Your Springtime Outdoor Challenge

We get paid to think, not just do. 

Unfortunately, most of our time is spent on instinct, based on years of experience. Meetings, emails, constant notifications, conflicting deadlines and eager customers block us from doing true deep thinking.

On top of that, I often hear from people who are battling upper body injuries from sitting at their desk all day. Not good!

Being outside and one with nature is critical to our well-being. Studies show we feel better, sharper and more creative by being outside.

So, as we head into springtime, let’s spend time around green grass, large trees and luscious parks. But it’s one thing to simply say, “go outside.” I understand the daily stresses and realities of our profession. That’s why I want to help us spend our workdays outside with intention.

Your challenge is to allocate 150 minutes per week — 30 minutes Monday through Friday — to get outside and get paid to think.

Some of you might want to play it by ear to determine what you’ll be thinking about. Perhaps you need to just vent to yourself, and that’s OK!

However, some of you might need some prompts. Here’s an example of how to use your time outside to get some great thinking done.

• Monday: What do you want to learn this week, and what are the steps you’ll take to do so? Since professional development is typically lower on the priority list, this gives you the chance to process in real-time what you want to learn. 
• Tuesday: What’s a challenge you’re eager to tackle? Perhaps you’re processing how to bring a new idea to an executive, or you need some new story angles to pitch media. Getting outside will help stimulate new ideas. 
• Wednesday: Who is someone you want to connect with and learn from? Since public relations is a relationship business, it’s important that we’re constantly connecting with new people. But we also need a strategic approach so we’re meeting the right people at the right time. Who is one person you want to connect with this week, and for what purpose?
• Thursday: Who is someone you want to help this week? Paying it forward is good for our well-being as well. Is there someone in your network looking for a new job, career change or shared a challenge with you? This is a chance to do some deep thinking on how you can be of service. 
• Friday: What is something you’re proud of this week, and why? Often, we forget great work we’ve done over the course of a year. This gives us time to write down key milestones so when it’s reviews time, or awards season, or you’re interested in updating your résumé or LinkedIn profile, it’s much fresher. 

In just 150 minutes per week, you can get some movement in, and some real work done that will help you and those around you.

Please let me know what challenges you’ve solved this spring as a result! ϖ