10th February 2025 Nature

A special thanks to DMH Stallard LLP for supporting us.

Dear Readers:

I wonder how differently we would feel and perform at work if we made a few tweaks to our working days. Such as increasing the sunlight we are exposed to, placing a pot plant near our desks, or perhaps walking to and from work through the local park 🌿

Could you benefit from a ‘Reflect and Recharge’ 1:1 personal offsite? Everything you need to know about this heavenly-looking retreat in the Cotswolds, completely surrounded by nature, is detailed in this newsletter 👌

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Katherine x

Nature

The Therapeutic Nature of Nature - how tuning in and connecting with ‘everyday’ nature is highly beneficial.

Walking & Talking - three different reasons to go for a walk and a talk.

Corporate Events Geared Around Nature - a collection of event ideas all centred around nature.

Reflect & Recharge - designed for investors, finance professionals, founders and business leaders, enjoy your very own 1:1 personal offsite in the Cotswolds.

The Therapeutic Nature of Nature.

“Regarding mental health benefits, nature has a very wide definition. It can mean green spaces like parks, woodland or forests and blue spaces like rivers, wetlands, beaches or canals. It also includes trees on an urban street, private gardens, verges and even indoor plants or window boxes. Surprisingly, even watching nature documentaries is good for our mental health. This is great news as it means the mental health benefits of nature can be made available to nearly every one of us, no matter where we live.” Mental Health Foundation.

Research shows that people who are more connected with nature are usually happier in life and more likely to report feeling their lives are worthwhile.

Nature can generate a multitude of positive emotions, such as calmness, joy, creativity and can facilitate concentration. Read the full report.

And there are even more reasons to connect with nature, according to this Clinical Psychology Review:

• greenspace exposure is associated with positive physiological effects, such as decreased heart rate and blood pressure

• exercising in the outdoors has more beneficial effects on revitalization, engagement, tension, confusion, anger and depression, compared to exercising indoors

• outdoor activities such as gardening and walking are effective in improving mental health and neurological conditions

• looking at nature has positive effects on mood, stress, concentration, and self-esteem

Evidence now suggests that exposure to nature of ≥120 min per week is related to optimal health and wellbeing, initiating calls for public health guidelines similar to that of physical activity.

Walking and Talking

We have come up with 3 different reasons why walking and talking is a good idea. They are:

1. Health & Performance

2. Connection

3. Therapy

These reasons come from 3 of our previous newsletter guests, whose businesses offer ‘walking and talking’ as part of their offering….. But for 3 very different reasons!

So, if this is anything to go by, we have only just scratched the surface on why walking and talking is beneficial. What can probably be concluded from this is….. Going for a walk is never a bad idea!

Corporate Events Geared Around Nature.

If you haven’t yet arranged your away day event for 2025, perhaps planning an outdoorsy, nature-related event is the way to go.

Here are three corporate away day ideas to get the team away from their desks and into nature:

1. Knepp:

Team building away days at Knepp.

https://knepp.co.uk/team-day-at-knepp/

On a Team Building Day at Knepp you will experience a reconnection with nature in one of Britain’s most daring nature experiments. Learn to think holistically and outside the box like a rewilder and build team spirit through the inspiring and hopeful lessons of trusting in nature.

2. West Lexham:

Event space in 21 acres of Norfolk nature.

https://westlexham.org/corporate/

The amazing natural energy of the land and beautiful scenery is the perfect setting for a healing and nourishing retreat or a unique and memorable corporate event. Try paddle boarding, networking around the fire-pit, wild swimming, lawn games or an afternoon rowing on the lake. Recharge, reset, reconnect.

3. Eventurous:

Outdoor team building activities.

https://www.eventurous.co.uk/outdoor-team-building/

Strengthen team bonds and get your employees out in the fresh air! We provide an innovative and creative selection of corporate outdoor activities and outdoor team building events & ideas, that promise to engage your employees and inspire passion that ignites collaboration.

Reflect & Recharge.

Steve Davies, mentioned above (see “Walking & Talking”), offers a fabulous opportunity to take a short break to ‘Reflect & Recharge’.

If you are interested in a ‘Reflect & Recharge’ offsite of your own, you can enquire directly with Steve via his website → click here.

Steve describes in his latest post on Linkedin how one of his clients asked him to design an offsite just for him. He wanted to get away from the noise of his daily professional & home lives to think really hard about some major work-related questions, but also to have a physical & mental timeout. Afterwards his client suggested he offer the same more widely… so here it is:

Be sure to let Steve know that you found out about his offsite on the YOOMUSE newsletter.

Here’s a thought….

Need to stretch your legs? Go outside.

Need to get creative? Go outside.

Need to talk to a colleague or manager about something sensitive or difficult? Go outside.

Need a break? Go outside.

Need to incorporate more movement in your day? Go outside.

Need to re-set and take a few minutes to yourself? Go outside.

Our Mission

At YOOMUSE we believe that mental and physical health are closely linked, and this plays a huge part in our professional and personal lives. We are passionate about empowering individuals to take control of their health and wellbeing, and believe that the work environment and culture can embrace this notion and benefit massively as a result.

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