Why Spending More Time Outdoors Could Make You More Productive

When your to-do list keeps growing, taking a break can feel like the last thing you should do. There’s always another email to answer, deadline to meet, or problem that needs your attention. But working longer doesn’t necessarily mean getting more done. Your ability to concentrate, think creatively, and make good decisions matters just as much as the hours you put in.

Spending more time outdoors could help. Research suggests that natural environments can support attention, psychological well-being, and certain aspects of creative thinking. For entrepreneurs, professionals, and anyone pursuing ambitious goals, making time for nature may be a practical way to work more effectively.

1. Spending Time in Nature Can Help Restore Your Focus

Have you ever spent hours staring at your computer, only to realize you’ve barely made progress? Mental fatigue can make even straightforward tasks feel difficult. One explanation comes from attention restoration theory, which suggests that natural environments can help replenish our capacity for directed attention. Unlike busy workplaces and crowded streets, nature often captures our attention without demanding intense concentration.

Berman et al. (2008) investigated this concept through two experiments comparing natural and urban environments. Their findings showed improvements in directed-attention performance after participants walked through nature or viewed photographs of natural scenes. These results suggest that natural settings may help people recover from mentally demanding activities.

You don’t need to plan an elaborate outdoor adventure to give yourself a change of scenery, either. Try spending part of your lunch break in a nearby park or taking your afternoon coffee outside. If you enjoy longer outdoor breaks, practical equipment from brands such as Ozzi Gear can make it easier to sit comfortably during camping trips, picnics, or quiet afternoons outdoors. The important thing is creating opportunities to step away from demanding tasks and give your attention a different kind of environment.

2. Outdoor Breaks Could Help You Think More Creatively

Creativity isn’t limited to artists and writers. Entrepreneurs need it to identify opportunities, managers use it to solve problems, and professionals rely on it to develop new ideas. Yet creative thinking can become difficult when you’re constantly switching between emails, meetings, and urgent tasks.

Sometimes, walking away from a problem is more useful than forcing yourself to find an answer. Research by Oppezzo and Schwartz (2014) provides an interesting explanation. Across four experiments, researchers examined how walking influenced creative thinking. In one experiment, 81% of participants showed improved performance on a divergent-thinking task while walking compared with sitting. The researchers also found that walking outdoors could support creative idea generation.

Importantly, the study showed that walking itself played a significant role. The findings don’t mean that simply being outdoors will automatically produce better ideas. Still, they offer a useful strategy for overcoming creative blocks. When you’re struggling with a difficult decision or brainstorming session, try taking a short walk instead of continuing to stare at your screen. You might return with a different perspective, even if you haven’t found the perfect solution.

3. Time Outdoors May Help Reduce Mental Stress

Stress is sometimes unavoidable when you’re pursuing meaningful goals. Tight deadlines, financial responsibilities, and challenging decisions can all place demands on your mental well-being. The problem arises when stress becomes persistent and you struggle to switch off.

Time in nature may offer an opportunity to interrupt unhelpful patterns of thinking. Bratman et al. (2015) investigated whether walking through natural environments could influence rumination, a pattern of repetitive thinking focused on negative experiences or concerns.

The study involved 38 participants who were assigned to walk for 90 minutes in either a natural or an urban setting. Participants who walked through nature reported reduced rumination and showed changes in brain activity associated with this pattern of thinking. Those who walked through the urban environment didn’t demonstrate the same effects. Although the study was relatively small, its findings suggest that natural environments may offer psychological benefits beyond simply providing a change of scenery.

For someone managing a demanding career, this matters. Taking time outside can create a useful boundary between work-related concerns and personal time. You may find it easier to approach challenges constructively after giving yourself space away from them. Of course, outdoor time isn’t a replacement for professional support when stress becomes overwhelming.

4. Better Well-Being Can Support Sustainable Productivity

Productivity is often measured by how much you accomplish in a day. However, maintaining consistent performance over months and years requires looking after your well-being. Working through exhaustion might help you meet an occasional deadline, but it’s a difficult approach to sustain.

Nature could play a useful role in developing a healthier routine. White et al. (2019) examined data from 19,806 adults in England to investigate the relationship between time spent in nature and self-reported health and well-being. The researchers found that people who spent at least 120 minutes per week in natural environments were more likely to report good health and high well-being than those who reported no nature contact.

Interestingly, the association was observed regardless of whether participants accumulated that time through one longer visit or several shorter outings. However, this was an observational study. It identified an association rather than proving that spending two hours outdoors directly improves health or productivity. Nevertheless, the findings provide a useful starting point for people wanting to spend more time outside.

Two hours per week could mean a weekend walk, several visits to a local park, or a combination of shorter outdoor activities. Rather than treating relaxation as something you earn after completing every task, consider making it a regular part of your schedule.

5. How to Make Outdoor Time Part of Your Productivity Routine

Understanding the benefits of outdoor time is one thing. Finding space for it in a busy week is another. Fortunately, you don’t have to completely reorganize your lifestyle. The most effective approach is to start with manageable habits that fit your existing commitments.

Take Your Breaks Outside

Instead of spending every break scrolling through your phone, head outside for ten or fifteen minutes. Find somewhere comfortable, put your phone away, and give yourself permission to disconnect from work.

Turn Some Meetings Into Walks

Not every meeting requires a conference room. If you’re discussing ideas with a colleague or having an informal catch-up, consider walking together.

Save meetings involving confidential documents, detailed presentations, or extensive note-taking for a more suitable setting.

Schedule Outdoor Time Like Any Other Commitment

It’s easy to postpone outdoor activities when other responsibilities appear more urgent. Choose a regular time for a weekly walk, picnic, or weekend outing, and add it to your calendar. Treating it as a planned commitment makes it less likely to disappear from your schedule.

Match the Activity to Your Needs

Different activities serve different purposes. A brisk walk might suit someone who wants movement after sitting all morning. Quietly sitting in a garden could appeal to someone looking for a mental break.

If you’re feeling exhausted, there’s no need to turn your outdoor time into another performance challenge. The objective is to create a routine that helps you feel better prepared for the rest of your day.

Pay Attention to What Changes

After spending a few weeks incorporating outdoor breaks into your routine, reflect on the results. Are you finding it easier to concentrate? Do you feel less mentally drained? Are you approaching difficult tasks with more patience?

Keep expectations realistic. The benefits will vary depending on your circumstances, workload, environment, and the activities you choose.

Conclusion: Sometimes, Doing Less Helps You Accomplish More

Success isn’t simply about filling every available hour with work. It’s about using your time and energy effectively. Research suggests that interacting with nature can support attention, creative thinking, and psychological well-being, all of which are relevant to maintaining a productive lifestyle.

That doesn’t mean an afternoon outdoors will solve every workplace challenge. However, regularly stepping away from demanding environments may help you return with greater focus and a fresher perspective.

Start with something manageable. Take a short walk after lunch, spend part of your weekend at a park, or enjoy a quiet moment outside before beginning your next task. Sometimes, one of the most productive decisions you can make is to give yourself permission to stop working for a while.

References

Berman, M. G., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008). The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature. Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207–1212. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02225.x

Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., Hahn, K. S., Daily, G. C., & Gross, J. J. (2015). Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(28), 8567–8572. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1510459112

Oppezzo, M., & Schwartz, D. L. (2014). Give your ideas some legs: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 40(4), 1142–1152. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036577

White, M. P., Alcock, I., Grellier, J., Wheeler, B. W., Hartig, T., Warber, S. L., Bone, A., Depledge, M. H., & Fleming, L. E. (2019). Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Scientific Reports, 9, Article 7730. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44097-3