What is homelife?

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Is homelife just cozying up with a book? Sleeping in? Homemade meals? And the other hallmarks of homebody living?

That in a sec, but first…

I started using "homelife" (1 word, no space) as a way to describe something important. It's a layer of life that goes overlooked—hidden in plain sight.

Defining homelife

Homelife: n., the activities, habits, feelings, thoughts, relationships—anything happening within the place you primarily reside

There's my attempt at a working dictionary definition. As you can see, homelife is a broad topic, but also think of all the things that it isn’t:

• Going out dancing with friends

• Attending a religious service

• Being at the office

• Going to gym

• Vacationing

• Shopping

And the list goes on...

But what are some examples of homelife?

Categories of homelife

I have 6 main ways I think of homelife (and I hope to refine these or discover more through doing original research on the topic)!

6 categories of homelife:

1. Physical space

2. Activities

3. Rhythms & rituals

4. Relationships

5. Hospitality

6. Learning & growth

Physical space

Home is a place.

If homelife is about your physical space, then that includes important things like:

• Architecture

• Interior design

• Exterior design

• Organization

• Possessions

• Furniture

• Lighting

• Sounds

• Scents

• Plants

• Art

As you can see, there's actually so much that goes into your homelife on a purely physical, sensory level.

Activities

Some activities appear extra unique to homelife vs. other parts of life:

• Sleep

• Eating

• Hygiene

• Cleaning

• Entertainment

• Sex & intimacy

You might go out to watch a movie for entertainment or sleep in a hotel, but these activities often happen at home.

Rhythms & rituals

Some activities get played on heavy repeat, and they seem to carry a ritualistic weight to them.

These rituals happen daily, weekly, or seasonally. Some examples:

• Brewing your morning coffee

• Intentional weekend downtime

• Putting up Christmas decorations

Relationships

We don't live with everyone we have a relationship with. Like your co-workers (at least most of us).

But we have roommates or family members who might live with us. Or maybe you have a pet you care for with the tenderness you would show a kid.

These relationships—the ones we say goodnight to and good morning to—can be central to home.

Hospitality

For the people who don't live with you, there's the joy of hospitality.

Invite over neighbors to play board games. Ask friends from work to do a backyard workout with you. Host your parents as they visit from out of town.

Each time you're hospitable, you give people the gift of belonging—feeling at home.

Learning & growth

Home's a place for entertainment and hosting, but it's also a place for the mind to expand.

Whether it's reading or a riveting conversation, growth is possible. Home provides the safety for some to practice their religion or spirituality. And in all cases, home can be a means of expanding.

Conclusion: The importance of designing homelife

When a child grows up, they do it in the context of a home. And though they might leave home, they move on to another. There's no sidestepping homelife—even for the most committed wanderer.

And nothing helps set the tone for your mental wellbeing, relational connectedness, or professional energy like your homelife.

If it’s true that home is that unescapable and foundational, then it’s smart to consider every way we can adjust your homelife to help you flourish.

Design your homelife to consistently grow, deeply connect, and powerfully impact the world around you.

That’s all! Quick recap:

• Homelife focuses on the life happening in the place you reside

• Homelife includes physical space, activities, rhythms, relationships, hospitality, and learning.

• Designing homelife matters because home is foundational to psychological & social development, as well as relationships & professional excellence.

• Investing in homelife ain’t just for homebodies!

Until next time!

— Matt Barrios

PS: If you enjoyed this article, please forward it or share it on social media with the buttons on the top! Each time you share, you help me move closer to my goal: Helping 100 million people design a homelife where they consistently grow, deeply connect, and powerfully impact the world around them. Thanks!