Lady sitting in the forest, meditating

How privacy boosts our wellbeing

Whilst we might often think of private moments as a time to sit and do nothing, we can see from the Life at Home Report 2019 that nearly all of us (97%) do some kind of activity when we have a little time to ourselves, whether that’s binging on a favourite TV show or singing in the shower.

People

When we looked at the range of activities people tend to do, we could see that there are four ways we use privacy as a means to reach the wellbeing boost that we need. Some involve more energy, some less, but all have a positive impact and create time and space for personal growth.

Lower Energy

RECOVERY

Sometimes all we need is a breather. When in recovery mode, we slow down to de-stress and take things quietly and calmly, which could mean watching TV, meditating or a 30-minute nap.

“I had a very busy day at work and getting public transport home was stressful. I got home as quickly as possible and crashed on the sofa.” Jay, London

 

RELAXATION

Be it pampering at a salon, a yoga class after work, cooking or listening to music, relaxation is about pausing to do the things that make us feel good inside and out.

“I like taking time to have a long relax in the bath – feels cosy being engulfed by the water. Sometimes, I’ll even have a beer.” John, Amsterdam

Higher Energy

FOCUS

When focused, we’re ‘in the zone’ to complete a task like a complicated DIY project, finishing a report or making an important decision with others or alone.

“I was working at my desk. I shut the door as I don’t want to be disturbed. My work needs privacy so I stay in the bedroom.” K. Qin, Shanghai

 

PLAY

When we play, we’re cutting loose and letting our inner child out. This might be dancing in front of the mirror, play-acting with children or a raucous round of karaoke with friends.

“My husband is an introvert and would never dance in public, but loves boogieing around the lounge with our little boy.” Katherine, London

Privacy isn’t the end goal – its value lies in the benefits it unlocks for us, mentally and physically. 70% of people globally say privacy is important to achieve time and space for activities that enable personal growth.