Celebrate Great Outdoors Month 2022 And Revivify Employee Spirit

Spending time outdoors can be stimulating. Especially after covid-19 forced us to stay indoors for two long years, the craze for exploring the outdoors has been rising. People are now enjoying more time together with friends and families than ever.

And, to preserve that evergreen outdoor enthusiasm, the month of June provides an opportunity to infuse a holistic way to celebrate it. The entire month cherishes the outdoor spirit by observing 'Great Outdoors Month' to encourage everyone to come outdoors, spend some quality time with nature, and engage in wellness activities. Also, to revivify an individual's overall dimension of health and well-being.

America's great outdoors, diverse landscapes, and pristine waterways are a limitless source of pride, inspiration, and sustenance of both body and soul — and an essential part of our national identity. It is our shared responsibility as Americans to be good stewards of these irreplaceable treasures for our children and grandchildren, and for generations to come. During Great Outdoors Month, we celebrate our Nation's natural wonders, and rededicate ourselves to conserving nature's splendor for all Americans and safeguarding our environment against the existential threat of climate change and other challenges.

Celebrating Great Outdoors Month At Work

Outdoor activities open the road to adventure, adrenaline rush, and the urge to explore. Experiencing the outdoors means going back to our roots and building a better connection with them. At the same time, it motivates you to make the best use of time, leaving behind the technology that deeply impacts your life. It will further give you a feeling of embeddedness with your communities and culture, morals, virtues, traditions, and customs.

The main aim of observing Great Outdoors Month is to cheer life and the necessity of taking a break from your work. Life becomes monotonous following the same 9-5 routine without any thrills. So, celebrating outdoor months at work can change scenarios by bringing some excitement to life.

Engaging in outdoor activities will allow you to learn about human connection with the environment. It will also make you aware of sustainable practices and the importance of employee health and wellness. Besides, it will bring everyone together for the greater good.

And you can spread the message globally on the need to celebrate Great Outdoors Month as a corporate wellness initiative. Today's workforce is always looking forward to working for companies with an exciting culture of well-being and a healthy work environment.

List of the events from Great Outdoors Month :

• Bike travel event- 3-5 June
• National Trails Day- 4 June
• Free fishing day- 1-9 June
• National Get Outdoors Day- 11 June
• Outdoor Stewardship Week- 13-17 June

You can easily incorporate these fitness challenges with your corporate wellness program. Employees can participate in teams, or they can indulge in healthy competition.

Don’t know where to begin with a corporate wellness program yet? Our guide will help you!

10 Facts About Nature And Holistic Well-being That You Need To Know

Nowadays, humans seem to spend more time indoors at home or at the mall. The rising concern of stress and disconnectedness has risen dramatically in the past 30 years. According to environmental writer Richard Louv, this has led to "nature-deficit disorder", which is a form of anguish that comes from disconnection from nature or natural surroundings.

Here are a few facts you need to know to celebrate Great Outdoors Month.

1. Scientists estimate there are between 200 – 400 billion stars in our galaxy, while there are about an estimated 1 trillion trees on Earth!
2. Nature bears the ability to feel wonderful, grateful, and reverence—all joyful experiences leading to emotional well-being and physical health.
3. A single tree releases more than 260 pounds of oxygen every year. Intake of more fresh air enhances your breathwork practices, making you healthy and mindful.
4. Trees and forests provide shelter to 80% of wild animals. Connecting nature will help us cherish the beauty and essence of nature.
5. Even viewing nature pictures—reduces the physiological symptoms of stress in our bodies.
6. The sounds of nature can be healing. Research revealed that those who listened to natural sounds like crickets chirping and waves crashing performed better on demanding cognitive tests than those who listened to urban sounds like traffic and busy streets.
7. Social and spiritual health is as important as physical and mental. Spending time in nature along with your loved ones enhances overall wellness.
8. In a study by Catharine Ward Thompson and her colleagues, the people who lived near larger areas of green space reported less stress and showed greater declines in cortisol levels for the day.
9. Humans need to counterbalance the three dimensions; happiness and satisfaction come through balancing threat, drive, and contentment.
10. Japanese shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) studies compared how the body reacted to being immersed in nature (woodland) to being in an urban environment.

The Great Outdoors Month Celebration Benefits For Employees

Research suggests that nature positively impacts our social, psychological, and emotional well-being. Over 100 studies have shown that being in nature, living with nature, or watching scenic paintings and videos can boost our cognition, feelings, thought processes, and social health.

Let's discuss how reconnecting with nature can benefit you on this Great Outdoors Month;

Helps In Intellectual Wellness

Spending time in nature is a soothing delight to your heart. Correlational and experimental research has shown that interacting with nature has cognitive benefits.

It nourishes your intellectual nerves and opens you to new ideas, inspirations, and creativity.

Cure Sleep Problems

You can always sleep better when your mind is at rest, and it is filled with calmness. Nature has the same effect on you as it brings back your eccentric state of absoluteness in you. Sleep deprivation can hamper your health and professional growth.

Inspire And Exhilarate

Spending more time in natural surroundings is linked to higher concentration, creativity, and mental clarity. Spending even 10 minutes with nature, breathing the fresh air, looking at the sky, bees and birds, and appreciating them allows your brains to ease the mental, spiritual, intellectual, and physical drains.

Inspirit Your Emotions

Cynthia Frantz, Ph.D., psychology and environmental studies professor, says, "Spending time in nature has cognitive benefits, but it also has emotional and existential benefits beyond solving arithmetic problems more quickly."
The ability to win over negative emotions is vital in the workplace, and it is a good sign to be resilient.

Headway To Physical Health

If you start working out or exercising in the natural environment, you will feel reconnected and energized. Doing physical activities outdoors rather than indoors can be more exciting and satisfactory. Why not begin with 7-minutes outdoor workout?

Sounder Affinity

Nothing feels better than enjoying a meal with your friends and family from your garden, balcony, or near the beach. Eating outdoors becomes more enjoyable under the blue sky, with the butterflies in the flowers and the chirping of birds.

So why not organize a picnic near the riverside and enjoy your day relishing the beauty of the wilderness?

Boosts Spiritual Wellness

Being close to a beautiful blue lake, lush mountains, forest trails, or a valley can give you the chills of relaxation and peace. People often sit by nature when they're sad or looking for answers. Sometimes to clear their minds or remind themselves of nature's might in human lives.

Nature and its ability to heal your spirit can leave you truly amazed.

Related: 71 Spiritual Wellness Quotes To Rekindle Your Employees Absolute Well-being

Volunteering

If your teammates are passionate about nature and want to make a difference, you could find a way to support wildlife or nature conservation.

Volunteering for trees, wildlife, and other environmental purposes can be a noble cause. Take up initiatives like beach clean-ups, gardening, etc.

There are many ways to support your planet earth and develop a deeper connection with nature. So, this Great Outdoor Month, make it worthwhile by going outdoors, volunteering, and doing charity for wildlife and environmental causes.

Also Read: 20 Fun Social Wellness Activities for the Workplace

Connectedness

Zelenski and Nisbet, who studied connections, assessed the overlap between connectedness with nature and a general sense of connectedness, such as feeling in tune with one's friends or community.

They found that a feeling of connectedness to nature can affect one's happiness, positive emotions, and thoughts. (Environment and Behavior, Vol. 46, No. 1, 2014). "People who feel that their self-concept is intertwined with nature report being a bit happier," says Zelenski. "Nature connectedness isn't the biggest predictor of happiness, but [the association between the two] is quite consistent."

12 ways to celebrate Great Outdoors Months with your co-workers

Studies have found that therapeutic environments, like nature, can be useful in getting your mind back on track and energized. Here are ten ways to celebrate the outdoors with your colleagues -

1. Go on hikes or camping
2. Sports events in natural surrounding
3. Bike ride
4. Picnic with organic food
5. Trekking
6. Watching some nature documentaries
7. Go Fishing
8. Tubing on river
9. Zipline adventures
10. Expedition
11. Meditating or practicing yoga outside
12. Swimming in the streams

Final Words

It's worthwhile to spend a day alongside nature, take a break from the regular schedule and fill your life with joy. I guess you often look back and miss those childhood days, playing in the rain, going to the park for a picnic, etc. Now, you hardly have time to look into nature and be grateful for whatever it offers for your good health and well-being.

So, this June, plan a day out with your office buddies. Do something out of the box this time that will help you rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul. And, what can be better than an office outing, away from the computer screens and your regular chairs and desk? So, just hit the road, take the trek, feel the sun, see the clouds, hug a tree, or go fishing. I am sure you will love seeing your productivity and engagement level high at work later.