4 Ways to Bring the Outside Inside
Being inside at work on a beautiful day is a situation that many of us face during the hot summer months. Staring out the window wishing you were outside can become a common past time during the day but it doesn’t have to be! Although most office jobs come with 4 walls and a roof, try incorporating some of these small changes into your day that will allow you to enjoy the outdoors when stuck indoors.
- Lunch Breaks
One of the easiest and simplest ways to get outside during the workday is to take your lunch break outside. Since you have to eat anyways, might as well do it in the great outdoors! Leave your phone and computer in the office and take the time to exhale and unplug. Even for short periods of time, being surrounded by nature can help decrease blood pressure, lower your heart rate, and reduce overall stress. To make the most of your lunch break, bring your lunch from home to avoid waiting in long food lines.
2. Walking Meetings
Take your meetings for a walk! Walking meetings will allow you to enjoy the outside air during the workday and give you that afternoon energy boost we all need! Not to mention the act of walking leads to an increase in creative thinking and helps to tear down walls between management and workers which can help strengthen relationships. Although not all meetings can be taken outside, try and make note of the ones that can, and suggest a ‘walk a block’ meeting next time.
3. Active Transit
If you live in the city, you know the struggle of sitting in traffic in the mornings, or being bumped around on a hot bus or subway car in a crowd of people. Not a great way to start your morning! If possible, ditch the car and transit and use active transportation (walking or biking) to get to work. It may mean waking up half an hour earlier to get to work on time, but your body will thank you by soaking up some extra Vitamin D! If you’re tight for time, get off your transit a few stops earlier or park in a lot that’s down the street, and spend the last 10 minutes of your commute taking in some fresh air.
4. Workout Outside
Ditch the gym and take your workout outside! Whether you’re a morning or evening gym goer, take advantage of the weather and use this time in your day to get outside. The summer is a perfect time to ‘freeze’ your gym membership and use the outdoors as your playground. Use apps like ‘map my run’ to plan a running route and finish off in a park for some body weight strength training. You can also check out your local community center to see if they offer workout classes outside during the summer months.
To learn more about improving wellness at work, contact us at www.sproutatwork.com
