College students are wrapping up for summer, parents are signing up the kids for camp, and it seems like every other week another coworker is flying off on some exotic seaside getaway. But what about you?! You’re in need of some time off, too, but you just don’t have a week to spare. Well, do you have 4 minutes? You do? Great. That’s all you need.
You may be here…
But you can feel like you just escaped to here.
College students are wrapping up for summer, parents are signing up the kids for camp, and it seems like every other week another coworker is flying off on some exotic seaside getaway. But what about you?! You’re in need of some time off, too, but you just don’t have a week to spare.
Well, do you have 4 minutes?
You do? Great. That’s all you need. Now try this:
Close the laptop, leave your phone at your desk, and step outside. It doesn’t matter where you are. Maybe you’re in a parking lot, a yard, or on a sidewalk. That’s OK. Nature is all around you.
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in … and out.
Next, do a quick “body scan” by moving your attention from the top of your head all the way down to your toes. When your attention comes to a place where you’re tense, focus on it. Take another deep breath, then breathe out and relax. Repeat as necessary.
Now, with your eyes still closed, shift your focus from your body to your surroundings. What do you hear—voices, traffic, birdsong? What do you smell—food, grass asphalt? What do you feel—warmth, moisture, a cool breeze? What are you aware of now that you weren’t aware of when you first stepped outside?
Finally, open your eyes, but keep your vision unfocused, almost blurry. Slowly turn your head from left to right, then up and down. What colors stand out? What shapes do you notice? What’s moving? What’s staying perfectly still?
With your eyes open, take one more deep breath in … and out. You just got home from a 4-minute nature vacation. And you look great.
