How a dose of nature can reset your workday

The crisp crunch of leaves underfoot. The sound of water moving through a stream. A lungful of cool, fresh air.

Finding calm at work through small moments outdoors

Time outdoors can feel invigorating or deeply calming. Yet for many professionals, long hours indoors — often in windowless offices or urban settings — limit access to green space during the working day.

Anna Rose Smith discovered this shift early in her career. After a childhood spent climbing trees and playing football, her first role as a psychotherapist in Utah placed her in a windowless office. The absence of natural light and fresh air felt jarring.

She began reclaiming her lunch breaks. Smith would walk to nearby fountains or gardens, collecting fallen petals or leaves to bring back to her desk. Sometimes she played recorded birdsong softly in her office, occasionally incorporating it into sessions with clients.

“It helps to just have that reminder that these things are going on outside,” she says. “No matter what happens in this room today, there are still going to be birds singing.”

Accessing forests or shorelines during work hours is not always realistic, particularly in colder climates or dense cities. Still, there are practical ways to incorporate nature into a working routine.

One approach is rethinking where meetings take place. Smith sometimes suggests “walk and talk” sessions along a nearby greenway. Scheduled discussions need not be confined to boardrooms; a park bench or courtyard can offer a change of rhythm.

With mobile devices, even virtual meetings can be more flexible. Smith occasionally joins online calls using her smartphone and headphones while walking outside. The shift allows her to feel sunlight and see plants and water while remaining engaged professionally.

She notices the difference. “I feel more calm,” she says. “It helps with focus as well. I’m just feeling more peaceful and optimistic.”

Some organisations are encouraging similar habits. Atlantic Packaging, headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, invites employees to use courtyards for meetings or to take walking discussions. The company has introduced fig trees and native plants at its Charlotte site and launched a “nature challenge” encouraging staff to log time spent outdoors — whether dog walking, eating lunch outside or watching a sunset.

Employees shared photos from beaches, mountains and neighbourhood streets across the United States. According to wellness director Becca Schusler, some participants reported handling stress more effectively after spending more time outside.

Likewise, Ford Motor Company incorporated outdoor design elements into the redesign of its Dearborn headquarters in 2025. Native plantings, walking paths and outdoor pavilions were added, and parking was positioned farther from the main buildings to encourage short walks through landscaped grounds.

Jennifer Kolstad, the company’s global design director, has said the intention was to engineer spaces that support positive mental and physical responses.

When stepping outdoors is not possible, windows and indoor greenery can help bridge the gap. During her time in a windowless office, Smith kept a low-maintenance pothos plant at her desk, moving it to a colleague’s sunlit office at weekends.

Commuting can also offer moments of connection. Walking or cycling part of the journey, even in cooler weather, provides fresh air and sensory variation. For Erin Mantz, a marketing executive in Washington, D.C., morning walks and dog strolls during remote workdays help her feel grounded.

She describes the effect as both physical and mental — a reminder of childhood days spent outdoors and a way to feel reinvigorated before returning to the demands of the day.

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