How to have a great day at work: Do a ‘mind weight’ workout

In this new regular column, business founder and wellness expert Nicola Elliott looks at one thing we can all do that will make our nine-to-five feel happier and healthier...

Rise and shine: simple tweaks to how you wake up can make a world of difference (iStock)

It’s gloomy and cold and the temptation to sit inside with a co-worker in Pret at lunch is real, or if you are WFH just wandering to the fridge and back, never moving further than your kitchen.

But here’s why you might want to take your lunch break outside. Data shows that spending at least 120 minutes in natural daylight per week can significantly boost your health and wellbeing.

The good news is you can go for a two-hour chunk all at once or break it up into smaller daily segments because the benefits will be the same.

During the first hour after waking, natural light plays a central role in regulating the circadian rhythm – the body’s internal clock that signals when to be alert and when to sleep even on a dull day. Every cell in your body works on this 24-hour clock and that clock needs a signal to tell it that it’s morning. It does that by getting natural light into the eye retina.

Fifteen minutes should do it but it really must be natural light which is 100 times stronger than an artificial light bulb. Morning light also suppresses melatonin to make you more alert – great news for those who struggle to get going in the morning.

By lunch, you’re probably pretty overstimulated already – screens, phones, meetings. All these little factors raise your stress and cortisol levels without you knowing it. Being outside can be a mental refuge when you need to unwind or recharge and this in turn will make your focus and concentration better for the second half of your day.

Suzy Reading, one of the best psychologists I know, tells me, “Stress manifests on all levels and we’ve become good at overriding our stress symptoms but little pauses in the day, are a chance to check in and notice where we’re at and take some kind of restorative action.”

These little pauses also actually teach your body to destress, and practice for when you seriously need it – including the bedtime wind down.

Think of it like this, five minutes a few times in your day is like lifting some weights and it makes you stronger and more prepared. And leave your phone behind if you can. You can’t use your phone while sitting on a park bench – it’s the material shift between the indoor environment and being outdoors that will lower your cortisol.

Go green: getting outside within the first hour of waking helps to regulate the circadian rhythm (AFP/Getty)

If the sun is out at lunch (even slightly) you’re looking at the seriously added benefit of boosting your vitamin D levels, which helps your muscles, nerves, and immune system function, plus it’s essential in helping you absorb calcium for stronger bones. Almost 50 per cent of us aren’t getting enough vitamin D and all you need is 15 minutes outside to get yours.

Finally, breathing in fresh air helps us get more oxygen to our brains, which can help us feel more focused for the day. Fresh air will get you breathing deeper and more innately, which is great for your lungs and general cardiovascular health. We have a habit of shallow breathing when sitting indoors, but moving outdoors does the opposite.

Go for a quick walk or jog if you want to up the ante as movement outdoors gets more oxygen pumping around your body and will release endorphins to your brain enhancing positive thinking. Grab that (decaf) coffee on the way back to your desk and you don’t have to sacrifice a thing.

Next week: Everything you need to know about the four-point formula ‘power’ lunch...

Nicola Elliott is the founder of NEOM and her book ‘The Four Ways to Wellbeing: Better Sleep. Less Stress. More Energy. Mood Boost’ by Nicola Elliott is published by Penguin