Have you been trying to convince your boss to allow you to work outside in the sunshine on your laptop? We have a few points to help you build your case that your productivity will be increased, and overall happiness enhanced.
Being outside, even for a small amount of time, is proven to bring a wealth of different benefits. According to a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research, even just 20 short minutes in an urban park can make a world of difference.
If your kind of work (and boss) allows, you should consider working outside sometime in the Scottish sun – when the weather permits. Depending on your day’s tasks, there may be some admin projects or emails that can be completed outside that’ll allow you to stock up on that vitamin D.
Perhaps you can suggest that your team hold their weekly catch ups or brainstorming sessions outside. As well as boosting happiness, holding meetings in unfamiliar environments is proven to boost creativity – making it the ideal location for hosting a brainstorming session if you’re trying to come up with new ideas for projects.
Changing up your working environment is always a good idea – particularly if your job is predominately office-based. Spending even a few hours outside in the sun may show significant improvements on your well-being and overall mood.
Throughout this blog, we’ll cover five of the most important benefits you can reap from working outside.
1. Increasing your happiness
It’s scientifically proven that spending time outdoors can boost your happiness, as well as your creativity – which can only be a positive thing for your work! The psychological benefits include reducing anxiety and stress to increasing our attention span and our ability to connect with others.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your workload and can’t take your laptop out to finish off work, try to break up your day by enjoying even a short walk on your lunch break. Scientists’ research suggests that even 20 minutes of practicing this will massively boost your mood before your return to the office.
A recent study amongst 3000 employees and managers showed that spending less than 30 minutes outdoors found 45% increase in productivity – it’s a no brainer.
2. Give your eyes a rest
It’s recommended that regular breaks are taken when working or studying to increase productivity and lower stress. It’s suggested that we should practice the 20-20-20 rules where every 20 minutes, you should look away from your screen and focus on a distant object (20 feet away) for 20 seconds.
Millions of employees worldwide who do their work on a laptop/computer are reporting symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome (also known as Digital Eye Strain) that occurs from prolonged exposure to digital screens.
Try practicing the 20-20-20 rule on your lunch break if you’d spending time on your mobile.
3. Boosting your energy
Fill your lungs with fresh air and get out of that stuffy office. Get outdoors and escape the reused oxygen filling your room. Simply being outside will increase your oxygen intake which will impact your energy levels and provide you with a newfound burst of energy for your work.
Once you boost your energy levels, you’ll find yourself tackling more tasks with more motivation and a much calmer, clearer mind.
4. Mental and physical benefits
Working outside in the sun isn’t just a nice change of scenery but is also full of both mental and physical benefits. When your skin is exposed to sunlight, it makes vitamin D within your body which helps strengthen your immune system, boost your mood, lower your blood pressure, and fight off various illnesses. As well as gaining all the goodness given from the sun, leaving your desk and going a walk or working outside will help with your posture and reduce those desk pains.
