The benefits of writing outdoors
I’m sitting outside writing this post (sadly not on a hike, but just in my garden).
It’s a beautiful sunny day, warm with a few clouds in the sky. I have blankets, cushions, a drink, and my laptop. A cat is sitting by my feet.
It feels like the perfect balance between sitting in front of a screen and being outside…at least for now.
Working from home in recent years has been such a blessing. It means I can make my day more efficient, with tasks neatly fitting together like tetris blocks (instead of having to work around the different things I need to do like an ant taking a detour around a soil pile up).
My boyfriend is always really surprised that I like writing outdoors so much. He likes a constant power supply and no screen glare ever. These are just minor downsides to me as the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. A lot of it can be mitigated by having a laptop with a long life battery and making clever use of shade (for a natural approach, you could even try a tree!). Of lyr
So now we’re done with the disadvantages, let’s talk about the advantages.
1. Fewer distractions
As much as I can get distracted outside, by things like the clouds and wandering animals, I find it’s a lot less distracting than inside. There’s only so long you can look at clouds!
Inside, there are all kinds of tasks and people wanting my time. There’s the temptation to put the TV on or just have a quick tidy round. Plus being further away from a kitchen means I’m much less likely to spend the day snacking out of boredom.
2. More inspiration
I don’t know about you, but I find nature so inspirational. I find the bird song and noise of water really helps me feel inspired to write. I have no idea if there’s some kind of science to back that, but it kind of feels like there might be. Even if it’s just feeling more relaxed and therefore more in a mental position for the words to flow, I really do find it makes a difference.
3. Increased productivity
There are likely to be plenty of reasons to get your tasks done faster if you’re working outdoors. The weather (too hot, too cold, rainy), the amount of daylight you have, and your battery life can all contribute to limiting your outside time.
For that reason, I’ve found I tend to be more productive and I spend less time scrolling social media or getting distracted by emails as I’m aware I need to get certain things done in the time I have available. (Yes, I could go back inside, but that’s not possible if you’re out in a field, and also it helps have that separation of work/life). Once I go back in, I’m finished working for the day.
4. Fresh air
We have air purifiers indoors, but nothing beats the feeling of fresh air on your face. With England’s limited sunshine, it’s also a chance to regularly top up on vitamins and let your skin just breathe.
5. It saves money and helps the environment
If I’m inside, chances are I’m fiddling with radiators, heaters or air con trying to get the ideal temperature. I’m likely putting the TV on for background noise, making lots of coffee, and just generally using way more energy than I would outside. As we’re all looking to reduce our energy use at the moment, being outside is the perfect way to reduce it – and realise how little we do actually need to be using on nice days!
6. Better efficiency
When I’m already outside and working from a pretty spot, I can just pick up my phone or walk a few steps to snap a nice picture. That way I’m creating social media or blog content easily, without having to set aside a whole lot of time to make a special effort to go out somewhere and take photos. I naturally and effortlessly have some cute Instagram story backgrounds or inspiration snaps for feature images.
Once I’m done writing, I can quickly edit them and add them to a post and it’s all done. Excellent.
And those are the benefits of working outside! If you haven’t tried writing outdoors, I thoroughly recommend it! Give it a go – you may be surprised about how much you like it.