How to Get Outside: A Modern Human's Guide

You know that natural light is incredibly healing and supportive of our bodies, 

but now what?? 

What if I'm too busy,

or work all day,

or have little kids,

or basically live in the arctic circle??

We know first hand that our busy, modern lives make it pretty difficult to get outside. Add to that, our midwest winters and it can be darn right hard.

But guess what, with a little creativity IT IS POSSIBLE! 

We've put together a list of ways to incorporate sunlight into your life, without adding anything extra to your to do list. And yes, we've even considered brutally cold Minnesota winters.

1. Do chores outside. Need to write a grocery list? Do it outside. Catching up on texts? Do it outside. Treating stains on laundry? Outside you go.

2. Cook outside. If you have a grill or a propane camping stove, use them to cook your meals. (BONUS: Cooking outside is better for your indoor air quality!) If you don't have either, you can still do food prep outside, whether chopping your veggies or mixing up your muffin batter.

3. Eat outside. You have to eat anyway, why not make it a picnic? You'll get 15-30 minutes of sunlight while adding zero extra time to your day.

4. Exercise outside. Who says you can't take those dumbbells or yoga mat outdoors? Extra points if you're barefoot and get in some grounding!

5. Work outside. If you work from home on a laptop…take it outside! You may need to stay in the shade to see your screen, but you will still be getting the benefits, even in indirect sunlight. (BONUS: the sunlight will help balance out the negative effects of blue light from your screen.)

6. Family time outside. Your little one wants to read a book? Go sit in the grass with them and cozy up. You're having a game night? Set it up on the patio table. Choose things like walks, scavenger hunts, or shooting hoops for your family time will help everyone get the sunlight they need.

7. Relax outside. Did you know that you can read books, listen to podcasts, do craft projects, and even watch NetFlix OUTSIDE?? Yes, vegging can be healing.

8. Go for a drive. If you're going to work or running errands, you have the perfect opportunity to get some light on your eyeballs. Just crack a window and you'll get lots of good light input.

How to get outside in the winter

Alright, if you're in Minnesota like we are, you know that many of the ideas above aren't super doable once the weather gets cold. Don't worry, we got you covered.

1. Bundle up. I know, I know. We are in the upper midwest and if anyone has an excuse not to go outside, it's us. But hear me out. I used to be a freeze baby, and now you'll find me sitting outside reading a book on a zero degree day. Because sometimes, if you dress warm enough, it's actually not as bad as it seems. Invest in some wool, or big puffy snow pants. Stick a hot water bottle up your coat (who cares if you look pregnant?), and cover your face with a scarf. Just get out there!

2. Move before you groove. I struggle most with going outside when I have been sedentary. The more I sit, the more cold I am internally, which means that being cold externally feels like is pure torture. If you're struggling to brave the cold, try getting your body moving and warm before heading out. Do a workout, have a dance party, or clean your house. It just might make a difference!

3. Find a winter hobby. If you have the time and energy, choose a winter hobby that you will enjoy. Skiing, snowboarding, learning animal tracks, or making ice sculptures. (If you choose the ice sculptures, we want to see pictures!)

4. Embrace your inner child. When you want to have some relax time, bundle up and make snowmen and forts, or go sledding! Who said snowball fight isn't the perfect date night activity?

5. Go on walks. Whenever my husband and I need to talk through a bunch of thing, we try to take it outside. Walking keeps us warm, and talking keeps our mind off the cold!

6. Take light breaks. If going outside for long periods of time is too challenging, just stick your head out the door. 30 seconds every hour or so will give you lots of great circadian input.

7. Crack a window. Cracking a window is a great way to allow light to your eyes while staying warm. Open the kitchen window a bit while you do the dishes. Crack a window next to your desk while you work. You get the idea.

8. Go for a drive. Crack the window of your car and blast the heat…you'll hardly notice that the window is open AND you don't have to pay for the heating bill!

Got little kids?

We get it. Winter + babies and toddlers + going outside = MELTDOWNS.

It takes 30 torturous minutes just to get them bundled up, then suddenly they need a snack and we need to start over.

Or they get cold after ten minutes and want to come in.

Or they won't wear their hat and we just give up and stay inside.

It's hard, and I don't know that anything will make it easy. But here are a few tips that could help.

• Baby carry. I've found baby carries with warm carrier covers to be very helpful for keeping babies and young toddlers toasty warm. It also cuts down on the bundling up time by a lot! (I like this carrier cover because you can take the fleece lining out and use it as a rain cover in warmer months.)

• Get good quality gear. I've  invested in good quality wool gear for my littles. Wool socks, long underwear and balaclavas have been helpful.

• Keep it short. We do a short 5 minute "sunrise outing" where just throw on jackets and boots and go outside for a few minutes. That way we can get some sunlight without the 30 minute ordeal of getting everyone bundled up. If my kiddos start getting cold, we just head in.  

• Use a stroller cover. You can also use a stroller cover (ones that are intended for rain) to keep wind off and keep their body heat in. Just try to have a little opening so sunlight gets to their eyes too. 

• Make traditions. Kids love predictability! My boys know that after breakfast we go out to see the sunrise, and because it's normal we no longer have melt downs about it. The also know that we go on a walk later in the morning, and they because it's what we do, they usually do it without complaint. Make your own traditions! Go see the ducks at the pond every afternoon. Walk to the mail box every morning. Have Wednesdays be park days. You get the picture!

• Make it fun! If your kiddo is getting bored or doesn't want to go outside, try to make it fun. We've gone on gnome hunts where we look for "gnome doors" on our walk. We've looked at dog tracks and tried to guess who made them. We've guessed what the weather would be like, and gone outside to see if we were right. Come up with a list of your own!

• Be ok with compromise. On days where it just seems too difficult, hold them while you stick your head out the door, or crack a window near where they're playing. Then when it's warmer, try to soak in all the sunlight you can!

Your homework this week is to choose one of these ideas and go for it! Your body will thank you.

Let us know in the comments below which idea you'll try, or if you have any other ideas we should add to the list!

Want to maximize your time outside? Discover the key times to be in sunlight by reading this blog post.