Getting outdoors and spending time surrounded by nature and fresh air is something that we all need to do more and more of, especially in this age of digital living. Creating an environment which is enticing will be the first thing that you need to do, and lounging areas will be the home base to that solution.
You need to make it as comfortable as being inside. Be sure to choose a chair or bench that will encourage people to stay. Friends sitting around a firepit, or enjoying a glass of wine under the stars is bliss and good for your mind and soul. Make your outdoor environment an extension of your indoor. Invite friends over for an appetizer and drink, do not worry about making it a big event, and last minute often works best because there is no time to cancel or worry about being prepared. This review of Adirondack chairs will help you to get started. We love a good Adirondack, they are roomy enough to accommodate kids and adults alike, they offer comfortable seating and every time we see one, it screams to us “get outside!”. Once you have your chairs in place, you can build the rest around those.
You can place your chairs in a circle around a conversation starter piece such as a round table or fire pit. If you choose a table, place a few candles on the table and get some board games and a deck of cards to encourage group engagement. Should you go the route of a firepit, a basket with kindling and metal s’more sticks are an ideal way to keep your crowd around for a few hours.
If you are fortunate enough to have a large yard, consider purchasing yard games like bocce sets, or lawn darts. If your space doesn’t allow for this type of larger scale game, bring the inside outdoors by putting down your Twister mat and get a game going in the fresh air.
Balancing Tech Time with the Outdoors
There are quite a few studies which we have come across which tout the benefits of being outdoors and connecting with nature. You will feel happier and your body receives energy that you just cannot get from being enclosed in four walls. So just taking a ten-minute walk barefoot around your yard will give you a sense of balance that you will not find in front of a tv or computer. But that brings us to another suggestion if you must work on your laptop, consider sitting outside for even 30 minutes a day. There are a lot of us that have a daily habit of starting our day scrolling through social media, make it a habit to do this while sitting outside. While not the ideal way to really engage with the natural world around you, it is a way to provide some balance to the digital deluge of life today and the first step in enjoying the outside more.
Make it Part of Your Day
Since most of us must work during daylight hours, making your outdoor space more inviting when the sun goes down is critical to spending more time there. While bulb lights are all the rage, your string of Christmas lights will do an excellent job at providing ambiance just the same. Also, consider tea lights in glass jars to keep the glow going since the wind might make full-size candles a bit of a challenge. You can save your glass jars and drop a few in those, grab a blanket, and sit outside for cozy conversation.
Dining outside can be just as easy as sitting at the dinner table. If you have a table and chairs already set up, make sure that you are sitting outside and dining al fresco at least a few times a week.
Personalize Your Space
The key to being outside is comfort and ambiance, and by getting great seating and lighting, you’ll want to be outside regularly. You can add little touches like a basket of blankets for cooler nights, Bluetooth speakers for music to set the scene, and potted flowers and plants to decorate with. You don’t need to have a big space, you just need to get out there! Start with our recommendations and then from there, watch the fun and conversations follow!
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