Taking a break in nature can improve your productivity.

There is something about stepping into the natural setting, breathing the outside air, that improves our overall mood while reducing stress. For me, going on a hike is one of the fastest ways I can unwind and refocus. Ideas have flowed while hiking up a hill or staring from a mountain ridge to a lake below. 

A study conducted by Ruth Ann Atchley et al showed that “higher-order cognitive skills improve with sustained exposure to a natural environment.” People were ‘smarter’ after spending time in nature.

“Attention Restoration Theory (ART) suggests that nature has specific restorative effects on the prefrontal cortex-mediated executive attentional system, which can become depleted with overuse. High levels of engagement with technology and multitasking place demands on executive attention to switch amongst tasks, maintain task goals, and inhibit irrelevant actions or cognitions.”

People were ‘smarter’ after spending time in nature.

There are indications that taking a break in the day to step outside can boost productivity as well as improve creativity.

Tips

Make sure you are taking a break

Take your break away from where you work

Step outside

Can’t step outside? Find a window to sit or stand in front of.

Michael Hyatt has a new book called Free to Focus. This is a great book to study about finding where your strengths lie in your business and placing yourself for better engagement and effectiveness.

Challenge

Take some time in nature within your work week schedule and reflect on how you felt after. Did your afternoon get getter?