YouAsk Kim
A woman in a seated twist on a green mat in a sunlit room, an olive tree and the sea behind her

Move · 20 min

Twenty minutes somewhere green

Twenty minutes in a park, garden, wood or by water, a few times a week, at whatever pace suits you.

20 minutesFrom the library, free to readFour steps
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Time outdoors, among trees, grass or water, is one of the simplest things we can do for ourselves. It does not need to be a hike. Twenty minutes, a few times a week, in the nearest green or blue space is enough to start.

The steps

Four small steps,in your own time.

  1. Find the nearest green or blue space you can reach easily: a park, a garden, a riverside path, a churchyard, even a quiet street with trees.

  2. Go for twenty minutes, at a pace that suits you. Walk, sit, or both.

  3. Leave the phone in your pocket. Notice what you can see, hear and smell: leaves, birds, water, wind.

  4. Aim for a few times a week. Write the days in your calendar, as you would any appointment.

The reason

Why it helps

Many people find time in nature restful and refreshing, and it often lifts the mood. Being outdoors also gives the body daylight and gentle movement, both of which can help with sleep and energy. Making it regular, rather than occasional, is what makes the difference.

A gentle variation

If getting out is hard, sit by an open window with a view of the sky or a tree, tend a few pots on a step, or watch birds at a feeder. If you care for someone, take them with you if they can come, even in a wheelchair, and sit together.

Friends resting after a game, the sea behind them

WE · TRIBE

Try itwith someone.

Invite a friend or neighbour to come with you, or join a local walking group. If you have children, let them lead the way and choose what to look at.

Make it a plan in HIVELIVE, with WE

Try it today

This week, spend twenty minutes in the nearest green or blue space, with your phone in your pocket.

Add it to your day

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