With summer already here and as more people turn towards spending more time outdoors so as to soak in the warm air and feel the heat of the sun on their skin, finding creative ways to spend time outside has become imperative especially if those activities wouldn’t require you to empty your savings in order to get them done.
Summertime usually provides a great opportunity to get more people to spend time outside and this is not a habit most Americans are used to. Research results from the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) reveals that only 7% of the average American spends quality time outdoors with majority of people spending most of their time indoors (either work or home) and in their cars. This trend is rather unfortunate considering that outdoor lifestyle is one very sure and easy way to significantly improve our health and general wellbeing.
Personally, I would admit that I am not completely innocent of the indoor lifestyle as its often easy to get carried away with work and other personal activities I engage in every day, since in fact, most of the things we do in life are built for the indoor life. However in order to help myself, I intentionally include outdoor activities into my daily tasks and activities so that I don’t miss out on some of the wonderful benefits of spending time outdoors.
These benefits are endless and invaluable. From significantly improving your moods to giving your energy a boost, improving your memory and helping your brain function better, helping you ease out stress and also helping you build a stronger immune system; spending time outdoors is almost becoming nature’s way of compensating us for the amount of time we have to spend inside behind walls and doors. If for nothing else, I’m sure that you’d agree with me that just the feeling one gets from being outdoors in a relaxed and conducive setting is refreshing and exciting.
Today however is not the day we talk about these benefits. I think what would be more interesting is for me to share with you some ideas on activities and rituals that I frequently engage in that takes me outside, keeps me there for a while and gets me soaking in some of those benefits which we’ll most likely talk about some other time.
- Gardening
Spending time with nature is probably my favorite way of spending time outdoors especially during summer (or as long as it’s not winter). I love going out to my backyard to tend to my garden and watch it blossom. Tending to my garden helps me to relax is a very special way that I can’t fully describe.
Apart from the physical exertion involved which is another form of exercise, the experience is usually refreshing and peaceful for me. It’s one place where I like to go and release my thoughts, meditate on things and let go of issues that may be bothering my mind. I also love gardening because of the sight of the beautiful flowers, the glowing trees, and shrubs with their shiny green leaves, or the quiet sounds of birds and nature whistling into my ears. For whatever other reasons that I can’t think of right now, I know that somehow, I just can’t seem to get enough of spending time with nature.
- Outdoor exercises
I’m sure you saw this one coming. If you follow my content, you’d know by now that exercise is a big deal for me, it’s something I love to do and the idea of doing it in the midst of nature’s warmth and beauty is one experience I definitely wouldn’t want to miss out on.
The options to choose from are numerous; whether it’s Hiking, Cycling, Swimming, or Running, finding what to do outdoors to move your body and break a sweat should be as easy as lacing up your favorite running shoes, hitting the road right in front of your house and walking down and back as many times as you can and for as long as you can.
You can even decide to step it up a notch higher by performing tight rope walks, side steps, side shuffles, stretch exercises, jumps or locating a park nearby to perform park-bench dips or park-bench push-ups. There’s virtually nothing you can do indoors that you can’t adapt to an outdoor setting, just make sure it’s enjoyable and exciting for you all the way through.
- Taking Long walks
I know we slightly mentioned this earlier but I think this is so simple yet very important that it deserves to be mentioned separately. Whether it’s a walk to the park, a walk in the woods, a stroll down the street or just choosing to walk a distance you’d otherwise commute like stopping at a station farther away from home or work or asking your ride to stop you a few miles away from your destination so you can walk the rest of it.
Walks within and around nature come highly recommended as several studies show that nature walks have better memory-promoting effects than walks in urban environments.
- Camping
Camping is another great idea for outdoor activities and is ideal for individuals across different age groups whether young or old and those with varying health conditions. Camping has become so popular today that there are various campsites available in different locations where you and your loved ones can go to experience and enjoy camp life.
You can also make campfires and perform various group activities around them as all this adds to the fun of spending a night outdoors. This experience can also come at a much lower cost if you can borrow a tent from a friend or family member so you wouldn’t have to bear the cost of buying or renting one.
- Everyday Activities
Spending time outdoors to obtain the benefits associated with it doesn’t mean you have to completely change your lifestyle. You can do most of the things you’d normally do daily but instead choose to do some of them outdoors rather than inside or on your desk. Below is a list of some of your daily activities which you can adapt to outdoor settings so that you get to spend less time inside and more time enjoying nature:- Work outside while working from home
- Do daily activities outside (checking your email, making phone calls, surfing the net, etc.)
- Take your lunch break outside
- Pick-up outdoor hobbies like photography, biking, hiking, outdoor yoga
- Take group walks either with colleagues at work or family at home.
- Plan at least one outdoor activity each weekend etc.
You can arguably fit most of the activities you do daily into outdoor settings. Just think it through and soon you’ll figure out how best to make it work.
Spending more time outside is arguably one of the easiest ways to improve your health and wellness. Now that it’s finally warm outside, you can take up the challenge to spend at least one hour every day outside and see if you feel healthier and happier.
The best rewards are those that you earn with hard work and dirty hands!
Remember they say that “the best things in life are free”. You’d be surprised at some of the priceless benefits that free “Mother Nature” holds for us all if only we would embrace her generosity
Make it a date with nature today and start enjoying some of life’s best gifts to humanity!
With Much Love and Respect as always! Xo!
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Disclaimer: Please note that I am not your doctor while I am a health coach by profession. This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice nor does it establish any kind of medical relationship between you and me. I will not be held liable for any damage resulting from or related to your use of this information.