BySIddhi Jain

August 9, 2020 (IANSlife) Social distancing norms is the ''new normal" and it has the world spending more time indoors than ever, but a new survey revealed​ that 94 percent of people ​report they are happier and healthier when they spend time outdoors.

​As per ​Outdoorsy's Road to Wellness report, ​​the open road is a welcome relief​ as people search for safe travel options. 71​ percent​ of respondents who had to cancel their summer travel plans are now considering alternative vacation, such as a road trip​.

It seems like remote workers have ​also ​caught the travel bug​. ​For those with the flexibility to work from the road, a change of scenery doesn't have to tap into vacation days. ​​​Work-from-home (​WFH​)​ workers are 2.5 times more likely to say they would take more road trips if they had access to an RV, with 72​ percent​ of respondents reporting they are planning to take more road trips as a result of widespread work-from-home policies​​​​

​​The survey shows 70​ percent​ of respondents would rather go on a road trip with family or a significant other than go alone​, and that air travel could be a hassle. Three out of four​ ​people noted they would describe their last road trip as a "much needed escape" and would plan to take one again soon

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​Time spent outdoors has a positive effect on an individual's wellbeing, but with this survey we learned more about the wellness benefits attributed to time spent outdoors with family, said Outdoorsy​. "The survey found an overwhelmingly positive sentiment to family road travel and anecdotal reports found that family ties were strengthened in direct correlation to the amount of time a family spends together in nature,"​ it said. 

Overall, 88​ percent​ of survey respondents say they want to incorporate the outdoors into their daily routine more often.

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