Does Access to Green Space Improve Your Everyday Life?

It’s a fact of life that human beings crave green spaces. When we’re surrounded by forests, farmland, or lush gardens, we attain a sense of peace that can’t be matched by concrete, steel, and glass.

Family enjoying an evening walk

Even in the densest urban environment, however, it’s possible to reclaim a little bit of sanity with the help of the right greenery. Even the smallest garden can be a wonderful way to reset, both mentally and physically. In many cases, the availability of a nearby park might be what persuades you to choose to live in a particular location.

Why Location Still Matters: In order to benefit from outdoor space, you’ll need to have access to the right kind of it. This is something that would-be homebuyers should consider carefully. Fortunately, many developments of modern new-build homes offer outdoor space as a default. When this space is right on your doorstep, it’s more difficult to come up with excuses not to take advantage of it.

How Green Space Shapes Your Daily Routine: The chances are that there’s a green space near you. This might be a canal towpath, a park, or an area of woodland. In some cases, this green space might lie between your home and your place of work, which would make it easy to incorporate into your daily commute. But even when things aren’t quite as straightforward, you might find that it’s possible to exchange that little bit of daily screen time at lunch with a walk through a natural-looking environment.

The Impact on Energy and Mental Clarity: It’s easy to exaggerate the benefits of walking through nature - especially when you’re not keeping up the habit consistently. But at the same time, there’s considerable research linking time outdoors with greater focus. If you’re feeling a consistent dip in productivity in the afternoons, then it might be that a simple lunchtime walk is exactly what’s required. If you can take that walk with a friend or colleague,

then you might enjoy a social benefit, too.

Making Green Space Part of Your Lifestyle: It might be that you don’t have the time necessary to commit to time spent outdoors. But the truth is that you can often find the time by simply doing certain activities outdoors. You might, for example, take a laptop outdoors and answer your emails in the sun. Or, you might field phone calls or go for your daily exercise in a local parkland, rather than a stuffy office or a gym. Given the productivity and focus-related benefits of time outdoors, it might be that sacrificing a little bit of time in the office is actually worthwhile. It’s better to be focused for a short time than distracted and unproductive for hours.

Small Changes, Noticeable Difference: You don’t have to commit to a major change in lifestyle if you want to experience the benefits of green space. Often, it’s the simple changes in daily habits that make a bigger difference. Just a short daily session outdoors can make a massive one!