words Al Woods
Spending more time outdoors is something we should all focus on if we want better health and wellbeing both now and in the future. The majority of people spend most of their time indoors, what with work, screens, and the many things that keep us glued to the sofa day in, day out.
This is why making an effort to spend more time outdoors now is more important than ever. We need fresh air and we need vitamin D for health and happiness – sitting in the house stagnating every day is not a good or healthy way to live.
With that in mind, below you’ll find 14 smart ways to spend more time outdoors. Take a look:
Get A Nature Based Hobby
How about trying out a nature based hobby such as geocaching? Developing an interest in something nature based is a really smart way to get outside more and you’ll have something super satisfying to spend time on. Here are some ideas:
- Birdwatching
- Hiking
- Camping
- Foraging
- Rock climbing
- Metal detecting
- Horse Riding
- Kayaking
- Parasailing
- Roller skating
Buy Outdoorsy Items As An Incentive
Purchase some outdoorsy items that will give you an incentive to get outside. For example, you could get some walkie talkies to use with your friends/family, and even invest in some outdoor gear, like a rain jacket and sturdy boots. A drone could even be a great idea if you’re interested in that kind of thing – plus, drones from places like https://www.drdrone.ca/ can be great for nature photography. You can take some great, unique pictures from a totally new perspective with a good drone.
Join A Club
Maybe you could join a club if you don’t feel like going it alone. Hiking, kayaking, running, and similar activities can all be done as part of a club, and having that group atmosphere can really help to keep you going. You might even meet some great friends and like minded people along the way. Some people prefer to spend their time outdoors alone, others like company. Knowing which type of outdoorsy person you are will help you to decide what to do.
Get A Book Filled With Walking Routes And Work Your Way Through It
Find a book filled with walking routes in your area and begin working your way through it. This could be something you save for weekends or days off, and you could make whole days of them by taking picnic food with you and enjoying the scenery. You’ll likely discover places you didn’t even know existed in your own area!
Do Up Your Garden
If your garden isn’t inspiring you to spend more time outdoors, then try to do it up so you can spend more time in it and enjoy yourself. Create spaces for reading, relaxing, and using your imagination. If you have kids, make sure they have spaces they can spend time and enjoy themselves, too. Have seating areas, lighting, and some more private areas where you can sit and think without prying eyes peeping in. Don’t forget to decorate it just like you would any other room in your home, using accessories, color, and anything else you can think of. Think of it as an extension of your home, not an afterthought.
Do Every Day Activities Outside
Try to get into the habit of doing every day activities outside. You could eat lunch outside, read outside, and even enjoy your morning cup of coffee outside. There are many things you do inside that you could likely do outside, whether permitting. Plus, if you make the effort to do this, the rest of the family likely will, too.
Try Your Hand At Gardening
Gardening is a very satisfying hobby, and can be something you use to enrich your life if you plan to plant herbs, veg, and other useful things. You could even plant things like lavender to enjoy the benefits. Even if you choose to simply maintain your garden without anything fancy, you’ll spend time outside and have a good way to stay reasonably fit, complete with vitamin D and fresh air.
Plan A Camping Trip
Why not get back to nature by planning a camping trip? You don’t need to go far, and you could even rent out a camper van or a ready built tent with luxuries if you’re not ready to ‘rough it’. However, as long as you vow to stay away from technology and really take in nature all around you, you’ll have a fun time and appreciate the break from the stresses of the real world.
Plan Outdoor Activities With Friends
See if you can plan more outdoor activities with your friends rather than going out for food or drinks. It’s normal to ask your friends for coffee or food when you haven’t seen them for a while, as it allows you to catch up. However, planning outdoor activities could be a healthier option. You could even take some healthy snacks to compensate for the absence of food.
Give Yourself A Step Goal
If you give yourself a rough step goal for the day, having something to aim for could give you an incentive to get up and get moving more. For example, if you don’t get many steps in right now then 8,000 might be a good goal. You can gradually add steps on until you’re challenging yourself but at a sustainable level. You might wonder how to bump your steps up, but it’s pretty easy when you schedule in little walks. You can also:
- Park further away from your destination.
- Walk short journeys rather than driving.
- Get up from your desk every 30 minutes and do a lap of the garden.
- Set walking reminders on your phone.
- Download an app or get a fitness tracker.
Get A Bike
A bike is a really useful thing to have when you’re trying to spend more time outdoors and get healthier. You could bike to work if you plan a little more carefully providing it’s not too far away and you don’t mind biking home afterwards. If you think about it you could probably bike instead of drive to many places you go.
Walk A Dog
You can volunteer to walk dogs at shelters, so not having a dog is no excuse. If you like dogs, see if there are shelters nearby where you can go to volunteer to walk them. You’ll make some amazing new friends and stay active, all while keeping a dog without a home happy. Just be warned – you might be tempted to adopt one!
Find An Outdoor Bootcamp or Exercise Class
See if there’s an outdoor bootcamp or exercise class you can join that could encourage you to stay healthy and active while spending time outdoors. This must be something you’ll stick to though, so don’t sign up to something that you don’t think you’ll enjoy. The goal is to spend more time outside for health – you don’t necessarily need a solid ‘fitness’ goal.
Make It A Habit
Making habits is more effective than waiting for motivation to strike. Motivation is actually quite rare, and we probably wouldn’t get anything done if we waited for it. You can make a habit by getting outside at the same time each day, even if it’s just for 10 minutes. Try to build it into your day naturally, so you can build on your new habit.
How are you going to spend more time outdoors, and do you have any advice? Leave a comment!
