weight gain, fatigue, and loss of stamina are tell tale signs. You need an exercise regimen, and you need to stick to it.