Nature is considered the ultimate healer, but we humans are spending less time outdoors in our up-to-the-minute, fast-paced way of life. Did you know, we spend 90-95 per cent of our day, indoors? Think about it, apart from the few minutes it takes us to get to our cars or the preferred mode of transport we are always indoors – at home, the office, restaurants, the gym, and the movie theatre, everything we do for recreation is also indoors.
Numerous studies have revealed the positive effects of nature and the surrounding environment on mental and physical well-being. It also helps relieve stress and anxiety; boosts our immune system, creativity, and focus; and teaches us to live more in the present. Paediatric Behavioural Psychologist, Parul Ketkar highlight that three decades of being a practising psychologist has shown connecting with nature provides children as well as adults opportunities for recreation, mindfulness, personal development, social relations, and shared experiences. “There’s a reason why opening a window and taking a big, deep breath of fresh air brings you a sense of relief on a bad day. Oxygen fills your lungs, natural light hits your face, and your body relaxes,” said Ketkar. “Venturing outside can encourage you to live in the moment- notice the little wonders of life and appreciate the environment around you,” she added.
According to Ketkar, in today’s day and age, if you want to spend more time in the outdoors, you need to make a conscious effort to go back to living a simple tech-free life for a minimum of 120 minutes a week.
Here are tried and tested strategies that can serve as inspiration and incentive, or at least a little nudge in the right direction, hopefully, that’s outside:
Integrate Nature Indoors That Can Help As A Motivator
Switching up your indoor decor helps serve as a motivation. If you spend majority of your day in the office, you might want to try:
• Adding indoor plants
• Using furniture made of natural materials, such as wood
• Letting in as much sunlight as possible
• Hanging pictures and artwork of natural places
Start Early Morning
Try spending some time outside first thing in the morning. As a woman, 24 hours is not enough and you may have negligible moments for yourself throughout the day. However, try and squeeze in 10-15 minutes of outdoor time in the wee hours of the day – start your morning with sunshine. Take a walk, do stretches or simply sit in the balcony taking in nature’s love.
Make Spending Time Outdoors A Part Of Your Schedule
As yourself, what are some of the things you do every day that can be avoided? Netflix? doom scrolling on your phone? If you’re doing these, but you can’t find few minutes to get outside and spend time with yourself and nature, that means you’re not prioritising it.
Her Circle Recommends 30 Ways You Can Connect With Nature
1. Explore a local park
2. Check out a new neighbourhood
3. Park your car a km away and walk
4. Swing on a swing
5. Take your dog for an extra-long walk
6. Spend some time with your neighbours below the apartment building
7. Watch the sunset from a rooftop
8. See the sunrise once a week
9. Read a book on a park bench
10. Listen to a new album under the Sun
11. Journal about what you saw outside
12. Outdoor yoga
13. Start gardening
14. Ride your bike to buy groceries or to work
15. Feel sand in your toes
16. Plant a tree
17. Watch the moon rise
18. Count the stars in the night sky
19. Let your dog chase you
20. Surround yourself with trees
21. Stroll around the city
22. Stop and smell the flowers. Literally.
23. Listen to the birds
24. Play catch with your kids
25. Go on an outdoor scavenger hunt with your kids
26. Check out a local farmers' market
27. Take a walk before work
28. Take a walk after work
29. Listen to the ocean
30. #OptOutside