Spending time in nature is one of my life’s greatest pleasures. Luckily, time in the great outdoors also produces three potential benefits for our mind and productivity.
- It can be a natural stress reliever. At least when it’s your choice and you are properly outfitted for the adventure, it provides a necessary break from the day-to-day tasks of life. It also is an almost guaranteed way to avoid having stress hijack your critical thinking skills.
As Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson explain in The Whole-Brain Child, “Research has shown that bodily movement directly affects the brain chemistry. So when one of your children has lost touch with his upstairs brain, a powerful way to him regain balance is to have him move his body.” And if it works for children, it most certainly will work for adults.
- It is a great way to bump up your creative thinking. When you walk, your brain is allowed time to process and problem-solve without the noise of your usual surroundings.
“Scientist inventor Nikola Tesla,” as outlined in Wrike’s E-book, 5 Strategies for Forming Team Productivity Habits, “worked everyday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and still took the time to walk 8 to 10 miles every day. He wrote that walking around allowed him to incubate ideas until they gave birth to those ‘eureka’ moments.”
Think about how you can incorporate time into your day to get moving and possibly even go for a walk.
- It offers personal reflection time. This past week I had the pleasure of snowshoeing in Big Sky Montana. I love the cold, the snow, and the hard work of climbing to see the beautiful views that await me. While hiking, I reflected on how important it is for me to glance at the prize, in this case the view, and when I am winded or tired, to focus on the few steps ahead of me, one step at a time. When it got tough, I challenged myself with counting 100 steps and then stopped to assess my progress. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself thinking that this is the approach that I need to embrace as I write that book I have been threatening, promising, even bragging to bestow upon the world.
According to Izzy Justice, Author of EPowerment, adults have an average of 80 experiences within one year, experiences from which they can learn and grow in wisdom. The best way to grow from those experiences? Process them, which means taking the time to reflect and glean lessons from the experience. Ask yourself what worked, what didn’t, and how you plan to move forward in a positive, productive manner. Sadly, adults only process and take advantage of three life experiences that could garner increased wisdom! Spending time in nature is a great way to process, reflect, and gain insight.
I encourage you to get outside and relieve your stress, think creatively, and reflect. It’s right outside your door. Better yet, take quite a few steps outside and start the journey to brilliance.