Working from home is a blessing for many workers, but working remotely in nature seems to take the “out of office” experience to a whole new level. In fact, working and in nature can reduce stress, increase happiness and help people sleep better, according to a study by Swedish researchers.
We absolutely love working in nature (well, here in Brooklyn, we go to parks, like Domino Park), and many people now find themselves working in their outdoor spaces, whether it’s private decks or gardens, poolside at a hotel or even in a public space. Nature will always reign as the best place to be connected, and combining nature with work has proven to be more effective for your workflow, not to mention inner peace.
One of our favorite things about working remotely in nature or outdoors is going to the park and bringing our own chairs or hammock, so it’s always a good idea to get geared up. One of our favorite things is bringing our own hammock.
You can find a bunch of great portable hammocks here.
Recently, the Swedish government set out to see how people feel and perform when working in or near nature through an Out of Office Office initiative, hoping to see how a “workcation” plays a hand in the working remotely trend. As part of the study, the researchers investigated the benefits of the new popular “workcation” travel trend, which combines work with vacation.
The 2-week study included 5 people who were monitored when working from their usual home office for one week and then at an accommodation close to nature — just outside Stockholm — for another week. Aside from showing that mental health and well-being increased by 22% as participants felt less depressed and more calm, harmonious and happy, the study also found that perceived stress decreased by 48% among the participants after the week spent in nature.
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Furthermore, sleep quality also improved; the participants fell asleep 51% faster and had a better quality of sleep with longer periods of uninterrupted sleep when working from their nature offices, according to the study.
The study, in collaboration with researchers from Sweden’s single largest center for medical academic research and one of the world’s foremost medical universities – Karolinska Institutet, was performed to illustrate the previous scientific findings by both Swedish and other international research organizations that show exposure to the natural environment is beneficial in many ways for overall health.
The Out of Office Offices initiative promotes some of the best workcation accommodations in Sweden, and they are spread across the country and are all individually unique, from the archipelago to being in the woods. Ultimately, they all offer a closeness to Swedish nature and beautiful scenery for calm and creative days, while also being fully equipped to suit a work-from-home lifestyle.
Don’t forget your hammock 🙂
| Facts From the Case Study According to the results, there are clear signs that the study participants feel mentally better during the experiment period than during the working week before.
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In March 2021, Sweden ranked as the No. 1 most sustainable country in the world. The country also opened the “world’s largest open air bar” this past summer. The outdoor bar experience, “Drinkable Country,” features a combination of ready-made beverages that reflect local nature and produce alongside drinks that visitors can mix themselves with ingredients found in the surroundings based on recipes provided by Sweden’s foremost beverage experts.
More stories:
3 sustainable travel trends for 2021, according to Kind Traveler
Here’s why Sweden ranked the most sustainable destination in the world
This couple in their 20s quit their job to travel the world on a sailboat
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Jimmy Im has traveled to 113 countries, stayed in over 600 hotels and has flown a million airmiles. He lives in New York City.