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The Sims 4: Snowy Escape has introduced a new Lifestyle feature, which enables your Sims to gain different social interactions and responses, based on their personality. The system meshes well with the new Sentiments feature but is exclusive to the Snowy Escape expansion.

Lifestyles are much more noticeable than many other traits since the buffs and debuffs associated with them are very strong. There are 16 Lifestyles in total and a Sim can have a maximum of three different Lifestyles at once. Here's everything you need to know about all the lifestyles, how to trigger them, and each one's effects.

Living Life

Sims in a variety of new clothing attending a festival

As your Sim lives their life their behavior will trigger a Lifestyle, similar to how quirks are generated in Get Famous. When you first create a new Sim, you'll see some Lifestyles are visible and others are hidden. As you progress through the game and open more Lifestyles and play with different Sims you'll be able to see all the options in the Lifestyles screen.

To view your Lifestyles simply click on the Simology Panel and you'll see a Lifestyles section underneath Traits and above any other pack specific information such as Public Image. Click the arrow on the right to open the panel then press the Lifestyles button.

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From here you can see your lifestyle and also quickly access the rewards store, where you can buy a "Lifestyle-Go-Poof" potion for 300 aspiration points, should you wish to change your Lifestyle.

Activating A Lifestyle

a sim looking for danger as bugs attack in the background.

Each day your Sim's activity counts towards achieving a Lifestyle. However, the amount of activity that counts is capped each day. This means that skiing ten times down a hill can benefit you as much as skiing 100 times down a hill. Unlike skills, which continue to go up as long as the activity is being done, Lifestyles can only be triggered by maintaining specific behavior over a period of time.

As you maintain your behavior over two or three days you'll notice the Lifestyles you are working towards will become highlighted in the Lifestyles panel. This gives you an opportunity to adjust your behavior to ensure that the ones you want become dominant.

Lifestyle Choices

Below we go through each Lifestyle and take a look at the activities needed to trigger it and the advantages and disadvantages of doing so.

Adrenaline Seeker

snowboarding sim doing a trick

This Lifestyle is not for the faint-hearted as it involves seeking out adrenaline-fueled activities and pursuing danger in all its forms. The behaviors which trigger this Lifestyle include exploring dangerous places, WooHooing outside, participating in activities with a high chance of injury, and even getting into fights.

Adrenaline Seeker Sims will gain the following effects:

  • Receives positive buffs and benefits while thrill-seeking.
  • Increased work performance in dangerous careers.
  • Finds fire exciting and won't panic.
  • New social interactions "Talk about new adventure" and "Enthuse about thrill-seeking."
  • May "Fight for the rush" if it's been too long since their last thrill.
  • Avoids boring conversations.
  • Will become tense without excitement.

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Close-Knit

two sims eating a meal together at home.

If your Sim prefers to keep their circle of friends small then a close-knit Lifestyle could be for you. Keeping your friend count between one and three Sims will enable this to trigger, leading to deeper relationships with your group.

Close-Knit Sims will gain the following effects:

  • Keeps good friends for longer but loses friends at a lower relationship level more quickly.
  • Is able to more easily build strong bonds with friends through Long Term Sentiments.
  • May ask another Sim to be their Confidant, unlocking new social options.
  • Will become tense if their friendship circle expands beyond three or below one.

Coffee Fanatic

A sim making coffee in a home kitchen.

If your Sim can't resist a coffee shop and needs a hit of java to get going each morning then they may be a coffee fanatic. As you'd expect, this Lifestyle can be activated simply by drinking a lot of coffee.

Coffee Fanatic Sims will gain the following effects:

  • Buffs from drinking coffee.
  • Will autonomously consume more coffee.
  • Always brews outstanding coffee.
  • Boosts productivity with an increased Skill gain after drinking coffee.
  • Gains increased work performance after drinking coffee before work.
  • Can choose to "Work Caffeinated Shift."
  • Gets uncomfortable without a regular coffee fix.

Energetic

A sim doing pre climb warm up

Energetic Sims love to keep moving and rarely sit still. They enjoy all forms of athletic and sporty activities and participating in these will help trigger the Lifestyle. It can also be triggered by joining a high-energy career.

Energetic Sims will gain the following:

  • Various buffs when engaging in high-energy activities.
  • A preference for high-energy pursuits.
  • Increased work performance in a high-energy career.
  • Decreased work performance in a low-energy career.
  • Will become tense if participating in low-energy activities or being still for too long.

Frequent Traveler

map of Mt. Komorebi

Frequent travelers like to explore new places and seek out new sights. Experiencing new activities while traveling, visiting hidden locations, and taking frequent vacations will trigger this Lifestyle.

Frequent Traveller Sims will gain the following:

  • Benefits and buffs after traveling.
  • Skill boosts while on vacation.
  • Increased work performance after returning from vacation.
  • Can "ask about home region" while traveling and then "share travel stories" upon their return.
  • Become bored if they've gone too long without traveling or going on vacation.

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Health Food Nut

Sim family sitting and eating together in a japanese home

A health food nut will pay attention to what they are eating, forgoing quick meals, desserts, and pizza on the menu. Avoiding anything unhealthy will help Sims ensure a clean living Lifestyle of health nut.

The effects of a Health Nut Lifestyle are:

  • Benefits when eating healthy food.
  • Preference for cooking and eating healthier meals.
  • Has a "cook healthy meal" option.
  • Increased weight loss and fitness skill gain if working out after a healthy meal, cooking with the new option.
  • Becomes upset or tense after eating junk food or going too long without a healthy meal.
  • Can "evangelize benefits of healthy food."

Hungry For Love

Sims kissing In The Street in Mt. Komorebi

Sims who are hungry for love desire to be in a romantic relationship and will struggle with being single. Staying in a romantic relationship, using romantic interactions, and watching romance on TV will all help build this Lifestyle.

Sims who are Hungry For Love will gain the following:

  • Benefits and buffs when in a romantic relationship.
  • Is more likely to succeed with romantic interactions and will prefer them over others.
  • Gains romance-based Sentiments more easily.
  • Enjoys romantic movies and books.
  • Gains increased work performance when in a romantic relationship.
  • Becomes tense and unhappy when single.

Indoorsy

a sim family doing a school project

Indoorsy Sims prefer life inside their home, shielding themselves from the elements and enjoying activities that can be done inside. By prioritizing any indoor activity you can trigger this Lifestyle.

Indoorsy Sims will gain the following:

  • Buffs and benefits when doing any indoor activity.
  • A preference for being indoors.
  • Decreased work performance in any outdoor career.
  • Become tense when being outside for too long.

Junk Food Fiend

eating ice cream

Junk Food Fiends love snacks, sweets, and adding sugar to things. Quick meals, desserts, ice creams, more snacks, added bacon. If it's unhealthy and you keep consuming it you'll trigger this Lifestyle.

The Junk Food Fioend Lifestyle gives Sims:

  • Benefits when eating junk.
  • A preference for anything unhealthy.
  • The ability to add bacon or sugar to things, rendering them unhealthy.
  • Can "Evangelize the benefits of junk food"
  • Will become displeased if eating healthily and skipping dessert.

People Person

relaxing in the hot springs in the onsen

If you're a people person then extending your friendship group will no doubt be a must. For Sims who enjoy constantly meeting new people and making new friends the people person Lifestyle can help. Simply gain and maintain at least four friends to trigger it.

People Person Sims can benefit from these bonuses:

  • Lower relationship level friends are easier to maintain.
  • Good friends can be difficult to keep.
  • Long term sentiments with friends are less common.
  • People Person Sims have a greater social need.
  • Needs to socialize in groups of four or more to avoid becoming tense.

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Single and Lovin' It

Sims strolling over a bridge

If your Sim wants to shun romantic media and relationships then they may be single and lovin' it. Simple avoid all forms of romantic media and interaction and you'll be on your way to a life of joyful solitude.

Sims who are Single and Lovin' It gain the following:

  • Buffs when staying single.
  • Increased skill gain while single.
  • Less chance of triggering romantic sentiments.
  • Thinks romantic media is unrealistic.
  • Increased work performance while single.
  • Becomes tense when entering a romantic relationship.

Outdoorsy

A sim sledding with a toddler down the bunny slope.

Outdoorsy Sims will prefer to engage in any activity that takes them out into the fresh air. From sports to walks, it doesn't matter what the activity, as long as it's outside. Keep leaving your house frequently to trigger this lifestyle.

Outdoorsy Sims will gain the following Lifestyle benefits:

  • Buffs when outdoors doing activities.
  • Prefers to stay outdoors.
  • Increased performance in outside careers.
  • Tense when in the house or another building for too long.

Sedentary

Sims in hot springs inside an Onsen

If your Sim's activity of choice is to relax, lounge around, and generally expend as little energy as possible they may end up with a sedentary Lifestyle. Pursuing low-energy careers and activities will trigger this Lifestyle.

Once the sedentary Lifestyle is triggered Sims will gain the following:

  • Buffs and benefits when engaging in low-energy activities.
  • A preference for low-energy activities.
  • Increased work performance in low-energy careers but decreased performance in high energy careers.
  • Becomes tense when unable to relax or when performing high energy activities.

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Techie

A sim watching tv in a lounge filled with widescreen, speaker and games console.

If you want to become a techie simply embrace technology in all its forms. You can join a tech-based career or just simply buy and interact with the many electronics in the game to trigger this Lifestyle.

Techie Sims will discover the following:

  • Bonuses for interacting with using technology.
  • A preference for technology, eg using a dishwasher rather than washing dishes in the sink.
  • Can "enthuse about processing power" and apply Overclocked Upgrades to computers.
  • Has more success when upgrading and repairing electronics.
  • Benefits from increased work performance in technology careers.
  • Becomes tense is the power goes out or they don't use technology.

Technophobe

A sim reading in a tech free lounge.

If an off the grid lifestyle is for you then you may be a technophobe. Pursuing a life without electricity, using as little technology as possible will trigger this Lifestyle.

Technophones will gain the following:

  • Benefits when on an off-the-grid-lot or when near broken electronics.
  • Avoids using technology when possible.
  • Can sabotage electronics.
  • Becomes tense if using technology.
  • Has decreased work performance in tech-related careers.

Workaholic

A sim working at a computer.

A workaholic sim will become fixated on their career, working as hard as possible and rarely taking vacation days. If you want to trigger this Lifestyle then work hard, pursue promotions, complete all your daily tasks, and forego your vacation time.

Workaholic Sims will find the following effects of their Lifestyle:

  • A slower need decay while at work.
  • Increased work performance in all careers.
  • Difficulty in maintaining relationships long term.
  • Options to "Go to work on off hours" and "demand promotion from boss."
  • Gains extra benefits when in the new Corporate Worker career.
  • Will become tense when neglecting work.

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