The New Year is a time to reflect on what went well the previous year, but it also gives us a chance to re-evaluate if we are on the trajectory we intended to be. Think about how you currently spend your free time. Don’t worry, this isn’t a blog post about increasing your productivity! This one is quite the opposite.
I have been encouraging myself to spend more time outside this year. I have always liked being outdoors, but the older I get the more I have other priorities. When life gets busy, I tend to be so focused on my to-do list that I forget to slow down and simply go for a walk outside.
The past few weekends we walked around a local lake in Dallas, Texas. It takes a little bit of contemplation before I commit to a long walk at a park, but once I am there it feels peaceful to just leisurely walk around the water, relax, and observe the surroundings. Is there anything better to do?
Not only is enjoying time outdoors fun and pleasant, but it can also have health benefits such as reducing our stress levels and boosting our mood. As you plan out this new year, consider if you could add more time outdoors to your list of intentions or goals for this season.
These are a few pointers I am implementing to prioritize leisure living outdoors this year:
Remember the health benefits of being present in nature
There is increasing evidence that spending time outdoors may decrease stress and anxiety, and can even boost our mood. Health benefits such as lowering cortisol, a stress hormone, are demonstrated by performing mild exercise in an outdoor environment according to this study. There is also research suggesting that even if your drive to a natural setting is 20 minutes, there are still health benefits in going outside.
According to this review, there is mounting evidence that being in nature lowers your stress levels and can improve mental health function, decreasing mental fatigue. There are even movements towards physicians giving “nature prescriptions” for people to spend more time outdoors.
Find a nearby park, trail, or body of water to experience. During the pandemic lockdown, we commonly passed busy public parks. I met friends for a picnic in the park on the weekends instead of happy hour at an indoor restaurant. Parks were a “safe” place for social interactions due to COVID-19 restrictions. Now is a great time to continue this practice. Spend some time with others, a pet, or in a bit of solitude outdoors.
Explore old and try new outdoor hobbies
Think about what outdoor activities you enjoyed doing as a kid. As a 90s kid, I loved rollerblading and bike riding. Even as an adult, every time I start rollerblading or whenever I get on a bike I feel instant joy! My 10-year-old niece was impressed that I still knew how to rollerblade, not so gently reminding me of my age. Sometimes it just takes a little inspiration to rediscover your old hobbies.
You might even discover new hobbies allowing you to spend more time outdoors such as gardening, birdwatching, or kayaking. A great way to explore waterways is by kayaking, an activity I first tried on a trip to Florida in my early 20s. Since then, I have kayaked in several different cities and invited others to join me!
My husband and his friend work in architecture, and have started sketching buildings and landscapes while traveling. I got my husband a travel watercolor set to experiment with art spontaneously while we are on the go! Activities like writing, sketching, and painting can be enjoyed outdoors and might even spark more creativity in a natural setting.
Observe what is special about your surroundings
When I start on a casual walk often I have my to-do list on my mind. Maybe I’m focusing on what I am going to do when I get back home or what else I could be doing with my time.
I find it most beneficial when I remain present in the moment. To refocus my attention, I try to look around and begin to notice what is going on around me. I might look at the wildlife I encounter like the different birds. (See below, there were so many!)
Especially in the spring, I notice what is in bloom and flowering. When I walk past trees or plants that I am familiar with I try to identify their names! Am I the only one who likes to review plant taxonomy?
A few days ago on my walk, I chose not to use headphones to listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks as I normally do. Instead, I just walked. I heard a dog bark and squirrels racing up trees. I greeted some neighbors, and I listened to the leaves crunch under my shoes.
This quiet time can bring up reflective thoughts. Am I looking forward to anything? Is there anything I am not doing currently that I wish I were doing more of? These quiet moments can lead us to a call to action.
Look for the barriers to being outside
Recently I listened to a podcast interviewing the author Katherine May of Becoming Enchanted where she talks about weather being an old deterrent for her being in nature. She described the scenario of contemplating going outside, but then thinking am I going to be hot or wet or cold? In reality, prepare the best you can. Don’t let these be barriers. You might get bitten by a bug, or get a slight sunburn, or maybe even sweat but don’t let that be a reason for you to rarely go outside.
If there is inclement weather, that is more than enough reason to stay indoors. Otherwise, if it is cold try bundling up and keeping your walks short. If it is raining, wear rain boots and grab an umbrella. If it is hot, wear light clothing. If it is mosquito season, like it is throughout the summer where I live, wear insect repellent and long clothing. If it is bright and sunny wear sunscreen and grab a brimmed hat. The pros of improved wellness and mood outweigh these cons.
This one is huge for me. If I just got my hair done, I don’t want to be in the rain or in hot and humid weather. Oftentimes momentary discomforts are enough to dissuade us from stepping out of our comfort zone.
What if you don’t have your workout clothes on? No problem. I work in healthcare and sometimes I walk in my scrubs and jacket. Early into our dating, Geoffrey had on work clothes and we got stuck in the rain halfway down a trail. Oops! We’ll never forget that!
After brunch or an afternoon out on the weekends, we have just walked around the park or a trail fully dressed. Thinking back to a recent trip to France, you typically go on long walks or strolls around parks or neighborhoods without being in athletic gear.
All this to say, watch out for the barriers that pop up in your head that make you avoid going outside. There are more reasons to dismiss those potential inconveniences and just enjoy your time in nature.
Make a plan for spending time outdoors
If you want to spend more time outside, consider the time of year. If the sun sets earlier, like 5:00 pm, it might be better to spend some time outdoors in the morning. For people with tight schedules, it might be important to physically put in your schedule time to be outside.
My husband works from home a few times a week. One thing we discuss is making the time to get out of the house, even if it is for a short walk up the block and back. Try to couple a brief walk with a break in your routine, such as going for a walk right after work, as soon as you wake up, or after a meal.
There is no one way to incorporate these tips into your life. Evaluate your schedule and lifestyle to determine how you can spend more time outdoors. Perhaps you can go outside to eat lunch at work. Lately, I walk outside for about 2-5 minutes in the workday just to take a short break. After work, I desperately try to go for a walk as soon as I walk in the door.
One of the things we love to do while traveling is explore outside. We walk for miles just to be out and about. You might grab a coffee, see a view from a high vantage point like a bridge, or walk along a river. When we aren’t on vacation we typically do not live that way. I would love to carry my vacation lifestyle habits of experiencing nature into my daily life!
If you enjoyed this post, check out one of my favorite vacation destinations that is perfect for spending time outdoors this time of year.
Hopefully, these tips inspire you to enjoy more time outside! Let me know in the comments how you are looking to spend more time in nature this year!
Appreciating the outdoors like we do on a vacation was my biggest takeaway. Scheduling time in the workday to step away and go outside, is something I’ll also definitely incorporate to my routine.
Yes! A mental reset is what we all need! Glad you enjoyed! 🙂
Love how you covered the barriers people put up to not get outdoors. I’ve been pretty guilty about that one. But, baby steps. Nice read.
Thank you! Recognizing the barriers is probably number 1 for me too!