Being in Nature is about Quality not Quantity

And why this is great news for busy people

Hi, I’m Sue and I write about the beauty and ingenuity of Nature, and how we can deepen our connection for our optimum health and wellbeing. Discover more Nature-inspired content on Spiral Leaf, Twitter and my video Nature Channel.

If you love Nature as so many of us do, you may wonder sometimes why you don’t spend more time being closer to it.

We know Nature is good for us but our busy lives can often prevent us from taking time out for a walk or setting aside a few moments to appreciate and absorb the natural world around us.

I adore Nature and would dearly love to spend more time out there too. When I don’t go outside, it feels a bit like I have fallen off the wagon and I have failed in some way.

So, how do you find the right balance? My work involves many hours being creative on a computer but the content I produce requires me to be in Nature as much as possible (and take interesting photographs at the same time).

Let’s start with some interesting facts I have found about the benefits of being in Nature and then I will share how I weave more meaningful Nature-time into my day.

Spending at least two hours a week in Nature is associated with good health and wellbeing

In a research study led by Mathew White of the European Centre for Environment and Human Health at the University of Exeter, findings confirmed that people who spend a minimum of two hours a week in green spaces are substantially more likely to report good health and psychological wellbeing than those who don’t.

In a sample of over 20,000 respondents, asking them about occasions in the last week when they spent quality time outdoors (not including trips to the shops or general errands), the likelihood of reporting good health or high wellbeing became significantly greater with contact of only 120 minutes, not necessarily all at the same time.

The Nature Fix: Why Nature makes us happier, healthier and more creative

In her exceptional book which is available to purchase from my Spiral Leaf affiliate bookshop, journalist Florence Williams confirms that Nature serves as a welcome reprieve from the relentless demands and distractions of modern-day life.

Florence makes the compelling case that Nature not only makes us feel better subjectively, but also alters our biology, measurably subduing our fight-or-flight stress response and bringing about a state of calm.

The importance of outdoor play for young children's healthy development

Yes, I know, we aren’t children any more but wouldn’t we love to be a bit more child-like and loosen ourselves up a little? It is a fact that this is very good for us as well, but that’s for another post.

This is an excellent research study published by Elsevier Espana on behalf of the Biomedical Society. I would say it applies to any human being whatever our age may be. It is based on the premise that changes in current societies are affecting childhood experiences. Time for outdoor play is diminishing, contributing to more sedentary lifestyles, disconnected from the natural world.

The conclusion is that the outdoor environment offers unique stimuli that capture a child’s attention and interest. Sticks, rocks, flowers, soil, water and so on are explored with curiosity and enthusiasm to learn, offering countless possibilities for play. A sense of discovery and fascination influences meaningful learning and allows for the development of an emotional connection with the environment.

You only have to scan my Twitter feed to know that this is exactly my approach. It is my daily mission to encourage people to look more closely into Nature and appreciate the beauty and ingenuity of natural things. My followers say they love to see such posts in their feed every day and I am only too happy to oblige.

Quality rules over quantity

The most important thing to remember (apart from the fact that a mere 2 hours a week spent outside is demonstrably good for us) is that quality rules over quantity.

It’s not about hiking a mountain or walking ten miles every-single-day (or even a mile). In fact, when being in Nature becomes a chore, it reaps no measurable benefits. Going outside to scroll through messages on your mobile or chat to a friend, does not represent spending quality time in Nature either. It may tick a box on your to-do list but it isn’t going to be of much benefit.

You will have heard about the benefits of taking 10 minutes to meditate, go within and find your place of calm at the beginning and/or end of the day. This helps to establish equilibrium and remove any jangling thoughts that might set us off on the wrong foot or prevent us from falling into a deep sleep. It therefore comes highly recommended.

Where the magic happens

It’s the same with spending time in Nature. To experience healthy benefits means absorbing ourselves into the moment. It means breathing in the fresh air, feeling the wind on our face, submerging our (bare) feet into the earth and smelling the natural fragrances and essential oils continously emitted from the trees, plants and flowers around us.

The magic happens when we intentionally observe and marvel at the intricacies of veins on leaves or the gossamer wings on flies; when we feel the rough bark on trees or the silky softness of a blossoming rose; when we listen to the delightful melodies of birdsong, and when we take in the vibrant colours of a sunset or the magnificence of a distant landscape (which, by the way, is very good exercise for our eyes).

These are the moments we come to treasure and remember as some of the most poignant and remarkable experiences in our lives.

Being geniunely fascinated by Nature reignites our child inside and helps us to remember the sense of discovery that brings about meaningful curiosity, learning and inspiration. It serves to enhance our emotional connection with Nature which can only serve us well.

Going with the flow

In terms of my Nature routine, I have given up on having a strict routine. Yes, it’s great to go for a walk everyday and I would love it to be a hike across Dartmoor - try and keep me away!

However, it’s often not doable with so much going on (it was wonderful to be able to spend so much time exploring my local countryside during the lockdown). I now save my longer walks for the weekends and by the time the weekend arrives, I can’t wait to get out there.

As a general rule, I like to take time out in my tiny garden admiring my plants, watching spiders hanging out or musing on the clouds drifting by in sky. I like to go out onto our shared lawn, take my boots off and feel the dewy grass cooling my warm toes. I also like to read about Nature which is a great alternative. I have built a collection of books in my bookstore which I can turn too when going outside isn’t an option.

Absorbing yourself into the moment is so beneficial and often the simplest of things bring the most joy. We can all weave such moments into our day, whatever we are doing and wherever we happen to be.

In forthcoming posts, I will talk about the importance of these intimate connections and how we can engage on all levels of our being. For now, focus on consciously being in the moment with something wild, and you are already halfway there.

I hope you enjoyed my first post which is free for everyone by way of an introduction.

I look forward to seeing you again next week.

Much love

Sue x