For many of us, our workdays include a hefty amount of screen time. Whether you’re crunching numbers, building a website, or reading emails, most professionals find themselves sitting in front of a screen for at least a portion of their day. So, if most of your work takes place inside, how can spending time in the natural world impact your success? For many of us, there are multiple ways in which it can be beneficial. Whether you live near the woods or ocean, or you have a small park in your town, carving out some time in your schedule to spend outside can help you be more efficient and effective in your work. Here’s how:

Increase Energy

When we spend time in nature, we’re often moving. Whether walking, jogging, or swimming, that movement is a great way to cultivate some energy. Even simply breathing in the fresh air can have a positive effect. Getting active can help you generate a sustainable energy that’s more reliable than the ephemeral burst you might get from a cup of coffee.

De-Stress

Getting outside is also a great way to de-stress. Stress hinders our productivity and can push us towards burnout. There’s no getting around the fact that many of us have stressful work environments, at least from time to time, so finding a way to balance that out is key. Taking a brief walk in the woods, for example, can help you detach from the cycle of work-stress and allow you to return to your work feeling calmer and more focused.

Make Space for Creativity

In addition to reducing stress, spending time in nature can also increase creativity. When you get outside and observe the things around you, you can often clear your mind and boost your mood. This helps us to better use our more creative side of the brain. Whether you consider your work to be creative or not, most professionals can benefit from a boost in creative thinking. You might be developing a new marketing campaign or facing a challenging problem, for example. In these situations, accessing your creative thinking skills can help you find the best results.

Find Balance

There are so many hobbies we can do outside. While it can be a bit more challenging in the winter months depending on where you live, many of us can still find activities that get us out in the fresh air. Regularly engaging in a hobby is a great way to support a healthy work-life balance. It can help us transition from work to our personal lives or it can simply give us something to focus on outside of our jobs.

Spending more time in nature can be an unconventional way to boost success. From clearing our minds to energizing our bodies, getting outside can help us achieve a more optimal state in which to work. What about you? Do you find that time in nature affects the way you work? How do you make time for this in your schedule? I’d love to hear your thoughts.