Fresh air for a fresh perspective
“A walk in the woods walks the soul back home.” - Mary Davis
The weather is improving (okay, most days) and spring is here. Yes, we live in Alberta and yes, there will likely be more snow before we can confidently put away our winter jackets and boots, but it’s not -30! So it’s time to….
...get outside!
You don’t need to be “outdoorsy” to get outdoors and reap the benefits of fresh air and your natural surroundings. One benefit we have in Fort McMurray is our proximity to forests. While all green space is wonderful, trees can make a significant impact on your mental health. Research out of Australia shows that adults outside with a good tree canopy cover were 30 per cent less likely to develop psychological stress.
Not quite ready to put on the hikers and hit the trails? That’s okay too. Whatever your outdoor activity, science tells us that two hours/week outside can improve your health and wellbeing. And it doesn’t have to be two hours in one go. Smaller blocks of time work just as well. So let’s start with 20 minutes a day and see how it goes.
We’ve put together a list of our favourite ways to easily get some outdoor time.
Go for a “walking meeting” with a colleague. Hands up, who’s tired of Zoom meetings? Working from home where possible is important to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but we also know transmission remains low outside. For your next one-on-one meeting with a colleague, pour coffee in thermos cups, put on your shoes and go for a 20-30 minute walk. Need to stop and take notes? Find a bench in the sunshine and get productive!
Move your workout outside. Whether your workout of choice is yoga, running, walking, or strength training, there’s nothing to say you can’t do any of it outside! Find a bench and do tricep dips. Try pull-ups at the monkey bars. Roll out your mat on your patio or find a patch of grass for some sun salutations.
Give gardening a try. We’re not suggesting you need to overhaul your yard and all of a sudden become a master gardener. If that’s your vision, have at ‘er. But for many of us, that’s a bit intimidating and frankly, never going to happen. However, it could be as simple as a flower pot on your front steps. Get your kids to help you water it each day after school. And see if you can keep it alive — as a team effort! Interacting with plants and nature can reduce depression and anxiety.
Take your lunch (or dinner) outside. BBQ season is basically here, if you even stopped for the winter — it is Canada after all. Set up a picnic table in your yard, on the deck or at a nearby park and enjoy your meal in the great outdoors. Added bonus? When you breathe in the beautiful smells of nature, you will also get a waft of sizzling steak on the BBQ. That’s a win-win in our books!
An after-dinner stroll. Not only is this good for digestion, but giving everyone in your family a blast of fresh air after dinner can burn off energy and help reset after a challenging day at school, the office or home. Twenty minutes around the block with a quick stop at the playground can do wonders for your mental health — and help with sleep as well!
These are just a few of our favourite ways to get outside for at least 20 minutes a day. Have some more ideas? Let us know in the comments below!