Ross Collicutt is a computer programmer, writer and photographer from Vancouver Island. He tests all sorts of outdoor gear and writes about it on PureOutside.com. When he’s not laying on the ground taking close-ups of fungi and lichen, he’s hiking, biking, running or trying to paddle-board.
Even when we want to get outside there can feel like so many reasons not to. That kitchen needs cleaning. That season of the Queen’s Gambit is almost done. It’s raining. That couch looks really comfy. The list can get long.
We know how good it feels to move around outside for even 20 minutes. We feel happier and healthier.
With the pandemic restrictions right now in many provinces, it can be tough to go to the mall or the movies but getting outside is still something many of us are allowed to do. Wandering a local park for some rejuvenating tree time feels like another world after being stuck in the house for a few days.
No one feels like going outside all the time but here are 10 tips I use with my family and young kids for getting outside when we might not feel like it.
Big trees and big views can feel really good
Photo by Ross Collicutt
1. Schedule a meeting with trees and fresh air
Work meetings or lunch invites are scheduled using our calendar. Once something is in the calendar, we’ve made a commitment to do it.
We probably wouldn’t brush off a meeting with our boss or lunch date with a friend just because we felt like doing something else. You can do the same with meetings with trees and fresh air. Have them in your calendar as ‘busy time’ and treat them just like any other important meeting.
And as a bonus, those other meetings for work will feel a bit better after some green time.
2. Schedule an actual meeting outside
With a good phone or tablet and some cell reception you can have an actual video call with friends or coworkers. Test this with a friend where it won’t disrupt work if the call drops.
Also be mindful of your data usage. Video calls chew through data quickly!
3. Make it easy
Getting outside doesn’t have to be an epic trip to Everest. It can be a walk around the blog, a walk to your favourite park or just exploring somewhere close to home.
Have a bag with your essentials in it always ready to go by the door so leaving the house is just a matter of grabbing the adventure bag and heading out. Reduce the friction by reducing steps to getting outside and you’ll find yourself outside more often.
Rounding up all the gear to get outside in the rain and winter weather used to be a chore. Between searching for jackets, pants and boots and wrangling kids it took hours. Now, all our gear for winter adventures is ready to go in a duffel bag. Winter and waterproof jackets and pants, spare clothes, snacks and water are always packed, waiting to head to the beach, forest or mountains no matter the weather.
Just having coffee or tea outside adds tree time
Photo by Ross Collicutt
4. Tiny habits
Director of Stanford University’s Behavior Design Lab BJ Fogg recommends starting any habit tiny. Like ridiculously tiny.
Think flossing one tooth. Or just putting on your walking shoes. Or just playing guitar for 3 minutes.
Just putting on your shoes can lead to opening the door. Opening the door might lead to walking down the street. Getting to the end of the street might lead to walking around the block as well. Don’t focus on the whole thing, just the tiny trigger that tips the first domino.
5. Make a list of places you love or want to explore
I regularly visit websites like Pinterest, Flickr and outdoor groups on Facebook looking through photos of hikes, bikes or paddles near me. If I see something I like, I save it somewhere. When I have a bit of time but aren’t sure where to go I have a list ready to go of inspiring places. No need to comb the entire internet, I’ve already got a personalized list of suggestions.
Scrolling through a list of beautiful places near me is one of my favourite ways to start planning a trip big or small. By the time I reach the end of the list, I can’t wait to get outside.
Beautiful places don’t have to be far from home
Photo by Ross Collicutt
6. Go Solo. Or go with others.
Sometimes I hike with friends and family and other times I hike alone. I love being with friends and the shared experience that gives but I also like the freedom that comes with going solo. You can go any pace you want. You can change your plans on the fly. You can throw rocks in the water at the lake and stare into the ripples for an hour straight if you want. There’s no one else to worry about.
7. Be Curious
When I start asking questions about even the smallest places to explore outside, it pulls me outside to find the answer.
What’s down that trail? What’s behind that lake? What’s around that corner? I’ll start browsing trails on Google Earth or Garmin Basecamp and find a possible waterfall or something interesting in the Google Earth images. Curiosity gets the best of me and I’m suddenly planning a hike to find out what it looks like in real life.
Be curious with your eyes or camera
Photo by Ross Collicutt
8. Do what ‘you’ want to do
Many of the things I feel I want to do are actually things I feel like I should do for some reason. Someone else has done it. I’m supposed to go farther and faster than my last trip when I’m outside. I’m supposed to have a good story and lots of photos for Facebook.
A lot of those things are shoulds. Instead of those, forget everyone else for a minute, and think about what you want to do. Play through a little video in your head of what your walk, hike or run might look like. Do you get excited about doing that? No? Skip that one.
Play through another one in your head. How does that one feel? Like you just can’t wait to get out there? Do that.
9. Get some gear
You don’t need much gear to get outside. A pair of walking shoes all you need.
Better gear isn’t required but it can make outside more comfortable.
A good jacket that will keep you dry will fend off rain and snow.
Hiking shoes that fit well will prevent foot pain and blisters.
As a kid, I’d run around outside in the rain jumping in puddles or sliding in the snow for hours. We certainly weren’t wearing any sort of specialized jackets or hiking boots and loved every minute of it.
10. Join an Outdoor Facebook Group
Old chat forums used to be the place to ask questions about going outside and arrange trips and meetups but now Facebook has taken over that role. Almost every city and area has a Facebook group dedicated to getting outside. You don’t even have to ask any questions or post anything if you don’t want to. Just watch inspiration for all your next walks or bike rides roll by in your feed.
