Let’s face it. For a lot of us, the average day starts with snoozing our alarms, until it’s really late for work. We somehow summon energy to get on with our day. Sometimes, it’s the cup of coffee that acts as a saviour. Sometimes, the deadlines at work push us out of our beds. But, in this hustle and bustle of life, we tend to overlook the little things, things that can motivate you and truly give you satisfaction.

And spending time in Nature is definitely one such thing, that can set the tone for the rest of your day, improve your lifestyle and even boost your productivity at work. Here’s how:

1) It makes you a healthier human

As clichéd as it may sound, the solution to better health is right outside your window. Taking a long walk in that park near your house, or spending a week at a cabin in the woods goes a long way in improving your health, both physically and mentally. You feel more fit, and it reduces Stress or anxiety. This, in turn helps you concentrate and feel fresh when you’re back at work.

2) It rewards you to do better

Given the option, a lot of us would choose to just lie down in bed the whole day and watch television. Imagine if every day can be just like another lazy Sunday afternoon. Bliss?

But that’s the easy way to life and we know that it comes at a cost. Sometimes, in order to do something as monotonous as waking up, you need to reward yourself. And getting some fresh air, enjoying the calm, or listening to the sound of birds chirping could be that reward. Whether it’s a morning jog or an evening walk through a place filled with greenery, it feels easier to do the more difficult and challenging tasks in store for the day, knowing that you’re going to reward yourself for your hard work by spending time for yourself in nature.

3) Nature teaches you to focus

Our world is full of distractions. Traffic, mobile phones and gadgets that we can’t live without and an endless list of tasks just form the tip of the iceberg. It drains out your energy before you even start work. But by spending some time in nature, you can take your mind off of these distractions and worries. Nature is where you can slow down and become more aware of your surroundings, which helps you to focus on things that are more important, leaving the tiny issues behind.

And according to science, the greener your surroundings are, the more focused your mind becomes.

4) It inspires you to be more creative

Creativity and Nature have a very close relation. And for most professionals in the creative field, the natural world can be a source of inspiration. Be it a singer, a painter, a poet or a writer, there’s this sense of freedom and balance, that one gets, whether it’s in the mountains, beaches, forests, or any quiet place where you feel connected to nature.

Here’s what Jessica Pisano, a contemporary artist, has to say about how nature inspires her work:
“Trees and birds are the primary subjects that I paint. I am drawn to the comparison and contrast of these two subject matters. Birds, in many ways, symbolize the opposite traits of trees. While trees are majestic and represent strength, stability, and growth, birds are light, delicate and epitomize freedom. Together, they create balance: the bird is the weightlessness to the tree’s weight, the yin to the yang.”

5) It enhances your mood and relieves stress

The green trees, pink blossoms, cold water flowing down the hills, birds chirruping and fresh breeze are some of the antidotes for anxiety and stress, that nature has been giving us.

For instance, studies have shown that something as simple as walking inside a forest can lower blood pressure and levels of cortisol (the stress hormone).

All it takes is a little bit of nature

Only when you spend time in the outdoors do you realize that nature offers a lot of benefits. It helps improve your lifestyle in many ways. So, whenever you feel that things aren’t going well, you aren’t as productive as you would want to be at work, or you’re just looking for a calm place to think, remember : it just takes a little bit of nature to make your day so much better.