Stop Multitasking, Get Outside, and Be Positive
Hi Folks! Connor and Nick here from Healthy Living With Nick and Connor. Thanks again for being on our email list, it means a lot, and we are excited to share our weekly email with you. We hope you enjoy it! Here is what we hope you take away from this one:
Stop multitasking. Focus solely on one project at a time and do some deep work baby.
Getting in nature for just 15 minutes a day will have amazing benefits for your body and mind.
Harness the power of positivity, and avoid the shackles of negativity.
Starter Mindset Tip: Humans Suck at Multitasking
We want to clear something up right now: humans are not good multitaskers. If you are sitting there thinking to yourself “what are these dudes talking about, I am amazing at multitasking,” then we hope we can change your mind. Studies have shown time and time again that our efficiency and productivity drops when we multitask. What we should be doing instead is leaning into one task at a time, absolutely crushing that one task with full focus, moving on to the next task, and repeating. The American Psychological Association recommends that we “choose strategies that boost our brain's efficiency—above all, by avoiding multitasking, especially with complex tasks. (Headlee, p. 95) Multitasking leads to distraction, scattered thoughts, and trouble organizing your thoughts. The more you multitask, the more distracted and scattered you will be. If you don’t believe us, try it out. Crush out some deep work focusing on one task at a time and see how productive you are.
Health Recipe: Get Outside—15 Minutes a Day Can Keep the Doctor Away
Timing: 15-20 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Pretty easy to go for a stroll
Serving Size: Start with one day per week, and work up from there
Spiciness: Mild, relaxing, maximum chill
INGREDIENTS
Just yourself, outside in nature, ideally without your phone or other technology
REASONING AND BENEFITS
Ever since we were kids, we have been told to get outside, run around, and get fresh air. This is advice that we have always heard, but never really questioned or looked into, so let’s dive into the benefits. Firstly, getting the benefits of nature doesn’t have to be in a remote forest, on a private island, or deep in the jungle. You can get the benefits of nature right out your front or back door. We are going to focus on two countries that have studied the positive effects of getting outside—Japan and Finland. A Japanese study found that people who spent just 15 minutes sitting and walking through nature experienced drops in blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar, and stress levels. Not only that, people’s bodies release more natural killer cells to fight off colds, flus, and other illnesses. (Easter, p. 113) In a world where we are often overstressed, overstimulated, and overworked, it is pretty important to stop and slow down every once in a while, and it looks like a 15 minute nature walk is just what the doctor ordered. The studies in Finland concluded that we should spend around 5 hours out in nature every week to avoid depression and make us happier in our everyday lives. (Easter, p.119) While you’re out in nature, your brain enters a mode called “soft fascination.” In this mode you are focusing outwardly at the nature around you, your attention network is turned down, and you are being mindful about what you are doing and seeing. A 15-20 minute nature walk will leave you feeling calmer, sharper, more productive, and ready to take on your day. (Easter, p. 116) Key Tip: Make sure to turn your phone off and focus on the walk and what is around you. If you remain connected to your phone, you will not get all of the benefits possible. Harness the calmness, turn off your phone, focus on what is around you.
INSTRUCTIONS
Stop waiting for a big wilderness trip to get your outside time. Go hang out in your backyard or step outside your front door and head to a local park. Sit down and relax, or walk through for 15-20 minutes.
Make sure your phone is off, and do not check it or any other technology.
Notice what is around you, let your thoughts wander, focus on controlling and slowing down your breathing, feel the stress melt away.
If you have access to wilder nature nearby, sprinkle some visits there, the wilder the better. But if a small local park is all you have, that’s still great.
Master Level Status: If you find yourself chronically overstressed, and you can’t break out of it, find the time to spend 3 days in nature without your phone. The “three day effect” is based on studies that say 3 days in nature will change our minds for the better. Stress levels will plummet, you will reset your thinking, revive your brain, tame burnout, and just make you feel better. (Easter, p. 120)
PRO TIP: If you can make this happen in the morning to get some morning sun at the same time, then you will be stacking some powerful habits my friends. There is nothing better than pairing up some beastly health improving tips to save time in your busy day for other things.
* In a world where we are constantly overstimulated, taking 15-20 minutes out of your day and having a calm walk in nature can do a lot of good. Try it out for yourself.
** If you have heard the term “forest bathing,” this is what it is referring to. Find a way to make this fit into your schedule that works for you, a little bit of nature goes a long way.
*** Across the world, nature researchers are proving that the outdoors are a potent antidote to the modern human conditions of chronic disease and being overstressed, overstimulated, and overworked. This is a prescription that we can be on board with!
Dessert Quote:
“The importance of nourishing one’s inner freedom, embracing the value of beauty in nature, art, poetry, and literature, and feeling love for family and friends. But other personal choices, activities, relationships, hobbies, and even simple pleasures can also give meaning to life. Why then do people find themselves so empty? It is a question of the attitude one takes toward life’s challenges and opportunities, both small and large. A positive attitude allows a person to endure suffering and disappointment as well as enhance enjoyment and satisfaction. A negative attitude intensifies pain and deepens disappointments; it undermines and diminishes pleasure, happiness, and satisfaction; it may even lead to depression and physical illness.” — Viktor Frankl, “Man’s Search For Meaning,” p. 151.
Now we want to hear from YOU! Please let us know what you think of today’s newsletter, and send us an example of how you applied the health recipe to your life! We would love to share how you introduced this week’s recipe into your life’s unique menu. Thanks and have a great Sunday!
Sources:
Learn more about the benefits of getting outside:
Easter, M. (2021). The comfort crisis: Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self. Rodale Books.
Li, Q. (2018). Forest bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness. Penguin.
Learn more about the power of focus and why you should not multitask:
Headlee, C. (2020). Do nothing: Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing and Underliving. Hachette UK.
Newport, C. (2016). Deep work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. Hachette UK.
Learn more about the power of positivity:
Frankl, V. E. (2014). Man’s Search for Meaning, Gift Edition. Beacon Press.
