Being Productive in the Great Outdoors
Take your desk outside and get to work!
Kidding. That’s not necessarily the way to have a more productive day. Although, it could free you from the distractions of the office, which isn’t a bad thing when you’re doing things that are cognitively demanding.
Yet being out in the great outdoors (hey what do you know, June is Great Outdoors month!) will help you boost your productivity in the workplace… as long as you’re not working.
Being more productive in the workplace means having plenty of “unproductive” time
Longtime readers of this here blog know that “busy” is not the same as “productive”. Doing a lot of things, especially when you’re switching between them rapidly, fatigues the brain. You get a lot more juice out of your noggin when you do one thing at a time.
And let’s face it, when you’re “busy” you’re not really accomplishing the things you need to move you forward to your goals. You’re doing a lot of stuff, but typically these are little things that are usually easier to tackle.
If you’re a business owner, busy likely means you’re doing things that should be delegated or outsourced, but you don’t feel like you have the time to do that. You believe it’s faster to do it yourself. It may be in the moment, but it’s not what you need to be doing to reach your business goals.
Conversely, slowing down so that you can do one (important) thing at a time puts you on the path to achievement. So does working with your brain instead of against it.
What does working with your brain really mean?
The human brain is NOT a computer. It can’t do cognitively demanding tasks for hours and hours – we get about four hours max for focus and concentration. Switching back and forth rapidly between tasks (which is what happens when you think you’re multitasking) tires it out.
Brains need breaks and downtime periodically throughout the day as well as rest (sleep) at night. They need plenty of oxygenated blood to perform well, (which means ample physical movement) in addition to quality fuel in the form of nourishment from a quality diet.
Human brains need exposure to nature. Being outside in a park or other natural setting is shown to relieve stress and improve your mood. An unstressed brain is a happier one (not to mention more productive).
Your brain also needs you to be social, which is not satisfied by scrolling through your “social” media feeds but by talking and interacting with others. Introverts may need a little less social time, but we do need some.
Something that human brains also need is play. Yes, even (especially) adult ones. This could include hobbies and similar activities that you enjoy, as well as sports or other games.
Giving your brain what it needs gives you more capability to do cognitively demanding tasks, which is what knowledge workers do. When your brain’s tank is emptying out, because you…
haven’t fed it nutrients and oxygenated blood
or you’ve been sitting inside not interacting with anyone for too long
or you’ve been flitting from task to task for hours and hours
… it’s not going to function well. Therefore, you’re not going to have a productive day.
The great outdoors is good for your brain… and therefore good for a productive workplace
Obviously being outside has huge brain benefits all by itself. But think about the kinds of activities you normally do outside and you can see you get an even bigger boost.
Picnics… with other people, so you get social interaction
Playing sports or games… often with other people, so you’re doing something you enjoy plus getting social interaction
Walking or hiking… by yourself, which gives your brain a break from work, plus brings some oxygenated blood up to your brain. If you do it with others, add in social interaction too.
Enjoying the view… which gives your mind a break from all the thinky work.
So just like your mama told you (if you’re of a certain age)... go out and play!
Having trouble knowing when to do your thinky work or difficulty prioritizing what to do out of all the “stuff”? Schedule a complimentary call to see if Productivity Injection is right for you.