U is for Unwind: mindfulness in nature

Modern society has a compulsion for efficiency. The more we get done, the more praise we get and, thus, the more we try to do.

We spend an average of 11,600 days of our lives at work, 11 years and four months online, five years doing housework and 235 days queuing. But studies suggest that all this frenetic goal-seeking doesn’t make us happier, or even more efficient.

Unwinding in nature, doing nothing, is good for you. It gives you a chance to switch off and recharge, but it also improves concentration, helps you consolidate memories and enables you to be more creative. Write ‘get outside and do nothing’ on a day in your calendar – and stick to it.

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