Study About Time Spent Away From Home Suggests Montanans Might Need to ‘Touch Grass’

Have you heard people say, "Touch grass"?

I thought it was a meme or maybe slang, but I guess it's considered an idiom and it's an insult. It's something people say to point out if you've been on a device too long and haven't been spending enough time in the real world/non-digital world.

A new study basically says we all need to touch grass. Rude, science.

What Do You Mean We're Not Going Outside? 

Some interesting research has come out about how our behaviors have changed since the pandemic. One study was just covered on the website studyfinds.org which shows Americans aren't spending as much time outside. The original study, which was published in the Journal of American Planning Associations, indicates that people are spending less time on activities outside of the home and more time on activities done at home.

Studyfinds.org said that people are shopping online more and exercising at home, but I've noticed other things that are keeping people inside more (and some of these are mentioned in the study from the Journal of American Planning Associations, too):

• People are ordering takeout more
• People are streaming more, whether it's their favorite show or their favorite sports team
• People are scrolling more

I wonder if inflation affects this too, i.e. people are going out less to save money. But that may change soon as news outlets are reporting the inflation rate is approaching the federal target.

It's Not Just Americans. It's Montanans Too. 

The study in the Journal of American Planning Association confirmed in the data that they created a representation of Americans for the study, so there isn't specific information about Montanans, but the idea is that their findings would be typical of Montanans too.

(Now to step up on a small soapbox.)

Montanans should set an example for the rest of the country by spending more time away from screens, and maybe on activities that keep a person at home and head outside because we have so many amazing outdoor opportunities. Even if you don't like hunting, hiking, fishing, or any other classic outdoor Montana activities, taking a drive and looking at the scenery could be better than spending more time on devices.

(Stepping off the soapbox.)

The study does pose some interesting implications for how we might need to change our cities to accommodate more at-home workers. It also acknowledges the benefits of having more people spending time at home.

Here's an idea: maybe farming and ranching are exactly what people need. It's work where you spend a lot of time outside, and many times, you're still working from home.

If you want to get off your device and go somewhere and "touch grass" consider visiting some of Montana's best hot springs.