Most of us have a sedentary job and barely drag our feet to the gym two or three times a week. Spending too much time sitting in a poorly ventilated room can increase the risk of heart disease and not to mention that keyboards can compete with bathrooms when it comes to the number of bacteria.
As technology developed, people moved away from nature to concrete buildings but in order to improve health, as well as increase general productivity, it would be ideal to return to nature as much time as possible. If you are finding all sorts of excuses as to why you cannot possibly spend time in nature, here are a few suggestions on how you can move one big segment of your life there – your work.
Take your laptop for a walk
If you work remotely, this is not a complicated undertaking and all that you need to do is to alter your routine a bit and change from your usual working uniform, that is your pajamas, to some comfortable pants. All that is left is to choose a bench in the park with enough shade and space for your laptop. On the other hand, if you work from the office but you have a flexible manager, you can agree to work for an hour or two from the nearby park. You will soon notice how the greenery around you helps you calm your busy mind and focus it on tasks before you.
Schedule a picnic meeting
With an understanding boss, everything is possible and if you are a part of the remote crew, this maneuver will be even easier to organize. Traditional meetings in conference rooms create a stressful atmosphere even before they begin, which is the reason some brilliant ideas remain unsaid. Taking your team to a picnic in the park will be a positive change in their daily routine. Without many office distractions, all of the participants would be more concentrated and respectful of each other’s time. Researchers claim that 20 minutes outdoors equal to an energy boost a cup of coffee can give you, so a meeting in nature would make everyone feel more energized and will strengthen the team spirit.
Move your desk to your backyard
If you are having a hard time concentrating since you have a home office, instead of trying to isolate yourself as much as you can to the point of going to the basement, why not do the opposite and get in touch with nature? Nowadays, a 20 ft shipping container can be fitted with anything that your working environment needs, not to mention that you are always just a step away from the calming murmur of trees and the softness of the grass. In this manner your family won’t have to tiptoe around your home office, you will concentrate better and the proximity of nature will reduce your stress levels and entice your creativity.
Brainstorm while jogging
Combining work and exercising doesn’t seem like an easy task but if you think about it, while you are jogging, your mind wanders around to unexpected places which is the perfect scenery for a brainstorming session. When you are working on a project and you need a fresh perspective or new ideas, put on your running shoes and go to clear your head in the park. If you provide your brain with a starting point, a spark to begin its wandering, you will be surprised at how quickly it will come up with amazing ideas. Also, this strategy is beneficial for your health as well since jogging in nature instead of on a treadmill will boost your immune system and it will help you sleep better at night.
Bring nature to your office
If you work from the office and you don’t have a particularly understanding boss, there is still something you can do to create an oasis of nature around you – bring in plants. Providing that your superiors won’t mind, you can ask for a separate room which can be transformed into a meditation or a quiet room so you and your colleagues can go and de-stress when needed. If a separate room filled with greenery is out of the option, then a few plants on your table will probably be something everyone could tolerate in which case you need to be mindful of the amount of natural light your office has.
Combining nature and work-life doesn’t have to be a complicated venture and the benefits of fresh air and greenery are well worth changing your unhealthy routines. So, take your laptop and head to the nearest park – what are you waiting for?
