Taking a break to go soak up the sun and breathe in the fresh air may seem like a straight-up fantasy. A frivolous endeavor. You’ve got a busy schedule, we get it. The thing is, there are actually some real mental-health benefits to getting outside more. There’s nothing frivolous about it. Even if it seems unrealistic for you to get outside each day, we’re here to help you squeeze in some daily doses of nature when you can—and challenge you to work your way up to 60 minutes a day. Once you start smelling the flowers, you’ll understand why.
Week 1: Spend 15 Minutes Outside Every Day
The science: According to research published in the journal Scientific Reports, just 120 minutes of nature contact in a week makes people more likely to report that they felt like they were in “good health” or had a sense of “high well-being.” Positive associations peaked between 200–300 minutes per week, which means you can grab hold of these benefits for yourself with just 60 minutes of fresh air a day, five days a week. On top of that, it didn’t matter if that time outside was all spent in one long bout or spaced throughout multiple shorter sessions.
Move-the-Needle Monday: “Most of us spend 90% of our time indoors,” says Patricia H. Hasbach, Ph.D., a licensed psychotherapist and co-director of the ecopsychology program at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR. “We have to make a conscious effort to move beyond the walls of our home and offices and schools.” Like changing any habit, it’s not realistic to go all-in on day one. Hasbach suggests starting with smaller time increments—say, just 15 minutes per day. Each week, we’ll give you strategies to add an additional 15 minutes of daily outside time.
The plan: A good time to start is right after you wake up. “One thing I like to suggest is to start the day by opening the back door and having your morning coffee on the porch or taking a walk around the yard,” Dr. Hasbach says. The end of the day is another good time to squeeze in your 15 minutes. Sit outside and have a glass of wine or iced tea. It’ll quickly become a restorative wind-down you’ll look forward to at the end of the day. If it feels more manageable, break up your daily 15 into five-minute increments.
Top tip: On a busy day, how can you actually make sure you take those 15 minutes of fresh air? Schedule it and set a reminder on your phone. “Put it in your calendar and look at it as a commitment to yourself and your well-being,” Dr. Hasbach recommends. If your days are often packed with back-to-back meetings, all the more reason to schedule it first thing before a long day begins.
Week 2: Spend 30 Minutes Outside Every Day
The science: With the pandemic shutdowns and the new work-from-home culture has come a lot of extra screen time, says Dr. Hasbach. “People are feeling the cognitive fatigue of being online and on screens and Zoom calls more than ever.” Screen time and concentrating heavily on work is known as “directed attention,” and when we get a lot of it, our minds get tired and cognitive fatigue sets in. We feel distracted, confused, and just foggy.
According to Attention Restoration Theory, which suggests that natural environments can reduce cognitive fatigue and improve concentration and other brain functions, nature is the perfect antidote to this kind of mental exhaustion, Dr. Hasbach explains. When we’re out in nature, we involuntarily notice what’s around us, and this soft fascination (in place of directed attention) has been shown to relax our attention and ultimately reduce the brain fog we get from focusing too hard for too long, she explains.
Move-the-Needle Monday: This all means that it’s critical to be fully present when you’re outside. If you’re scrolling through work emails the whole time you’re outdoors, you’re not going to get the same relaxing benefits. So, disconnect with electronics and look around at your surroundings, Dr. Hasbach says. Look up at the sky, the trees, flowers, or whatever is around you. Be fully present, and take it all in. You can worry about the message you need to send to a colleague or what you’re making for dinner when your outside time is up.
The plan: We’re adding another 15 minutes per day this week, for a total of 30 minutes outside. And while you’re out there, we challenge you to take Dr. Hasbach’s advice and aim to be fully present. If you can, leave your phone inside when you go sit on the porch or take a stroll around the neighborhood to get rid of the temptation. If you like having it for safety, put it on airplane mode so notifications won’t distract you.
Top tip: Interacting with nature can help us gain a new perspective on a problem or project we’re trying to tackle, Dr. Hasbach says. “When we’re outdoors in a broader expanse than sitting at a desk looking at a 15-inch screen, our perspective broadens, our creativity has a chance to flourish, and our energy changes,” she says.
So, forgetting about that work problem and simply focusing on nature for a bit may be just what you need to actually sit back at your desk with a better approach in mind. Interacting with nature doesn’t mean you have to sit and observe without doing anything else—if that’s your thing, then great! But if it’s not, taking your normal activities outside, like drinking your morning coffee or going for a walk with a friend, still counts as experiencing nature. Don't live near nature? Climb the stairs to your building's rooftop to take in a city skyline view, or choose outdoor seating the next time you're at your favorite coffee shop. It all counts toward your goal!
Week 3: Spend 45 Minutes Outside Every Day
The science: This week, we challenge you to get your hands dirty while you’re outside. There’s a reason. A meta-analysis published in the journal Preventive Medicine Reports found that gardening is associated with a wide range of positive health effects, including reductions in depression, anxiety, and body mass index (BMI), as well as increases in life satisfaction, quality of life, and sense of community. It’s also accessible—it’s a low-impact activity that people of all health statuses and abilities can participate in.
Move-the-Needle Monday: If you feel like you’re wasting time if you’re not being productive, you’re certainly not alone. “We are a culture that so highly values productivity and efficiency,” says Dr. Hasbach. Gardening is a great way to trick yourself into thinking your time outside is “worth it”—you’ll end up with fresh veggies or herbs that you can actually cook with and eat. But it also teaches us to slow down a bit and trust the process. “One of the things the garden teaches is that we can be productive, but it’s at nature’s pace. It reminds us that we don't have to have everything done yesterday; we can be productive at our own steady pace,” Hasbach says.
The plan: If your outdoor space is limited, try planting a few things in pots and putting them on your deck or fire escape. If you have more space, you can build a raised garden bed and plant a few things you love to eat, aromatic herbs (that you can cook with or just enjoy the smell of outside), or even just a few easy-to-grow flowers that you can eventually cut and put in a vase to bring some of the outside, in. Tending to your garden will help you tack on some more time outside so that you can clock 45 minutes total each day.
Top tip: Gardening can give us a sense of meaning in another way: It taps into our deep primal need to care for other beings, Hasbach says. Plus, observing natural cycles of life can be really calming and help us feel like we’re a part of something bigger. That can help you find your calm, too.
Week 4: Spend 60 Minutes Outside Every Day
The science: When you’re a kid, it’s natural to go play outside with your friends. When you’re an adult, not so much. But time and time again, research shows that doing things with a buddy—like a workout or following a weight loss program—makes us all more likely to actually do that activity. Doing activities with a friend not only helps you stay accountable, but it just makes it more fun, and gives you the added benefit of socialization.
Move-the-Needle Monday: Making plans with a friend or moving play time with your kids outdoors can make it much easier to naturally get some more fresh air. It’s actually a lot easier to clock an hour of time without even realizing it if you’re spending it with other people. Plus, if other people are planning around you and your schedule, you’ll be less likely to skip it and stay cooped up inside instead.
The plan: We’ve reached our final goal of 60 minutes of outdoor time each day this week. And while you’re out there, this is the perfect time to get social while doing it. Start a family hobby, like birdwatching or find a citizen science project you can participate in. Citizen science projects are basically scientific experiments and observations that you can participate in—like this one that asks you to take photos of the different animals and plant life in your backyard. We don’t have to totally demonize technology—in fact, it can play a role in outdoor fun if we use it the right way, Dr. Hasbach says. If you don’t have kids, schedule a walk or hour in the park with a friend. Go on a picnic for a date. Join a recreational sports league that has you outside playing a sport a few times a week.
Top tip: For a triple threat of health benefits, get sweaty during your outdoor social time—whether that’s via a run, walk, or a bootcamp workout in the park. A research review published in the journal Extreme Physiology & Medicine suggests that combining exercise and green space gets you the benefits of these things all at once, and can increase activity levels, reduce stress, restore mental fatigue, and improve mood, self-esteem, and perceived health. How cool is it that you can do all those things with just a simple walk around the block with a friend?