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It doesn’t seem too much to ask does it? One hour, to yourself, outside, taking stock, breathing in, getting some exercise on a daily basis?
But how many of us actually do this? Do you, like me perhaps, tell yourself that one hour in the garden doing tasks is the same thing. Or one hour cleaning the car, doing some DIY, cutting the hedges, cutting the lawns, rushing to the station is actually one hours worth of quality time?
Zoe Holmes of Spodzblogz has started this great simple idea in small steps for everyone to improve their life, by spending one hours worth of quality time outside. However the real challenge is to make that happen each day. Not just the weekend when you can squeeze it in.
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In fact I’ll let Zoe tell us more picked up from her blog, where she explains how and why she started the whole thing;
Many people will tell you that you never look back on life and remember the time you spent in the office, or the time you got up early to fold up all the washing, and especially not the time you spent all day watching whatever must-see television series was on at the time. It’s the time spent outside that we remember. And it’s so true. Even as an adult, it is the time spent outside in the fresh air, the views and the experiences that being outside lead to are what I remember more than anything else.
One Hour Outside was born the moment that I spat my tea across the meeting room at Ordnance Survey headquarters just about a year ago. I did my best not to spit my tea out, you understand, but I’m not sure I managed it, I may have dribbled a little. I’d gone to meet the team at Ordnance Survey and was listening to a presentation on their GetOutside project, a campaign to encourage the people of Great Britain to spend more time outside, for which I am now a very proud champion.
The tea spitting was all down to some research Ordnance Survey shared. Did you know that a quarter of people in the UK feel that a 15-minute walk is too far and they will take the car instead? Wow. Fifteen minutes is too long? If the shop is more than half a mile away people get in the car to get milk or bread or eggs? I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. 15-minutes is nothing, walking for 15-minutes doesn’t take a great deal of effort, even in the rain. But no, this research showed that people are so used to being inside – using online delivery or jumping in the car – that 15-minutes had become something of an upper limit to many.
And then of course there is the very recent news story about the fact that the majority of those aged 40-60 walk briskly, that is at around three miles an hour, for less than ten minutes each month. Ten minutes a month?! Not a day. Not a week. Ten minutes a month.
With One Hour Outside I am trying to encourage people to leave the comfort of their desk or sofa or kitchen and go outside for a little bit of time every single day. It might be before work, at lunch time, or in the evening. It might be walking, cycling, or indeed sitting. It might involve running errands, it might involve eating. It might even involve going on an expedition, playing a team sport or doing something you have never done before. Whatever it is, it always involves being outside. Through this I am trying to say two things; first, that we all have time to get outside into the fresh air and natural light. And second, that spending time outside is for all of us, regardless of fitness, life goals, or perceived level of adventure.
There are so many things to do outside there will always be something that will take an hour or more close to where you are. I know some cost money, but many don’t. You just have to look out for the opportunities. And believe me, once you’ve started looking the ideas will keep coming.
One Hour Outside. Every day.
It doesn’t have to be way out there, it can be in your own town or garden.
It could be your job, your commute, or happen to fit in with your current daily routine.
It can be from your own front door, or your office door, or the door of your car service centre when you’re getting new tyres or an oil change.
It doesn’t have to involve specialist equipment. Although make sure you know when it should.
It can be an adventure. But you don’t have to push your limits, crawl on your knees, or work so hard you’re aching the next day.
You just have to go out there and experience the outdoors in your own way.
Spend one hour outside. Not because it’s pleasant and happy, even though it is, but because that’s where the meat of life is. You will soon notice the difference it makes. Get more from life with fresh air and natural light – not to mention those views that you cannot fail but fall in love with.
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