Over the past year, many of us have been forced to reflect on the way we live our lives by the pandemic. For people who live in big cities, their jobs are now beginning to see that it is actually possible to work from anywhere and there are some great benefits of country living. If your employer is amenable, it’s perfectly feasible to pursue your career goals in the city while living in the countryside!
Is this worth pursuing, though? There are always reasons to stay in the city. Local amenities, the nightlife, and more shopping options of course. However, the benefits of country living may appeal to you even more. Let’s look at those benefits of county living and see if they are something you should consider.
A Slower Pace of Life
People who live in the city are a lot more stressed than people who do not. Living life at a constantly high pace is not for everyone, and a lot of people find a significant reduction in their stress levels from leaving the city and moving to the country. This is the most important benefit of country living.
The downside to this is that you will find that there is not as much going on in the country. Whereas in the city you can find an event to attend almost any night of the week, there is much less happening in the country, and people tend to make their own entertainment a lot more. You may also find that moving to the country might make it difficult to continue if you enjoy a very niche hobby.
How You Socialize Will Change
In the city, it is incredibly easy to meet new people. There are entire apps and groups dedicated to helping people find ‘their people’ in the city. You have many options of whom to “hang with”.
You will tend to socialize with the people who live close to you in the country because they are the only people around! That being said, people who live in the country can find that they enjoy a greater sense of community and belonging.
As you will be socializing with the same people, one of the benefits of country living is that you can often end up forging deeper friendships.
Lifestyle Change
One of the biggest benefits of country living compared with the city is that your money will go a lot further when it comes to property. In the United States, country property is usually more affordable and usually means more acreage available than in the city.
For example, in the town of Cheshunt, in the countryside around London, you can get a home for around £100,000 less than in the city itself. A browse of local estate agent Roberto and Co reveals that the houses that are available are generally spacious and come complete with parking and gardens.
Moving to the country will mean that you do not have access to other things like the variety of restaurants and bars that you might enjoy in the city.
Benefits to Your Health
Regularly getting out into the countryside has a number of health benefits. Studies have shown that regular access to the countryside can lessen the risk of type 2 diabetes, improve your heart health, improve your sleep quality, and lessens the amount of the stress hormone cortisol in your blood. This is thought to be partly because living in the countryside gives you greater access to outdoor space for exercise. It also can’t hurt that the amount of pollution you are close to is significantly reduced and that the pace of life is slower with less stress.
Final Thoughts on the Benefits of Country Living
The benefits of country living includes being able to live a healthier lifestyle, making deeper friendships, a slower pace of life, and maybe even being able to afford a larger piece of property. Are these benefits of country living enough for you to make the move from the city to the country?