We have reached the halfway point of our summer–hard though that may be to believe–and have been doing more outside activities than in other seasons. Swimming, hiking, and summer sports call us away from sitting in the office. Should we listen?
Yes!
There are quite a few reasons to listen to the call of nature, even during your workday or in the middle of a project:
- Change of scenery–If you are suffering from a creative block, just being out of your normal workspace can inspire new solutions to worrying problems.
- Taking a break–Low energy can be refreshed by getting some natural light and doing something you enjoy outside of work, even for a little while.
- Inspiration–You’ve probably used everything on the walls of your cubicle to inspire creativity already, that’s why they are hanging there. Whether you access urban greenspace or go for a short hike in the local hills, nature is full of inspiring beauty wherever you look.
- Revive your creativity–this article in Newsweek reports that any aerobic activity for as short a time as 30 minutes improves “almost every dimension of cognition” for as much as two hours. Sounds like a pretty good return on a 30-minute break.
The benefits of exercise are felt more by the fit than the sedentary, so now is a good time to get some exercise even if you normally don’t get much. The fitter you are, the better it will work to get your brain going along with your body.
Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative