The past two and a half years have skyrocketed the daily stresses in our lives, both physically and mentally. Our brains are incredible organs, but they do get fatigued and need rest, just like an overworked muscle does.

In research by David Strayer, a cognitive psychologist at the University of Utah, he found that when we immerse ourselves in nature, we tap into the same area of our brain that we do when we are daydreaming or being introspective. Simply stated, mindful walks in nature can reduce stress while improving cognitive performance.

Doctors in Alberta can now prescribe Green Prescription programs to their patients. The prescription is simple, get outdoors for two hours/week. That is all it takes.

What is interesting to note is that the more technology time we engage in, the more time we need outside to balance things out. A recent Canadian Mental Health Association study in 2021 found that the average Canadian adult has increased their screen time by 57 percent since the COVID-19 pandemic. This makes total sense with the number of online meetings we have all been exposed to.

A Viewpoint employee participated in the March ONLINE Wild About Nature Challenge led by Susanne of Motivated by Nature. The employee stated, “I must admit at the beginning of the challenge, getting out everyday seemed to be something that might be a bit difficult. After the first week, it became a habit to make sure I set aside time to get outside with the intention for it to be for leisure.” The challenge has daily prompts for being mindful in nature and can provide pre and post-surveys showing how you can shift the needle on your overall well-being as well as your connection to nature in just one month.

Susanne is a passionate advocate and speaker on all the benefits of getting out into nature for increasing your overall well-being and decreasing your stress naturally. She also offers these monthly ONLINE challenges for individuals as well as corporate teams to help keep you accountable for getting your daily dose of Vitamin “N” - Nature.

To take part in these monthly challenges visit: https://motivatedbynature.com/