Burnout is a beast – loss of motivation, a decrease in satisfaction, moodiness and excessive fatigue are just some of the signs. Exercise, relaxation and mindfulness are all great ways to heal from burnout, but most of us spend way too much time indoors and we often forget just how healing spending time in nature can be.
Here are five ways that nature, and taking time out in nature, can help with burnout.
Early Morning Sunlight is best
We know that getting up and getting out for a walk is a great way to start the day – a hit of sunshine and Vitamin D is always good for the body. But getting outside in the morning can also help reduce depression, sleep problems and anxiety.
Using the morning sun to warm up your body gets the hormones that aid emotional wellbeing going for the day, while the sunshine tells your body to limit the production of melatonin – a sign to your mind that it is time to wake up.
An early morning routine can also help when you are ready to unwind at night, helping you to get a good night’s sleep. Let’s not forget the peacefulness of the early morning, when there aren’t many people out and about.
Change Your Natural Environments
We all have a spot in nature that we love to go to rejuvenate our minds and body, whether it be the bush, the beach or your local park. But each of these spots can help you feel differently. Leafy green spaces like national parks can give you a burst of energy and positivity, while being at the beach can bring a sense of calm. Heading out to the bush gives you a sense of freedom and wildness – the opportunity to shake off and leave the corporate world behind.
Changing up your natural environments can also help to keep your mind active as you find new experiences.
Make Your Own Space Green
We can’t always get out of the office and head down to the beach for lunch, so bringing nature into your work and home space can be a great way to get the benefits, without having to go looking for them. House plants are a popular way for people to bring nature indoors, with some of the best being orchids, the Peace lily, the Fiddle leaf fig and Lucky bamboo. You never know – you may find a new hobby!
Exercise Outside
If the gym is your place to exercise, switch it up one or two days a week and head outdoors. You don’t need to make this a hard fitness session either; something as simple as a leisurely walk, playing in the park with the kids or taking a bike ride on the weekend is a great way to still get exercise in, while reaping the benefits of being outdoors.
If yoga is more your style, find an outdoor class, or grab yourself an outdoor mat and head out into your backyard or your local park and spend some time meditating and stretching your body.
Being active helps to decrease your stress hormones, and can also help improve your mood, energy levels and promote a better quality of sleep due to the release of endorphins and serotonin.
Nature Activates Your Senses
Taking some time out in nature can activate those senses that usually get pushed aside when you are stressed and fatigued. When outdoors, take in the landscape and the small details. What do you hear? What can you see? Take the time to really ground yourself and feel the sensation of the ground through your shoes.
By taking the time to see the small things, and to reactivate our senses, we are taking the time to relax our mind and body, to realise that there is more than these things that causes us stress.
As we come up to a rather busy time of the year, where many of us don’t get to really take time to stop (despite all the holidays), take time to step out into nature. Go for that beach swim, explore that national park. Find your place in nature and heal your mind and body.
