We’ve talked a lot about health this year. No surprise, given the situation. But this trend of healthy living with its abundance of diets, practices or philosophies is not new. And that is good. The upside of this terrible pandemic is that it pushed many of us to think about improving how we eat, how we sleep, how we relax and work out. We discovered new recipes, tried intermittent fasting, and followed yoga and work-out routines on YouTube; we might have downloaded an app or two for guided meditation. We started reading self-development books and ordered stuff online, rather than shopping in stores. We took on new, healthy habits in our attempt to find balance and/or a sense of discipline. The COVID-19 related restrictions prompted us to adapt and build a brand-new life… inside. Within the comfort of our very own home.
Are we really meant to spend our lives indoors?
Have you taken the time to count just how many hours have you spent outdoors in the past week? And I don’t mean when you are in the car passing by or when you go shopping for groceries. I mean out, in the nature, walking in the forest, riding a bike in the fields, running along the river or around a lake/pond? Breathing the fresh air, watching the leaves fall or the flowers bloom.
I did. I counted. And I have to say that even in the best weeks of the summer (except when on holiday), when the days are long and there’s plenty of time to go out, I’d still spend only 2-3 hours on average per day outside. This means that I spend over 80% of my awake time indoors. I was just as surprised as you probably are.
The pandemic and its lockdown gave the chance to many people to put their lives and professional activities in perspective. Many studies show that people want more meaning in their work and life, more work-life balance, and a cleaner environment (psychological and physical). Here in Luxembourg, we are extremely lucky to live surrounded by nature, even in the city. Trapped in our homes during the lockdown, we were still allowed to go to parks and forests. And many people tried more outdoor activities that made them feel better and in harmony with themselves and with nature.
The pandemic keeps us in, I found a way out…
I founded ProActive in 2010, when I decided to become a self-employed coach and consultant. During the past 10 years, I’ve done a lot of these “put in perspective” reflections, I’ve developed the way I coach and train, I’ve made choices.
So, in 2020, when I found myself and my clients trapped in front of a PC over 8 hours a day, I realised it’s time to change the perspective again. It’s time for a new way of working that will keep us away from the screen, away from Zoom and Teams and Google hangouts for at least the duration of a session.
My solution to COVID19 restrictions but also to my own indoor life was to take my work outside. And in doing so, I’ll help others discover the beauty of an authentic experience in the nature. I chose this profession because of the contact and close relationship with people and I am determined to continue it in the most human manner. And that doesn’t have to involve a screen.
Why outdoor coaching sessions work better than virtual/online ones?
There are hundreds of pages on the benefits of outdoor coaching or counselling sessions. I’ll give you three:
- Outdoors, natural environments are restorative for the cognitive function therefore supporting one of the objectives in coaching: find new solutions, way of behaving, ideas etc.
- Outdoors and movement give the feeling of freedom, can help thinking and increase creativit
- It is a change from the work/living space, offering a change of perspective.
Besides, outdoor coaching is easy in Luxembourg because of the abundance of places: parks, forests, fields that you can find in the city or in its surroundings.
I’ve already put together a programme that can be customized for groups or individuals, based on the practice of shinrin-yoku. These are walks where you will learn or allow yourself to simply be in the forest, connect with your senses and with nature. You will not need to care about the way, as I will guide you, your only task being to be mindful. Some exercises will also support you in this journey and you will see that, when done regularly, they can boost your immune system, improve your cardiovascular and metabolic health, improve concentration and memory, lower stress, and reduce depression and anxiety by bringing more positive emotions…
If you want to try, let’s have a 20 minutes free chat or we directly schedule an outdoors coaching/counselling . The only rule is to dress comfortably and adequate for the weather.
If you want to read more:
Arvay, C.G (2018) “The Biophilia Effect: A Scientific and Spiritual Exploration of the Healing Bond Between Humans and Nature”. Boulder, Colorado: Sounds True
Burn, A (2020) “The benefits of taking coaching outdoors” https://alexburnconsulting.com/the-benefits-of-taking-coaching-conversations-outdoors-what-the-research-says/
Berto, R (2014). The Role of Nature in Coping with Psycho-Physiological Stress: A Literature Review on Restorativeness. Behavioural Science, 4, 394-409
Kaplan, S (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: towards an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15, 169-182
Li, Q. (2018). Shinrin-yoku: The art and science of forest bathing. London: Penguin Life.
Palmer, S & Di Blasi, Z (2019) Reflections on walking for enhancing creativity and wellbeing: a way forward for coaching and coaching psychology practice. Coaching Psychology International, 12 (1), 19-24
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