Want to Be a Better Employee This Summer? Get Outside

Summer is without a doubt my favorite season. One of my favorite summer activities is to open my patio doors in the evening to let the season’s scents of fresh cut grass and neighbors grilling waft into my house. I’ll often sit outside without saying a word and just listen to the birds chattering and the crickets chirping. Occasionally, I’ll catch a glimpse of an elusive firefly – a reminder that I’m no longer in Oregon, but rather in hot, humid Washington, D.C. After breathing in the fresh air, I’ll exhale the day’s stress.

During the warmer months, I also try to go for a 15-minute walk each day during lunch. I often practice my breathing exercises to de-stress and feel rejuvenated before returning to work to finish the second half of my day.

If you’ve read any of my columns, you probably already know I’m a huge proponent of getting outside. Growing up in a small town in Oregon, being outside was basically all there was to do, even when the weather was bad. Because it usually rained for nine months out of the year, summer was our window of joy. Everything was green, lush and beautiful, and my family and I spent long, lazy days at the river. Everyone and everything appeared to have been re-born once summer began, because people could actually leave their houses without getting wet.

Perhaps because of my childhood and how rare the sun was to me then, I view the seasonal turn to summer as an opportunity for a reset – in my workout routine, personal relationships and job. You can also consider it a chance to refresh your attitude – and become happier and more productive, in life and in work.

More than anything, the long days and seemingly endless hours of sunlight appear to be nature’s way of nudging us to all get outside. It’s perhaps a reminder to take a vacation – and you should do just that.

Summer vacations generally involve being outdoors. For me, the increased absorption of vitamin D causes my skin as well as my soul to light up.

There’s actually a lot of scientific evidence that supports why getting outside is important for your health. So if you don’t want to listen to encouraging words, listen to science! Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, is produced by the body in response to sun exposure (or as a result of taking supplements and/or eating certain foods). According to Medical News Today, “Having enough vitamin D is important for a number of reasons, including maintaining healthy bones and teeth; it may also protect against a range of conditions such as cancer, type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.”

Vitamin D also helps improve your mood – which is important if you suffer from any mental health condition, including seasonal affective disorder.

Taking a vacation can also serve as a way to become a better employee, and it doesn’t always have to be a budget-breaking excursion.

As I explained in my column last year about the importance of disconnecting while on vacation, summer is a season that can be enjoyed without spending a lot of money. You can go hiking, go swimming in a river or local pool, go to the park, or buy a cheap grill and food for the same amount that you would spend on any other everyday meal. The simple act of enjoying the outdoors and time with family and friends is what makes summer and the act of taking a break so valuable.

Distance from your daily life also provides clarity. It’s like viewing a painting: Stand too close to it, and you won’t be able to clearly see all the beauty in the artwork. The same is true with life – when you’re so intimately involved with the daily grind of your own life, you’re often not able to gain perspective, see the beauty in it and have a chance to reset.

For me, traveling allows me to escape my mental hamster wheel and disconnect. It’s like fuel for my imaginative spirit. It also recharges me, helps me generate ideas for my work, pushes me beyond my comfort zone, and allows me to learn and engage with the world that exists beyond my immediate boundaries. Generally, somewhere along the way, I learn different and often better ways of doing things, and come back home as a better employee.

Perhaps the author Henry Miller said it best: “One’s destination is never a place, but rather a new way of looking at things.”

So this summer, get outside or take a vacation. Perhaps you’ll come back with a new and refreshed way of looking at things, including in your work life.

Tahira Hayes is a correspondent-at-large for CU Times. She can be reached at thayes@cutimes.com.