As our days become filled with more hours of studying and working, we forget to take a step outside and enjoy some fresh air. I know people who can quite literally spend all day in their apartments, fixated either with their textbooks or their cellphones (mostly the latter).
How can anybody shut themselves away for the whole day?
Thomas Juster conducted a study through the University of Michigan in 2004 that concluded people are spending less than half the amount of time outside as they did 20 years ago. Think of all of the people you know who tend to stay inside a lot; think of how strange it may have seemed to you.
But let’s stop and ask ourselves the question: Am I just like them?
Do we really spend much time outside, as much as we think we do?
Spending time outdoors is incredibly beneficial, both to our mental and physical health. If we tried to list the reasons to take a step out into the green grass more often, it would be endless, and there are so many methods we can start using in order to get us outside on a daily basis.
The benefits of going outside are essential to our performance levels. It increases our concentration skills, according to a study conducted by Frances Kuo in the American Journal of Public Health. In the Journal of Aging Health, a study also showed that people who set aside time every day to spend outside have less trouble sleeping. These things, of course, are important to us because we as college students really need to get enough sleep if we are going to perform well in our coursework. We’re zombies if we have to sit in front of a computer all day, locked up in our bedrooms.
The problem we face as a society lies in motivation: We aren’t motivated by anyone or anything to go outside. A simple fix is using notes or alarms: Notes, both digital and printed on our desks, would remind us to get those 15 minutes outside, and alarms – well, we can easily label alarms on our cellphones now and title it something like, “Go Outside.” (Who doesn’t use the alarm system on their cellphone these days?)
We could even try laying aside a change of clothes in case we want to try exercising outdoors.
It’s important to remember that spending some time outside does not mean that we can’t do the things we would normally do: Much of what we do already can be done just as easily outdoors.
Homework – If you keep your laptop charged, you can work almost anywhere you want, and you can write papers outdoors.
If you normally listen to music for part of your day, do that outside.
Save the calls you have to make for when you are outdoors.
Write your personal and professional emails outdoors – plenty of places offer outdoor WiFi.
Or just relax: Don’t think you haven’t earned some time to do nothing; chances are you are going to have your lazy moments whether you are outside or not.
Give it a try; trade your one-window bedroom for a window that doesn’t close – the sky.
HC with care,
Megan Christine Hammer
Sources:
http://ns.umich.edu/Releases/2004/Nov04/teen_time_report.pdf