How to Get Outside More When You Work From Home

Working from home can make it surprisingly easy to spend the entire day indoors.

You no longer need to walk to your car, travel to a workplace or leave the building for lunch. You may begin working shortly after waking and remain inside until the evening without deliberately choosing to do so.

Getting outside more does not require adding a long workout to your workday. A short walk, outdoor lunch or planned break can give outdoor time a clear place in your remote-working routine.

This guide will help you choose a realistic outdoor goal and find practical times to complete it before, during or after work.

Why can remote work reduce outdoor time?

Travelling to a workplace often includes small transitions that happen outside. You might walk to a car, bus stop or station, cross a car park or leave the workplace during lunch.

Remote work can remove these transitions. Your bedroom, kitchen, workspace and place of relaxation may all be inside the same building.

You may also stay indoors because:

• there is no practical reason to leave home
• meetings fill the spaces between work tasks
• you eat lunch at your desk
• you continue working through planned breaks
• you assume a short outdoor break is not worthwhile
• you wait until work is finished and then feel too tired

The solution is to create deliberate outdoor transitions to replace some of the ones that remote work has removed.

Choose a realistic daily outdoor goal

Start by deciding how many minutes you want to spend outside on a normal workday.

Your goal could be 5, 10, 20 or 30 minutes. Choose an amount that can fit into a busy weekday rather than a target that only works when your calendar is empty.

A shorter goal can be useful if you currently spend almost every workday indoors. You can always increase it after the routine feels easier to maintain.

If you are uncertain about your target, read How Much Time Should You Spend Outside Each Day?.

Take a short walk before starting work

A short morning walk can replace part of the commute you no longer have.

You do not need to walk to a particular destination. Leave your home, follow a simple route and return before opening your computer.

Keep the walk short enough that it does not create pressure at the beginning of your day. Preparing your clothes and shoes the previous evening can make it easier to begin.

You can also use the walk as a clear transition: before the walk, you are at home; after the walk, your workday begins.

Take your morning drink outside

If a morning walk feels difficult to maintain, start with something smaller.

Take your coffee, tea or water outside for a few minutes before beginning work. You could sit on a balcony, patio, front step or in another suitable outdoor space close to home.

This works because you do not need to add an entirely new activity. You are moving something you already do to a different location.

Schedule an outdoor break between tasks

Remote work can make breaks feel optional, particularly when there is always another email or task waiting.

Choose one reliable point in your schedule and use it as the beginning of an outdoor break.

For example:

• after your first meeting
• after finishing a regular morning task
• before making lunch
• after sending a report
• before beginning your afternoon work

The break does not need to be long. Stepping outside for five minutes is easier to repeat than waiting for an ideal opportunity that may never appear.

If remembering breaks is the main problem, use the strategies in How to Remember to Get Outside During a Busy Day.

Spend part of your lunch break outside

Lunch can provide a natural place for outdoor time because it already divides the workday.

You could:

• eat lunch outside
• walk before eating
• walk after eating
• take a drink outside for the final few minutes of your break
• visit a nearby bench or green space

A full outdoor lunch may not be practical every day. Create a shorter version for busy days so that the routine does not depend on having a completely free lunch break.

Take a suitable phone call outside

An audio-only call can sometimes be completed while sitting, standing or walking outside.

This may work for a personal call, an informal conversation or a meeting where you only need to listen and speak.

Before taking a work call outside, consider privacy, background noise, internet access and whether you need to view documents or take detailed notes. Confidential conversations should remain in a private setting.

Do not force every call outdoors. Choose one that genuinely works without making the conversation more difficult.

Move one simple work task outdoors

If your surroundings and work allow it, choose a small task that can be completed outside.

Possible options include:

• planning your priorities on paper
• reading a printed document
• reviewing notes
• brainstorming in a notebook
• answering a few non-confidential messages
• listening to work-related audio

Keep the task simple. Carrying your entire workstation outdoors may create more inconvenience than the outdoor time is worth.

If working outside is not comfortable or practical, use your outdoor time as a genuine break instead.

Create an end-of-work transition

Without a commute, the boundary between work and personal time can become unclear. You may close your computer but remain in the same room and continue thinking about work.

A short outdoor walk can mark the end of the working day.

Try the following sequence:

1. Finish your final work task.
2. Write down what needs your attention tomorrow.
3. Close your computer.
4. Put on your shoes and go outside.
5. Return home and begin the rest of your evening.

The walk does not need to be long. Its purpose is to create a visible transition that remote work would not otherwise provide.

Divide your outdoor goal across the workday

You do not need to complete your entire outdoor goal in one break.

A 20-minute goal could be divided into:

• 5 minutes before work
• 10 minutes during lunch
• 5 minutes after work

A 30-minute goal could include three 10-minute outdoor periods. A 10-minute goal could be completed during one break.

Choose one longer break if that is easier to remember. Divide the time only when shorter periods fit your schedule better.

Use reminders that are difficult to overlook

A reminder is most useful when it appears near the moment you need to act.

You could:

• keep your outdoor shoes beside your desk
• place your printable tracker near your computer
• add an outdoor break to your work calendar
• leave your jacket near your workspace
• set your lunch away from your desk
• keep a filled water bottle ready to take outside

A reminder should point towards a clear action. “Go outside” is less useful than “walk for 10 minutes after the morning meeting.”

For more ways to connect the action to your routine, read How to Build a Daily Outdoor Habit That Fits Your Routine.

Prepare a low-energy outdoor option

Not every workday will leave you wanting to walk or exercise.

Prepare an option that requires very little energy. You might sit outside with a drink, listen to something on a bench or read outdoors for a few minutes.

Your outdoor goal does not need to become another workout. Sitting outside still counts when the challenge is based on minutes spent outdoors.

See Does Sitting Outside Count? Easy Ways to Get Outdoors Without Exercising and Outdoor Activities That Do Not Feel Like Exercise for more low-pressure ideas.

Choose the best time for your work schedule

The best time to go outside depends on how your workday is organised.

Before work may be the most reliable option if meetings often interrupt your day. Lunch may work if you need a clear break from your screen. After work may be easier if you prefer to finish your responsibilities before going outside.

Experiment with different times, but avoid changing the plan every day. Once you identify a time that works, give it a regular place in your schedule.

Morning, Lunch or Evening: When Is the Best Time to Go Outside? can help you compare the options.

Create a bad-weather version of your routine

A routine that only works in pleasant weather will be difficult to maintain throughout the year.

Create a simpler alternative before you need it.

Your bad-weather option might include:

• a shorter route close to home
• several brief outdoor breaks
• a sheltered balcony, porch or entrance
• an outdoor task that takes only a few minutes
• moving your break to a safer or more comfortable time

Keep suitable clothing easy to access and check conditions before going outside. Change your plans during extreme heat, cold, storms or poor air quality and follow local safety guidance.

For seasonal strategies, read How to Spend More Time Outside in Winter.

Do not turn every outdoor break into work

The ability to work from almost anywhere does not mean every outdoor moment needs to remain productive.

Some outdoor breaks can be used for calls or planning, but others can simply provide time away from your desk and screen.

You might leave your phone indoors, sit quietly or walk without listening to anything. The outdoor period can count even when you do not complete another task at the same time.

If you need more options for different types of days, explore 25 Easy Ways to Spend More Time Outside.

A sample outdoor routine for a remote workday

Your routine does not need to include every suggestion in this guide. A simple workday could look like this:

• Before work: Take your morning drink outside for 5 minutes.
• During lunch: Walk for 10 minutes.
• After work: Step outside for another 5 minutes before beginning your evening.

This example creates 20 minutes of outdoor time without requiring one long break.

You could also complete the entire goal before work, during lunch or after work. Adapt the structure to your own schedule.

Track your outdoor time for 30 days

A written goal can make your outdoor routine easier to measure.

The 30 Day Get Outside Path allows you to choose how many minutes you want to spend outside each day. Complete one circle whenever you reach that goal.

Keep the Path near your workspace so that it serves as both a reminder and a record of your progress.

Your daily action is:

Spend your chosen number of minutes outside and complete one circle when you reach your daily goal.

Regular outdoor time can include opportunities for daylight, movement, relaxation and breaks from indoor routines. Learn more in What Are the Benefits of Spending Time Outside Regularly?.

Start with one outdoor break

You do not need to redesign your entire remote-working schedule.

Choose one reliable point in the day. Decide how many minutes you will spend outside and prepare one simple activity for that time.

Take a short walk before work, step outside during lunch or use outdoor time to mark the end of the day.

Then begin your 30 Day Get Outside Path and focus on completing one outdoor goal at a time.

Explore the complete Get Outside printable collection for more outdoor challenges and trackers.