We used to spend all of our time outside—way back when we were cavepeople. Since then, a lot has changed.
We need to get back outside.
As the built environment expanded and our priorities shifted, we’ve found ourselves on the other side of that coin. The average American spends 90% of their time indoors. This is an epidemic, and it is taxing our quality of life.
What are the consequences of being indoors?
Time indoors leads to a lack of exposure to our coexistence with nature and its benefits. We need sunlight, fresh air, and organic foods to be healthy. When these things are seen as a privilege, our health becomes transactional. The answers are not found in the perfect chemical composition but rather in a rich intake of nature. The more nature we add to our lives, whether it’s in our diet, movement, hobbies, or careers, the more healing, growing, and flourishing we’re capable of. Learning how we can spend more time outside is the first step.
Our relationship with nature.
We need nature to thrive. There is no world where you can be the best version of yourself without a relationship with nature. Contrary to what we’re led to believe by those who profit from exploiting our environment, we cannot live without nature. We are part of nature, and our coexistence is crucial to the sustainability and vitality of all biodiversity.
Instead of fixating on the laundry list of what is harmful about spending time inside, our focus is better spent on incorporating time in nature back into our lives. We’ve created a world where value is found in what man makes, but that value is leading us to disease, illness, and depression. Where there is a creation by man, there is an inspiration in nature.
We create our own vitamin D from the sun, yet we’re told to avoid the sun because of its cancer-causing consequences and take a supplement instead. Yes, overexposure to the sun can lead to skin cancer, but overexposure to anything is bad for our health.
We have the land and resources to farm the various array of produce we need to add all of the necessary nutrients into our diet. Instead, only some of us have access to the foods we need to be healthy, and yet many in that minority still opt for powders, pills, and poisons. Everything we need is found in nature, but we’re told the opposite and take the accessibility others have to it away from them.
The toxicity of the indoors.
Deprivation from nature leads to negative consequences on our moods, sleep, and mental health. Exposure to the toxicity of too much time indoors from both chemicals housed in our indoor spaces and lack of time in nature can lead to asthma, heart disease, depression, and more. There are so many negative outcomes from chronic time indoors with not a lot of good to back it up. When we spend too much time indoors, our bodies literally start to crumble. It’s a cry for help to reconnect with the things that make us human.
Being indoors deprives us of crucial vitamins, regulators, and cleansers. There are toxic chemicals found in the air in our homes and buildings that lead to illness from overexposure. It’s important to work on removing these products from our homes, and improving the health of our indoor spaces should be a priority. Leave your windows open as often as you can and read the ingredients on your cleaning, laundry, and household products. There is always a natural alternative to a chemical household product.
We aren’t meant to be inside all day, and we are definitely not meant to be sitting under fluorescent lights while doing it. The combination of the issues found in chronic time indoors is what leads to the devastations we are encountering. Little fixes on their own may not have more than the effect of making you feel better, but isn’t feeling a little bit better a win? Furthermore, combining the little things you start to do with consistency will leave you with a brand new life before you know it.
What are the benefits of being outdoors?
Spending the majority of your day outside will improve your sleep, health, mood, physical health, immune health, and mental health. Spending time outside works to regulate your circadian rhythm, increase the fresh air you bring into your lungs, produce more vitamin D, improve digestion, broaden your perspective, find inspiration, and reduce anxiety symptoms. There are countless benefits to rediscovering how your life fits into the outside world, and it starts with making some changes to your current lifestyle.
How to spend more time outside.
Eat your meals outside.
Start by taking your morning coffee outside. Don’t bring your phone. Take this time to exist uninterrupted by the built world. If you have an outdoor space where you live, create a place where you can eat your meals if you don’t already. Do your cooking inside, then eat your meals outside, again uninterrupted. See how this changes not only the way you feel during mealtime but also how the extra time outside improves your day. If you eat lunch at work, find an outdoor space you can rely on every day. Wear a hat if that helps to ease your mind about overexposure to the sun.
Take breaks outside.
When I worked in an office, I prioritized outdoor time every day. When I hit a focus rut, I would go for a walk around the block. We had benches outside of our building where I would eat my lunch in the sun every day. When I had a longer business call to make, I turned it into a walk. The prioritizing of outdoor time is what got me outdoors, it didn’t happen magically. Any effects of chronic time indoors from an office job weren’t as strong for me and I left work feeling light and ready for my afternoon rather than defeated.
When I was a student, I broke every study session up with fresh air. I went to Michigan, so using the “cold weather” card as an excuse to stay inside is not going to work here. Put on a jacket, and go outside. Even when it was below freezing outside, I took my study breaks in the fresh air. Sometimes, the biting cold from the Michigan winter air was exactly the kind of wake-up my brain needed.
Exercise outside.
Ditch the gym and get outside. I’m not saying not to move your body; if anything, it’s the opposite. Seek movement in all aspects of your life, and do it outside! If you live in a place with enjoyable weather year-round, consider yourself blessed. It took less than the 4.5 years it took to earn my degree in the Midwest to discover a newfound appreciation for the weather back home in California. Finding ways to move your body and spend time outside in ways you enjoy will change your life. Especially if you work a job indoors, movement is a perfect activity to take to the outdoors.
Not everyone can make a career change, but if you’re a student looking for a summer job or someone entering a self-exploration chapter, I highly recommend looking at jobs outdoors. When you’re working on your feet and moving all day, you’re getting exposed to two of the best things in a healthy lifestyle. Working as a surf instructor for me was definitely physically taxing and sometimes mentally exhausting, but I was healthy and happy, so the benefits definitely paid off.
Change up your movement.
My favorite ways to move outside are surfing, running, skateboarding, hiking, walking, yoga, and at-home workouts on the lawn. The right way to move your body is the way that makes you feel good and hopefully, one you enjoy not only after it’s over but also while you’re moving.
If you’re a woman, sync your movement with your cycle. Go for a walk one day, do an outdoor workout class the next, surf if you live by the ocean, rent a bike, try rollerblading, swim in a local body of water or an outdoor pool, or do a YouTube workout on your lawn or in a park. If it’s raining, do yoga in the rain; if it’s snowing, run in the snow. Embrace the elements and reconnect your mind and body with the pace of nature. Humans are meant to feel the seasons, so unless there is a safety advisory for the current weather you’re having, a little humidity is an OK condition to run in. If your weather is just too intense to find a way to move outside, that’s when the gym is a good solution. Global warming is happening, after all.
Work outside.
This is a hard one since working outside can hinder focus. If you don’t have a proper focus space set up outside, your time can quickly be ineffective. I felt this deeply in college because I wanted to take advantage of the nice days by studying outside, but that often led to less studying actually happening. At home, we have an outdoor table in the shade that is perfect for working. Working outside also allows my dog to spend time outside which is so important for his health. Dogs are meant to be outside more than humans, and simply letting them out for walks or to go to the bathroom is not enough. Dogs crave sun, and grass, and nature just as much as we do. Find some new hiking or walking trails that you and your dog can do together as you start to bring your movement outdoors.
Fresh air in the morning.
I used to go for a walk right when I woke up. Even in the middle of the Michigan winters, I walked. Now my morning walk has turned into a morning yoga after my morning pages and meditation. At home, I do my yoga on the grass to get some grounding. If I’m somewhere without grass, I will use my mat or whatever I have. Doing some kind of movement in the fresh air in the morning is what your body craves. Give it a try.
If it’s snowing, put on your coat and boots. If you live in an apartment building, it may be harder to get outside, but that makes it more crucial than any other living situation. Whatever your current housing accommodation is, make it a priority to get outside within the first few minutes of your day. This is a ritual that will change your life. If you’re interested in learning more about my morning habits, you can read the blog post here.
Commute by walking or biking.
The unfortunate reality for many of us is that we don’t live in walkable cities. However, there may be things we can walk to that we are overlooking with our overreliance on cars. Rethink your commute to work, errands, and your social events and see if any are within walking distance. If you’re in college, take advantage of your walkable community! The thing I miss most about my college town was being able to walk everywhere I went. If you live in a city, combine public transportation with your walks to get to your destination. Your health and the planet will thank you for adding more walking to your commutes.
If you have a bike, ride it! Biking is such a fun way to get from point A to point B. Why don’t we do it as often. My town is pretty hilly, but that’s where e-bikes are a great tool. If a bike or an e-bike is within your purchasing budget, you should definitely consider one. I also love to skateboard around town, and would skate to class back in college if I was running late. However, I am typing this with a skating injury. When cycling, skating, or doing anything on wheels, make sure to wear a helmet and pads!
Park far away.
If you’re in the habit of trying to park as close as you can when you get to your destination, try the opposite. Park when you’re a block or two from where you’re trying to go. You may even find a spot faster and you won’t deal with the stress that comes with fighting for a perfect spot, which are bonuses. Cruise into a spot within walking distance and enjoy an unplugged mini-commute to your destination. Don’t go on your phone or put in earbuds while walking, just walk. Let your mind, ears, and eyes wander to wherever they want to go. Finding little ways like this to spend time outside may change your life.
Go camping.
There’s no better way to reconnect with nature than to fully immerse yourself in it. If you’re new to camping, book a cabin somewhere and try “glamping.” If you’re overdue for a camping trip, I know I am; grab a friend and book a campsite somewhere close to home for a night or a weekend. Camping is like a catalyst for feeling good and inspired again. Check out this site to get a camping trip underway!
Ditch the screens.
If your main hobby is your phone, it’s time to change the narrative. Ask yourself what you are seeing on your phone that you actually want to be doing. Then go do it. If you’re on your phone or listening to music while you’re outside, stop doing that and see how you feel. Spending more time outside is one thing, but intentional time outside is where the magic really happens.
If you have any other suggestion on how to bring your life outside, drop them in the comments! I am constantly finding fun new ways to spend time outside.
References
Scott. “Here Are the Negative Effects of Staying Indoors Too Long.” PricePro Pharmacy, July 21, 2021. https://www.pricepropharmacy.com/here-are-the-negative-effects-of-staying-indoors-too-long/.
US EPA, ORD. “Indoor Air Quality.” Reports and Assessments, November 2, 2017. https://www.epa.gov/report-environment/indoor-air-quality.
