Is gardening the key to post-lockdown happiness?

During the recent COVID-19 lockdowns across the nation, we all shared the pain of missing out on doing and buying our favourite things. Like sitting down in a café with friends for a coffee or taking the kids to a park for a picnic and not being able to go to the movies or a show.

We all had to learn new ways of living in a locked down world. Like how to navigate Zoom for at-home exercise, how to bake artisan bread and taking up a new hobby. Or simply watching more TV, reading a book or playing games.

Life in a post-lockdown world

The big question now is what will life post-lockdown look like? Will we still find time to do all the things we did whilst at home when we had more time on our hands? And with all the shops now open what will we be buying?

According to a recent Nine Network Consumer Pulse research, for Nine viewers the top category to spend more money on post-lockdown is on gardening, landscaping and plants followed by wine, clothing and taking a holiday in Australia.

Whilst gardening items and plants might not be the first thing you think of buying post-lockdown, it does make sense.

The benefits of gardening are well known and how it can result in a sense of happiness and fulfilment. In addition to the many benefits such as promoting a healthy lifestyle, being physical active and the opportunity to grow you own food, it can also help to reduce stress and improve our psychological wellbeing.

The Japanese have taken this to the next level by immersing themselves in the outdoors in a trend called ‘forest bathing’ to help reduce stress levels and anxiety by connecting with nature.

Something to consider in a post-lockdown world?

Happiness 2022

By any measure, 2020 and 2021 have been challenging years. In research conducted by NobleOak in late 2020, we found that Australians’ overall level of happiness barely moved – from a mean of 6.9 in 2019 to a mean of 6.7 in 2020. And spending more time with our families (42%) has helped us recognise what’s important in life, with people in families or couples being significantly more happy than singles.

For a company dedicated to helping people protect those they love, it’s hugely gratifying to know that those you love are also protecting you.

Protection for the ones you love

Taking out Life Insurance can be one way to help protect the people you love. In 2022 it may be one of the most important financial decisions you can make. And the good news is, that maintaining a healthy lifestyle might also mean lower insurance costs (premiums) if it means you benefit from better overall health. Your overall health is one of the factors which determines your insurance premium – other factors include for example your age, family medical history, occupation and pastimes.

To find out more about NobleOak’s range of Life Insurance products call a NobleOak Life Australian based insurance team member on 1300 014 494 or go online to get a quote.

Important information – The Target Market Determinations for NobleOak’s Life Insurance products are available on our website at https://www.nobleoak.com.au/target-market-determination/ . Cover is issued by NobleOak Life Limited ABN 85 087 648 708 AFSL No. 247302. Address: 66 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW 2000. Phone: 1300 108 490. Email: [email protected]

Cover is available to Australian residents and is subject to acceptance of the application and the terms and conditions set out in the PDS for the product. This information is of a general nature only and does not take into consideration your individual circumstances, objectives, financial situation or needs. Before you purchase an insurance product, you should carefully consider the PDS to decide if it is right for you. The PDS is available by calling NobleOak on 1300 108 490 or from www.nobleoak.com.au. Clients should not cancel any existing Life Insurance policy until they have been informed in writing that their replacement cover is in place. NobleOak cannot provide you with personal advice, but our staff may provide general information about NobleOak Life Insurance. By supplying your contact details, you are consenting to be contacted by NobleOak, in accordance with NobleOak’s Privacy Policy.

Sources:

https://www.nineforbrands.com.au/consumer-pulse-october-21/

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/gardening-for-health-starting-out

https://aifs.gov.au/publications/what-we-did