I generally avoid New Year’s resolutions, but I recently discovered the 1000 Hour Outside™ Challenge and was intrigued!

If you haven’t heard of this initiative, the primary purpose is to make sure kids get as much outdoor time as screen time. On the website, www.1000hoursoutside.com, you will find free downloadable tracking sheets and ideas for year-round outdoor adventures. The goal is to help kids spend at least 1,000 hours outdoors during the year.

Time outdoors, especially in green environments, has been shown in study after study to have a positive impact on health. According to the article, Weir, K. (2020, April 1) Nurtured by Nature https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature, published by the American Psychological Association, being in nature can result in lower stress levels, increased attention levels, improved mood, and a better memory. As we continue to navigate the COVID pandemic, gathering and visiting in an outside space can contribute to keeping us healthy and safe, and being in nature has been shown to mitigate the impact of social isolation.

From an occupational therapy perspective, outdoor time can benefit you as a clinician and can benefit your patients.

Be sure to include outdoor time as part of your self-care strategy. Health care workers, including OTs, are under tremendous pressure as the health care system continues to reel from the pandemic. Planning regular time outside, even if it isn’t 1,000 hours, will help you cope and see this crisis through to the end. Whether you take a quick work break outside or plan an outdoor adventure on a day off, prioritize time outside in 2022.

Given the many benefits of being outside, talk to your patients about outdoor activities, and consider how you can support occupations that involve the outdoors. Adults may prioritize outdoor occupations like gardening, pet care, family activities or adaptive sports that are important to them. Nature-based pediatric OT is also growing as more and more research supports the physical, cognitive, and social benefits of outdoor play for kids.

I don’t have small children, just small dogs (and a wonderful husband), but I think the 1,000 Hour Outside™ Challenge is a great New Year’s resolution for my family. Almost 3 hours each day will be challenging, especially during the winter months in the northern part of the U. S., but with a little planning including some longer adventures on the weekend, we are going to give it a try. Even if we don’t hit 1,000, we will increase our time in nature and reap the reward.

Thanks 1000 Hour Outside ™ for the inspiration!