It’s hard being in an office under fluorescent lights all day. When I can (and when the weather allows), I like to read or write outside. It feels good to be outdoors — invigorating even. And it turns out that the benefits of getting outside are real. Science says so.
In a study conducted by psychologists from the University of Utah and the University of Kansas, spending quality time outside actually improved people’s Remote Associates Test (also known as RAT, unfortunately) results. The RAT test measures your creative potential using word associations. The test was given to 56 participants who were embarking on a four-day hiking trek. Researchers concluded that four days in nature improved test scores by 50 percent.
Good for them, but who has four days to hike every time they have a deadline? No one. And that’s OK. You can still benefit from being outside. Whether it’s four days, four hours or four minutes, breathing fresh air and taking in natural sights is just plain good for you. So sneak outside for lunch, walk around the block or just step out for a few minutes between meetings.