Welcome to episode 229, and to the end of the second week of the Great Outdoors Slow Experiment! In today’s episode Brooke and Ben turn their attention to attention - the benefits of outside time for mental performance. There’s loads of research that shows how time spent in nature helps us concentrate more, be more creative, improve our memory and do better in work and study. Brooke highlights that while for her, she doesn’t need any more convincing to spend time outside, this research is pretty powerful when it comes to showing decision and policy makers of the importance of integrating nature into urban, work and educational environments.

Creativity is a theme that comes up, and Brooke says she feels the benefits more in this and problem-solving rather than a more immediate impact on productivity. Ben realises that while he once thought time in nature gave him clarity, he now sees it more as a reset, a time for his brain to rest and heal so he can come back to the clarity that’s already there. This ties into the research about active and passive attention, and the importance of downtime for your brain.

At the end of the episode, Brooke shares a bunch of ideas for those living in urban environments who are finding it challenging to get out in nature. These include things like:
Take your lunch to a park and eat it there
Find a patch of grass and sit on it – take your shoes off and pop your feet on the ground, see what it feels like
Make a date with friends/family and go for a picnic
Drive out of the city one night and look at the stars
Make a date every month and make that your nature day – no phones, just hanging out, outside
Buy a couple of house plants
Looking at images and listening to sounds of nature
Go camping

We’d love to hear your suggestions! If you’re playing along, don’t forget to share how you’re going over on Instagram using the hashtag #slowexperiment, or comment on Facebook. We’d also love to know what you’ve found challenging or easy so far, especially if you’re in an urban environment.

To read more, head over to http://slowyourhome.com/229/ for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post.

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If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes or head over to the Patreon page to help support the show financially and join in on our live monthly video calls.

And thanks so much for listening!

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Welcome to episode 229, and to the end of the second week of the Great Outdoors Slow Experiment! In today&rsquo;s episode Brooke and Ben turn their attention to attention - the benefits of outside time for mental performance. There&rsquo;s loads of research that shows how time spent in nature helps us concentrate more, be more creative, improve our memory and do better in work and study. Brooke highlights that while for her, she doesn&rsquo;t need any more convincing to spend time outside, this research is pretty powerful when it comes to showing decision and policy makers of the importance of integrating nature into urban, work and educational environments.
Creativity is a theme that comes up, and Brooke says she feels the benefits more in this and problem-solving rather than a more immediate impact on productivity. Ben realises that while he once thought time in nature gave him clarity, he now sees it more as a reset, a time for his brain to rest and heal so he can come back to the clarity that&rsquo;s already there. This ties into the research about active and passive attention, and the importance of downtime for your brain.
At the end of the episode, Brooke shares a bunch of ideas for those living in urban environments who are finding it challenging to get out in nature. These include things like:
<ul>
<li>Take your lunch to a park and eat it there</li>
<li>Find a patch of grass and sit on it &ndash; take your shoes off and pop your feet on the ground, see what it feels like</li>
<li>Make a date with friends/family and go for a picnic</li>
<li>Drive out of the city one night and look at the stars</li>
<li>Make a date every month and make that your nature day &ndash; no phones, just hanging out, outside</li>
<li>Buy a couple of house plants</li>
<li>Looking at images and listening to sounds of nature</li>
<li>Go camping</li>
</ul>
We&rsquo;d love to hear your suggestions! If you&rsquo;re playing along, don&rsquo;t forget to share how you&rsquo;re going over on Instagram using the hashtag #slowexperiment, or comment on Facebook. We&rsquo;d also love to know what you&rsquo;ve found challenging or easy so far, especially if you&rsquo;re in an urban environment.
To read more, head over to <a href="http://slowyourhome.com/229/">http://slowyourhome.com/229/</a> for all the links and resources mentioned, as well as the full blog post.
====
If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2">leave a rating or a review in iTunes</a> or <a href="http://www.patreon.com/slow">head over to the Patreon page</a> to help support the show financially and join in on our live monthly video calls.
And thanks so much for listening!
===

To strive is human, to saunter divine. Welcome to The Tortoise - a podcast that digs deep into the power of slow. Brooke McAlary (author of "Slow", "Care" and "Destination Simple") is joined by her husband Ben for a monthly deep dive into the realities of trying to live slow in a world that won't stop racing. On the third Thursday of every month, join Brooke and Ben for an unscripted, unedited, always candid and usually fun conversation about slow living and how embracing our inner tortoise can impact every part of life: relationships, work, family, community, tech, health, care, personal growth. If you’re burnt out, overwhelmed, frustrated at the sheer pace of life or just looking for a sign to slow down, this is the podcast (a plodcast!) for you.

To strive is human, to saunter divine. Welcome to The Tortoise - a podcast that digs deep into the power of slow. Brooke McAlary (author of "Slow", "Care" and "Destination Simple") is joined by her husband Ben for a monthly deep dive into the realities of trying to live slow in a world that won't stop racing. On the third Thursday of every month, join Brooke and Ben for an unscripted, unedited, always candid and usually fun conversation about slow living and how embracing our inner tortoise can impact every part of life: relationships, work, family, community, tech, health, care, personal growth. If you’re burnt out, overwhelmed, frustrated at the sheer pace of life or just looking for a sign to slow down, this is the podcast (a plodcast!) for you.

Good conversations on what it really looks like to live a slower life.

The Tortoise with Brooke McAlary

To strive is human, to saunter divine. Welcome to The Tortoise - a podcast that digs deep into the power of slow. Brooke McAlary (author of "Slow", "Care" and "Destination Simple") is joined by her husband Ben for a monthly deep dive into the realities of trying to live slow in a world that won't stop racing. On the third Thursday of every month, join Brooke and Ben for an unscripted, unedited, always candid and usually fun conversation about slow living and how embracing our inner tortoise can impact every part of life: relationships, work, family, community, tech, health, care, personal growth. If you’re burnt out, overwhelmed, frustrated at the sheer pace of life or just looking for a sign to slow down, this is the podcast (a plodcast!) for you.

As we finish Week 2 of the nature experiment, Brooke and Ben turn their attention to, well, attention, and how time in nature impacts our mental performance.

The Great Outdoors: Part 3 - A Slow Experiment

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/243ccf3a-ffca-4fdf-a788-a5c500074b35/clips/2afb2776-ae63-40df-9398-a8a300eaf12f/transcript

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