Outdoor Living

Simple & Sustainable

Spending time outdoors is one of the simplest ways to reset. It slows your heart rate, lowers your stress, and clears your mental fog.

It gives you permission to breathe.

A 2019 study from the University of Michigan found that just 20 minutes in nature, even without exercise, significantly reduced cortisol levels. (Finally something useful to come out of Michigan. Go Buckeyes!). Sitting on a park bench or standing in your yard was enough to calm your system.

Another study from Stanford showed that people who walked through green spaces had fewer negative, looping thoughts and quieter activity in the part of the brain tied to rumination. In short, nature helps us stop overthinking.

But it doesn’t stop there. Here are the top ways being outside can benefit you:

• Reduced Stress

  Nature lowers cortisol levels, which helps calm your nervous system and ease anxiety.

• Improved Focus and Clarity
  Being outdoors gives your brain a break from overstimulation, improving attention and mental clarity.

• Better Sleep
  Natural light helps regulate your circadian rhythm, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

• Boosted Mood
  Fresh air and sunlight increase serotonin, which can lift your mood and reduce symptoms of depression.

• Stronger Connection to the Present
  Outdoor time pulls you away from screens and routines, helping you slow down and become more aware of your surroundings and yourself.

And the best part, is that it doesn’t have to be a whole thing.

Below I’ve included some Daily Doables, to give you a few ideas on how to take advantage of the outdoors without making a huge investment of time, money, or energy.

Daily Doables

7 Ways to Get Outside This Week. Simple shifts to soak up the outdoors without overthinking it.

Monday: Coffee Outside

Bring your drink outdoors and sit for five to ten minutes. No phone. Just you and the morning.

Tuesday: Sunset Walk

After dinner, take a short walk around the block or through your yard. Let it signal the end of your day.

Wednesday: Meal in the Fresh Air

Eat lunch on your porch, patio, or a picnic bench. If you are at work, park somewhere quiet and eat with the windows down.

Thursday: Barefoot Break

Step outside barefoot on the grass or dirt. It is grounding, calming, and just plain fun.

Friday: Light a Fire

A fire pit, candle, or even some string lights can turn your evening into something special. Bonus points for s’mores. (Just watch out for them skeeters…yikes.)

Saturday: Backyard Project

Tend to your garden, sweep your patio, or plant something small. It does not have to be big. Just something hands-on. (Bonus points for helping someone else instead.)

Sunday: Sit and Listen

Take five quiet minutes outdoors to listen. Birds, wind, distant traffic, whatever is there. Let the noise of nature replace the noise in your head.

Parting Points

Sometimes the best way to clear your head is to just step outside.

No big plan necessary. No need to wait for the perfect weather. Just a few quiet minutes with the sky and the air and whatever is out there.

It does not have to change your life. But it might change your day.

Yours in Simplicity,