Nature is powerfully positive for your work and your life.
Nature has long been connected with happiness, fulfillment and an overall sense of wellbeing. But new research finds there are primary ways nature can contribute to your experiences in both work and life. Based on the science about what matters most, you can squeeze the best out of the waning summer season and set yourself up to be nurtured by nature in every season.
For some, nature may be a part of your work. If you have a job where you can work remote, taking a call from the park or doing a walking meeting may be great strategies. But even if your work doesn’t lend itself to a natural experience, when you have greater happiness outside of work, it can increase your perception of overall satisfaction—both in work and life.
How Nature Matters
New science finds key elements of nature which contribute most significantly to your happiness and wellbeing. A sweeping analysis just published in Science Advances included 301 separate studies across 62 countries (wow!).
The research identified many ways nature impacts people. It can contribute in meaningful ways to your cognition and the quality of your thinking. It can help you feel greater cohesiveness with the people around you, and even inspire better communication. It can also help you feel more creative, and it can help you develop—in terms of your character and confidence. There is also evidence nature can make you more reflective, and give you a sense of renewal. And it can help you tap into your intuition and feel more inspired to move forward.
The Power of Nature
Based on these benefits of nature, three key strategies emerged—ways you can tap into the power of nature to improve both your work and life.
Aesthetics and Exercise for Mental and Physical Health
The biggest benefits of nature, according to the research, are to mental and physical health because many people experience nature as regenerative, providing a sense of awe and meaning. And it is also a place for exercise and the enjoyment of natural beauty. The experiences of awe and flow are more common in nature, and they tend to lift you out of yourself.
Neuroscience research highlighted in The Happiness Hypothesis finds experiences of awe and flow are associated with reduction in activity in the parts of the brain which are vigilant and self-focused. And studies by the University of California found awe-inspiring experiences caused the release of proteins called cytokines which had positive effects on happiness, wellbeing and creativity. Feeling small in relationship to the vastness of nature provides perspective, and appreciating the intricacies of a butterfly’s wing can liberate you from a preoccupation with yourself. Focusing more on the bigger picture tends to predict positive experiences.
The sights, sounds and smells of nature can energize you.
You can leverage these benefits by getting into nature and focusing on its physical aspects—shapes, smells, sounds, textures and sights (referred to as “form” by researchers). Enjoy the shape of the mountains or feel the breeze in your hair. Take in the scent of flowers or of the ocean. Do this as part of your leisure activities or when you’re taking time out between meetings. You can also leverage nature by exercising outside—whether you take a relaxing stroll or train for a marathon.
Enjoy nature in your time away from work, or make nature part of your commute by biking rather than driving. If you have some flexibility in your work, take your call from a park or do a low-pressure meeting on a bench on the nature trail in your neighborhood.
The bottom line is more nature is better—and making nature a part of your day or week will contribute to both your mental and physical wellbeing.
Connectedness and Belonging
Another significant benefit of nature, according to the study, is based on a greater sense of community. Feeling part of a group and a sense of belonging are critical to wellbeing—and these are among the most important ways nature nurtures people.
Isolation and loneliness are at all-time highs, and these translate to depression, anxiety and mental health issues. People have removed friction from their lives and increased convenience—with regular deliveries which remove the experience of chatting with the check-out person, apps which replace interaction with the barista or work from home which reduces side conversations or bonding between meetings. But it turns out moments of superficial interactions contribute to happiness and wellbeing—and deeper opportunities for connection do as well. Whether people are introverts or extroverts, some amount of connection is necessary and fundamental to all kinds of health.
Nature creates the opportunity for community and togetherness, dubbed “cultural practices” by scientists. You can make nature part of your positive experience by tapping into times for playing together outside with a child, picnicking with your group or gathering to pull weeds at the community garden—anything in which nature draws you together with others.
Use nature as a catalyst for all kinds of interaction—from meditation time in the park with friends on a weekend to suggesting a walking meeting with a colleague. Nature can fuel connections and both nature and community are linked with wellbeing more generally.
When nature motivates learning, it contributes to happiness and satisfaction.
Learning
Perhaps most surprisingly, nature is also linked with wellbeing because it tends to motivate learning and the development of new capabilities. Scientists call these “intellectual practices” based on nature. When you interact with others to research nature or learn about it, or when you think about ecosystems or explore them with others, these contribute to your wellbeing.
Learning is correlated with happiness, according to many studies, including this one, in particular from San Francisco State University. In addition, research at the University of California Davis finds curiosity is beneficial because it contributes to openness and fulfillment—so when nature motivates learning, it’s powerfully positive.
Use nature as a springboard for your curiosity and learning. Wander in the woods and wonder about the ways trees remain resilient. Spend time on a mountaintop and be curious about the impact of perspective on problem solving. Contribute to your company’s ESG efforts or volunteer for a project in which you seek innovations which are inspired by the way nature solves problem.
In Sum
One of the benefits of the last couple years has been an increased awareness of the importance of holistic wellbeing. Work can be a source of joy, and plenty of other experiences are part of a great life experience as well. Whether it’s part of your workday or part of your time away from work tasks, nature can nurture your sense of wonder, your feelings of belonging and your brilliance—so get out there and seek as much time in nature as you can, now and in every season.
