This week (10th -16th May 2021) is Mental Health Awareness Week and theme for this year is nature. This theme was chosen as during the first pandemic research by the Mental Health Foundation showed that going for walks outside was one of the top coping strategies for people, with up to 45% of us reporting the being in green spaces was vital for our Mental Health.
Many of us have spent most of our time in the last year stuck indoors and this Mental Health Awareness Week we are being encouraged to get out, reconnect and recharge with nature. We thought we would round up some top tips for reconnecting with nature while working from home:
1. Start your morning with a walk
If you are working from home, this time allows you to get outdoors and mimics a morning commute, ensuring that you feel refreshed and ready to work from home effectively.
2. Take a break and get outside
The temptation is strong when working from home to not take a proper break during the day and to eat your lunch ‘al desko’. However, it is important for your mental health to take a break away from the computer. Working from home has meant that it is easier to spend some time in the garden (when it’s not raining) or go for a walk to break up your day.
3. Explore your local area
Living in Scotland there are so many hidden gems all around and now that the restrictions have eased up there is no excuse for not going exploring in nature. From Munro ‘bagging’ to walks through a new local park – there are so many options on your doorstep for you to get out and explore.
4. Incorporate greenery into your workspace
It is important when working from home to have a dedicated workspace. One way to feel more connected to nature when working inside all day is to have some greenery in your workspace. Having greenery around you has been shown to increase happiness and heighten productivity.
5. Connect with others
Working from home has unfortunately meant less face to face time with friends and colleagues. Reach out to people and arrange a virtual lunch hour or coffee break where you can reconnect with people and check in on those around you.
