Did you know that we Brits spend 90% of our time inside? Between sleeping, working, and spending evenings on the couch, most of us only have a distant relationship with the outside world.
But there are good reasons to endeavour to spend more time outside. It can be excellent for boosting mental and physical well-being, for instance, and it can also just be a whole lotta fun, especially when compared to scrolling through social media or watching YouTube videos.
Of course, there are reasons why many of us spend a lot of time indoors, but most of them can be overcome with a little bit of work. In this post, we’ll run through some handy tips that should significantly increase the amount of time you spend outdoors.
Put On Your Adventurer’s Cap
You might want to spend time outdoors, but ask yourself, but where could I go? If you live in an urban area, then the thought of spending your free time walking around the concrete streets probably isn’t overly appealing.
But the good news is that wherever you live, you’ll almost certainly have a green open space that is just waiting to be explored. After all, only 10% of the UK is ‘built-on,’ so you can’t be too far from a place that would be nice to take a walk.
Looking to turbocharge the amount of time you spend outside? Then invest in camping gear — with the right supplies, you’ll be able to spend a comfortable weekend in nature on a regular basis.
Invest In Warm, Waterproof Clothing
We have to mention the UK’s weather when we’re talking about how little most of us spend outside.
It’s not the outside world we dislike, but the weather! But this is a good opportunity to remember what the Scandinavians say, which is, there’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. With thermal underwear, a warm waterproof coat, and outside-ready footwear, you’ll find that not only can you manage being outside during inclement weather, but that you can thrive in it. In fact, once you’ve got your all-weather clothing, you’ll find that you can spend significantly more time outside, since those rainy days won’t necessarily need to put a dampener on your plans.
Hack Your Commute
Most of us spend 8+ hours inside during the workday. We also spend a fair amount of time inside — in our cars or on trains — around our workday, too.
You probably can’t convince your employer to let you work outside, but you might be able to change your commute to allow you to spend time outside. Cycling to work is increasingly popular, offering a healthy way to increase your connection to the outside world. If that’s not possible, then consider parking a lot further away from the office than normal, or getting off at the train station before your usual stop. That can provide an easy opportunity to spend a little time walking to and from work, which can be a great way to start and finish your day.
Feature image taken from Pexels: CC0 Licence
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