Lake Tahoe hiking
Hiking around Lake Tahoe. (Photo by Julie Sims, Wikimedia Commons)
It’s early morning before the second day of a three-day meeting with camp and retreat colleagues from across the country. Two things happened yesterday that stuck out.
First, it took two flight segments to get here, and each time the wheels hit the runway the smartphones came out. Nearly everyone on the plane was looking down at their screen checking messages and scrolling through social media. I was one of them. One guy across the aisle from me must have switched off airplane mode at 2000 feet, as his phone was pinging notifications like crazy even before we hit the ground.
It was great to get with my nature-loving colleagues in a beautiful camp and retreat setting. But the second thing that happened is telling. After dinner most of us were sitting in the meeting room waiting to begin our evening session. The room was silent. We were all looking down at laptops, tablets or smartphones.
This is life today for most of us. If we are not connected, we’re not alive. It’s how we work, how we stay in touch with family and friends, and how we live. According to a recent Nielsen survey, the average American spends over 8.5 hours per day looking at a smartphone, tablet, computer or TV.
It would be bad enough if we were doing this one screen at a time, but we’re often switching between multiple screens to make sure we don’t miss the latest text or social media notification. And the research, starting with Stanford’s Richard Nass in 2009, is pretty clear that heavy media multi-tasking reduces our ability to focus on cognitively demanding tasks.
I’m not lamenting this. I love my devices. But we need balance.
And God provides.
There is a growing body of research that documents the restorative benefits of nature. Richard Louv coined the term “nature-deficit disorder” in his 2008 book Last Child in the Woods.
A colleague recommended Florence Williams’ recent book, The Nature Fix, which details the science behind how nature can renew us physically, emotionally and cognitively. The restorative power of nature is so great that countries as diverse as Japan, South Korea, Finland and Singapore have significant national efforts to increase the accessibility of nature and the amount of time their citizens spend in it.
Nature is God’s fix for our weary minds and bodies. We’re wired so that when we connect with God’s created order, it renews and restores us. We’re not going to give up our screens. But we can balance it with green.
Here are three suggestions.
Take Breaks with Nature
As little as five minutes with nature can begin to relax your brain. Fifteen minutes or more will reduce cortisol levels and begin to restore cognitive function. The good news is even if you can’t get outside, just looking outside can have similar effects. And, if you can’t do that, look at a picture of nature (especially greenery), even that is proven to reduce stress.
My own routine is to go outside for five minutes about once per hour. I work at a camp, so I’m blessed with beautiful surroundings. Getting outside, breathing deeply, feeling sunshine and viewing the trees and water does me good. Of course it does. Then I’m ready to get back to work.
Five Hours per Month
This has become the national standard in Finland. Their studies show that this is the minimum amount of time needed to consistently result in elevated mood and reduced depression.
Of course exercising, whether walking, running, biking or rowing will give even greater benefit. But even activities such as yard work will help. The bacteria in dirt has been shown to increase serotonin levels, which increases feelings of relaxation and happiness.
There are others ways to get outside without exercising. Sitting on a park bench. Having a picnic. Strolling through a garden. Find what works for you and get five hours per month.
Go on Retreat
OK…this might seem like a shameless plug for the ministry I serve (and it is). But time spent in nature away from our normal routine is good for mind, body and spirit. You don’t have to do it at a retreat center. Go camping. Book a cabin in the mountains or lake. Go to the beach. Regardless of where you go, be intentional about limiting screen time and replacing it with being outside and/or looking outside. You’ll feel the difference.
A Final Shameless Plug
The benefits of nature are even more important for kids. Studies show that nature can help kids reduce stress, improve self-esteem, increase non-verbal skills and reduce the effects of ADHD. Further, researchers at Penn State found that early social skills are more important than academic skills. After following 750 kids for 20 years, their study showed that those who were rated by their kindergarten teacher as better at cooperation, conflict resolution and listening to others were less likely to be unemployed, arrested, addicted or on public assistance.
All of this points to summer camp. Sending a kid to camp, and sending them early, can have lifelong effects. When kids come to camp they learn to live in community, developing needed social skills. They spend nearly all their time outdoors which can help them develop a love of nature. And, at Christian camp, they grow in faith.
Our fastest growing overnight programs serve kids in kindergarten through fifth grade. It’s never too early to send a kid to camp. You’ll give the gift of lifetime.
The Rev. Jack Shitama serves as executive director of Pecometh Camp & Retreat Ministries in Maryland. This post is republished with permission from Jack Shitama's Blog for Non-Anxious Leaders.