As an organisation whose work usually happens in wild places, and with ‘nature connectedness’ as a core value of our work, it’s unsurprising that we’re such staunch advocates of spending time in nature!
We’re not alone; with hundreds of widely reported studies in the last few years, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who remains unaware of the many benefits of nature connectedness.
Unsurprisingly, those who spend at least two hours a week in green spaces are ‘substantially more likely to report good health and psychological well-being than those who don’t’, according to a recent study of 20,000 people carried out by the University of Exeter.
But what happens when you take the natural world, with all its grounding, health-boosting properties, and turn it into a place for productivity?
Even today’s businesses are increasingly aware of the demand from employees for access to green spaces; in Florence Williams’, author of The Nature Fix’s view, ‘it’s needed to attract a skilled workforce’. We open our woodland space for businesses to hold away days and meetings, and have recently hosted Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Derby Creative Arts Network and several other local organisations.
Our visitors have reported that spending time in our woodland prompts them to think differently as a team; that through spending time with us, creativity flows and new ideas blossom in a different way to when they're working in the office.
What is it about working in a woodland setting that is so transformative?
We work from The Whirligig, our rural creation space in a remote Cheshire woodland. We’re surrounded by birdsong and the sound of wind in the trees every day. Our meetings are held around a campfire, instead of a boardroom, which encourages our conversations to flow and spark organically; we find that we think bigger, more expansive thoughts when we’re outdoors. Tensions are released through spending time in the woods, confrontation dissipates more easily and pauses feel contemplative, not awkward.
We’re at the end of a long line of thinkers who have noticed the transformative effects of nature on mindset and productivity.
Pioneers in the benefits of nature connectedness, psychology professors Rachel and Stephen Kaplan coined the term Attention Restoration Theory in the 1970s: the idea that focussing in busy, stressful environments – like loud offices or cities – takes up a huge amount of effortful attention. In contrast, people who are immersed in nature pay attention more broadly and in a less effortful way, leading to a more relaxed body and mind.
When we’re relaxed and at ease in our environment, our parasympathetic system – often referred to as the ‘rest and digest’ branch – kicks in, an opposing force to the ‘fight or flight’ response our bodies produce in high-pressure situations. Spending time in nature can lower blood pressure and cortisol levels, enhance your immune system, increase self-esteem, reduce anxiety, and improve mood.
Space to refresh
We recently interviewed one of our newest volunteers, Gatis, about his experience of spending time in nature with Wild Rumpus. Gatis usually works as an engineering service centre manager but joined us for both of our summer festivals this year. In Gatis’ words:
‘My day-to-day job involves a lot of stress and urgency, and I usually spend all day in the office – so it’s been very enjoyable being outside all day. I left the forest feeling refreshed, clear-headed, and more focused than when I’d arrived.‘
For those whose work is usually fast-paced and all-consuming, stepping away from the office and into nature is an antidote to the burn-out associated with checking emails and late-night messages, a remedy against the stresses of working to deadlines. We see spending time in the woods as a chance to put the outside world on hold for a few glorious hours; an opportunity to reset, recharge and emerge feeling refreshed.