Getting organised to enjoy the outdoors
4 minute read
The sun is shining outside as I’m writing this and it feels like summer has definitely arrived! As we know, though, British summertime can be temperamental – and so I’m hoping to go for a stroll in the park later to make the most of it. I’m lucky enough to have one nearby and I’ve been trying to go for a short walk everyday since the beginning of the year. I don’t always manage it – but, whenever I do, I can almost feel my shoulders drop as I go through the gate and start walking under the trees...
APDO member Karen Woodman shares how being organised can help us get outside and what the benefits might be.
Maybe it’s my imagination, but I know it’s backed up by research – this BBC podcast about the benefits of nature explains that being outdoors (and especially seeing green trees) actually creates a change in our nervous systems and can lower our blood pressure, as well as our levels of stress hormones like cortisoland adrenaline. The charity Mind also describes how spending time in nature has benefits for our mental health too, like improving our mood and potentially lessening feelings of anxiety or anger.
And the good news is that we don’t even need to leave the house, as the research suggests that just having some flowers at home can help (top tip: white or yellow roses are apparently the most calming) or even looking at pictures of nature – so simply changing our laptop background/screensaver to an image of trees could have a positive effect on our stress levels!
How organisation can help
However, sometimes things can get in the way of enjoying the outdoors easily – whether that’s too much stuff or not enough time... but having the sunshine as an extra incentive might help us to tackle those areas.
Here are 3 ideas – and if you can get things ready now then you’ll be able to enjoy the benefits for the rest of the summer...
ISSUE: garden furniture and/or outdoor toys are buried under other stuff in a shed or garage and it can feel like too much effort to get them out.
YOU COULD TRY... setting a timer for 30 minutes to start tackling the space – bring summer items to the front and see if you can give away anything that’s no longer needed, to give yourself more room. These things often take less time than we think – and once you’ve made a start then it’ll hopefully be easier to finish, even if it takes longer than the initial 30 minutes. If you’ve got a lot then you could also stick a list on the door of where things are so that it’s easier to find and so nothing gets forgotten.
ISSUE: planning a walk (or a bigger outdoor adventure) can feel like a lot to do and you’ve lost half the afternoon by the time you’ve sorted the logistics – or it feels too much to even start.
YOU COULD TRY... making a list in advance of potential walks and/or outdoor activities that you’d like to do, maybe with a variety of timings (i.e. some short local walks and some longer trips/experiences etc.) Have the basic information ready for each, so that you can get going with minimal preparation once you have the right weather & time. You could even create a bingo card and turn it into a game – see how many you can cross off over the summer!
ISSUE: a spontaneous walk or picnic can be slowed down (or given up on) by having to hunt for all the various items needed before anyone can set off.
YOU COULD TRY... gathering together anything you might need for a walk/picnic/games in the park, so you’re ready to go when the sun shines (or if you don’t have space to keep a ‘picnic kit’ at the ready then try making a list of what you’ll want to take – and maybe a reminder of where it is – and then you can at least gather it more quickly when needed).
Plan ahead to stay present
Being outside is a great way to connect with family & friends, as well as getting active – but if we’re taking a solo walk then it’s easy to be distracted by looking at our phones or ruminating on issues, rather than actively enjoying where we are. If that happens then it can be helpful to think ahead about how we could be more intentional – like setting an alarm for 10 minutes of ‘phone-free’ time at the start of the walk (or not even taking our phones with us).
We can also consider ways to help us focus on our surroundings while we’re there... for example, I try to take at least one tree photo while I’m in the park – as that means that I have to actually look at the trees rather than being in my head (added benefit: I now have a great album of tree pictures that I can look at if I ever need a calming green ‘fix’ at another time!) Or tuning into our senses can help (i.e. what can you see/hear/smell etc.) or seeing how many different birds/flowers/trees/colours we can spot...
So, however you choose to enjoy some nature, all at APDO are wishing you the best for the summer ahead – whether you’re strolling in the park, planning a bigger outdoor adventure or just appreciating a flowery screensaver!
And if you’d like any help with organising your outdoor spaces or equipment (or anything else) then just head to our Find an Organiser page to look for someone to help.
Now, the sun is still shining and so I’m off to the park...
Karen is an APDO member and founder of Planning Club – an online space that offers supportive planning sessions for anyone who has a lot going on... which could be a good place to plan in some outdoor time over the summer! She also works with individual clients, as well as being on the APDO training team and helping to organise APDO’s Productivity & Sustainability Special Interest Groups (SIGs).
