Why Your Day Will Get Better Once You Get Outside

Photo by Zoshua Colah on Unsplash

Feeling a little bit off today? Sluggish, stuck in your own head? 

It happens to everyone. What’s important is to recognize that this isn’t how your life should look, and it’s not good for your health. No matter why you feel like this, you won’t feel better if you’re stuck staring at a screen and bouncing between tabs. Quite the contrary, in fact, you’ll feel even worse. 

The simplest fix is to get out of the house. Seriously. Even if you just step outside for 10 minutes, it can help with your mood and your mind. 

It’s not a magic wand that will take all your problems away, but some help is better than no help, right? 

Benefits of Getting Outside

To say that being outside ‘helps’ is a very vague statement, so let’s see exactly what getting out will do for you. 

Improved Physical Health

When you’re outside, you can’t help but move your body more. 

Maybe you’re walking your dog, gardening a little, taking a short walk, etc. Whatever it is, it gets you moving, and that’s important for your health in general. Your whole system wakes up, and you notice that you no longer feel sluggish and slow anymore. 

Once you go back inside, you’re more energized, plain and simple. 

Less Stress and Anxiety

There’s no chill pill for your brain, but being outdoors is the closest you can get to it. 

It tells your body’s stress system to take a break and lowers the stress hormones that keep you on edge. The fresh air and the sounds of birds and leaves are infinitely more calming than the hum your computer makes. 

It’s a relief for your mind, and it leaves you feeling calmer and more settled. 

Better Focused and More Mental Clarity

Sometimes, your brain is simply fried, and you can’t concentrate on anything, no matter how hard you try. 

So what should you do? Get outside, of course. 

When you’re in nature, you don’t have to be laser-focused like you do when you stare at a screen. Your mind can finally relax and wander, so the part of your brain that’s responsible for concentration gets a much-needed break. 

Better Mood

Sunlight tells your brain to be happy, and your brain listens to it. 

Of course, a lot more goes on between your brain and the sun than just this, but bottom line, sunlight actually makes you happier. 

It encourages the release of chemicals that naturally boost your mood, and when you add to that the beauty of the trees and the blue skies, a bad mood doesn’t stand a chance. 

How to Make the Most of Your Time Outdoors

You might be sold on the idea of being outside, but you’re too busy for that and don’t have a few hours every day to spend in your backyard or walking around. 

That’s totally fine because you don’t need to spend half a day in the fresh air to get the benefits. 

Start small. Every effort counts, so instead of taking a 10-minute break to scroll on your phone, take a 10-minute walk. Or sit on your front steps for 5 minutes and just breathe. Those 5 minutes are enough to make you feel better, and besides, you don’t want to turn getting outside into a chore. 

You can also pair being outside with doing what needs to be done, like gardening or landscaping. If your wheelbarrow has a wobbly wheel, then what you can do is check out wheelbarrow tires for sale to make sure you’ve got a spare wheel for fixing, and perhaps a backup just in case you need it later. If your tools aren’t working or are damaged, you can get new tools. This way, you’re ready to go whenever you decide to do chores. 

That way, you did the task, and you spent time in the sun and fresh air. A double win! Of course, make sure you have the right tools for the job you’re doing, because if you don’t, you’re just adding to the stress instead of enjoying your time outside.

It’s all in the details. 

The most important part of this is not to overthink it. 

If you have flower beds to weed, maybe listen to a podcast while you’re doing it. If you have a habit of drinking coffee every morning, get out and drink it on your porch. 

If you’re taking a phone call, walk around the block while you talk. The focus actually isn’t on what you do once you’re outside, it’s just about getting out there. 

Conclusion

You know when your house feels stuffy, and you open your window to let the fresh breeze in? It changes everything. 

That’s what getting outside for even a few minutes does for your day. It’s the perfect cure for your afternoon slump or times when you can’t get your brain to focus. It’s free, healthy, and super easy to do because you don’t need to have a schedule for it. Wing it and see what happens. 

Give it a week, and you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel.