10 Simple Outdoor Activities to De-Stress After a Long Week
This post is all about outdoor activities for de-stressing and unwinding.
Having a strenuous workweek or a particularly demanding work month? These are the best outdoor activities for unwinding and de-stressing after a long day that you should start doing as soon as possible.
Work can be one of the biggest stressors in our lives, and we tend to spend MOST of our time working. Perhaps you’re putting in hours on end for your boss and not seeing any return on your investment, or you just got the promotion but are completely overwhelmed. Regardless of the reason, work can be challenging. I know when I was working a 9-5 corporate job, all I wanted to do was be outside and enjoy nature rather than sitting behind my desk.
You are going to learn about the various ways to unwind and de-stress from work by enjoying outdoor activities, such as taking walks, practicing outdoor yoga, or even taking dinner to go and enjoying a picnic with your loved one.
After reading about the different ways to unwind and de-stress by spending time outside, you’re going to be running out on your lunch break to get some fresh air for a midday fix.
This post gives you 10 simple outdoor activities you can start today!
Best Outdoor Activities to De-Stress and Unwind
1. Nature Walk
One of my favorite ways to unwind after a long day at work is to take a leisurely walk outdoors. If you’re like me and have a very energetic pooch to bring along, bringing your fido friend will make it more fun as well!
Whether it’s a walk down the road or exploring the local trails, walking in nature is a relaxing way to get outside and enjoy a leisurely outdoor activity.
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2. Outdoor Yoga
Yoga is a very relaxing and meditative activity that can boost your mood and help you to de-stress. It’s even better when you take your mat outside and enjoy a nice sunrise yoga session.
Getting your boost of vitamin D while adding some movement can help set yourself up for a successful day. Bring your mat to the beach, your local park, or even your backyard!
[Related Post: 13 Powerful Reasons to Start a Yoga Practice Today!]
3. Enjoy your Patio
Speaking of places to enjoy yoga, your back patio (or front patio) is a perfect spot to take in some of the great outdoors. And yes, sitting on your patio is an outdoor activity!
One of my favorite ways to start my morning is by taking my coffee and journal to my back porch and spending some time outside to start my morning the right way. This helps me get into the right mindset and enjoy a little sunshine before I begin my workday.
This is the exact journal I use for my morning writing sessions.
4. Gardening
Do you have a green thumb or want to learn something new? Gardening is a great hobby to pick up that will get you outside and take your mind off work.
There’s something about digging in the dirt and getting your hands dirty that brings out my inner child. I don’t have a particularly green thumb, but growing herbs on my back patio is relatively easy for beginners.
If you have a knack for this kind of thing, you could even plant a whole backyard garden to provide some fresh veggies for the next neighborhood barbecue!
Check out this book on gardening for beginners!
5. Get Sweaty
What’s better than getting in a workout while getting your sunshine fix? Picking up a healthy habit like running or cycling can help you get outdoors and knock out your workouts at the same time.
One of my favorite things to do is run outside! While running on treadmills is excellent for those chilly or rainy days, taking your run to your closest trail or just right out your front door can provide an extra boost of serotonin for your day.
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6. Have a Picnic
After a long day at work, we tend to want to sit around, maybe order some doordash and couch rot. While this may be a way for you to wind down, it doesn’t necessarily have any lasting affects on your mood.
Another simple outdoor activity you can try this week to help de-stress and unwind from work is to have a picnic. It also doubles as a cute date idea for you and your partner, or even bring along your dog and a book for a relaxing evening in the great outdoors!
Check out this adorable picnic set for your next date night!
7. Go for a Hike
Wanna kick your nature walk up a notch? Get moving… uphill! If you have mountains near you, that is.
Pack your day hike or overnight backpack and enjoy the hike. Get a workout, a mood booster, adventure, and outdoor activity all in one. Hiking can be an everyday activity or a weekend getaway, depending on the intensity you prefer. Still, it is sure to help you forget about those emails you want to keep checking.
Unfortunately, I no longer live near the mountains (I miss them every day), so I take my outdoor activities to the water, which I will discuss next.
Having a daypack is a lifesaver for any length of hike. This is Amazon’s overall top pick for a day bag for your next hike.
8. Get on the Water
Water activities are a great way to enjoy outdoor fun! From paddle boarding to kayaking or even waterskiing, there are numerous ways to get active on the water.
Soaking up the sun while cruising around on glassy water is a surefire way to de-stress. You’ll be so relaxed, you won’t even remember what you needed to de-stress from!
[Related Post: Ultimate SUP Packing List: Everything You Need for a Perfect Day on the Water]
9. Enjoy the Neighborhood Pool
If you don’t want to lug around a bunch of gear or maybe you don’t live near the water, well, don’t worry! You can still enjoy the outdoors on the water by going to your neighborhood pool and floating away your stress.
Many pools feature grills for added fun to enhance your outdoor experience. Cook up some hot dogs or burgers while soaking up some sun!
10. Photography
Bring your favorite hobbies outside! If you like photography (or any other hobby for that matter), then what better canvas than what is right outside your front door?
Photography can be done while participating in any of the outdoor activities mentioned above! Maybe not water skiing…
Make sure to capture those photos so when you go back to work, you can get a little dose of the outdoors by reminiscing on some of your favorite outdoor memories!
My go-to camera is typically a Canon model. Check out this starter bundle to start capturing those memories now.
