A Japanese Wellness Technique Could Be the CEO's Secret to Health and Productivity You don't have to drop off the radar to be surrounded by nature, as well as reap the productivity benefits.
By Aytekin Tank
Key Takeaways
- Exposure to nature has been proven to reduce both stress hormones and blood pressure, as well as fuel white blood cell activity and creativity overall.
- There are ways of conjuring an outdoor experience even when you are stuck in the office.
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In Walden, Henry David Thoreau observed that "We can never have enough of nature," and one of the things I love about working at Jotform's San Francisco headquarters is how accessible nature is. I can take a quick bike ride to a handful of beaches, as well as a pier crowded with sea lions. If I feel like hiking, tall peaks beckon in just about every direction. If I drive about a half-hour north, I can reach Muir Woods National Park, which is more than 550 acres of dense forest. That last spot, in particular, is perfect for what's termed "forest bathing," which, along with morning sweat sessions and power napping, helps me play a longer, happier, more productive and healthier game as an entrepreneur.
First term-conceptualized in Japan in the 1980s, forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) was the product of a government campaign to encourage people to find respite from then-rampant tech-boom burnout by taking advantage of the country's extensive protected forests. The idea was, and is, to immerse oneself in the woods and absorb its surroundings using all five senses — to see the trees and take in their colossal magnitude, as well as smell the leaves, listen to the natural sounds, feel the fresh air and taste foraged goods (with an appropriate eye on safety).
Related: 7 Reasons the CEO Should Get Outside to Exercise
And, of course, it worked: Forest bathing relaxed people, and recent years have seen a growing number of studies confirming multifold wellness benefits. For starters, it can significantly reduce both stress generally and blood pressure particularly: Inhaling tree-derived compounds called phytoncides reduces concentrations of stress hormones, and also boosts the activity of the white blood cells that do battle with infections.
And if improving health and overall well-being isn't reason enough to get out there, then consider its effects on long-term personal/business growth and productivity. As entrepreneurs, we tend to focus on the big wins — landing a new client or completing an extensive project. Social media only encourages us to focus on these shareable moments, but those wins are described as "major" for a reason: they don't happen every day. For most execs — and bootstrappers like myself in particular — the default is to scale slowly and intentionally. But to maintain productivity and motivation between these big wins, it's essential to take care of your health, including its mental and spiritual aspects. This might sound simplistic, but it's an emphasis that has served me for several decades and a philosophy I share with my team.
Related: How a Side Hustle Taking People on 'Urban Hikes' Became a Lucrative Business
Even when I can't drive to Muir Woods, there are ways to practice the core tenets of forest bathing, but the first principle is leaving devices behind. This may cause anxiety at first (aka nomophobia), but it's vital. As Dr. Qing Li, author of Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness explains, "Let your body be your guide. Listen to where it wants to take you."
I've found that digitally disconnecting is the only way to engage all of my senses. And even if you're not in the woods, you can take a walk in a park or along the waterfront and let yourself be absorbed in the surroundings. This can produce a state of "soft fascination," in which attention is captured seemingly effortlessly, but this can only happen when the mind isn't scrambling to process a deluge of competing visual stimuli (like scrolling Twitter).
Even if you can't be outside, there are ways to recreate some of the qualities found there. Perhaps a cup of earthy tea, and/or take a cue from my wife, who has gifted me essential oils that I've made a habit of spraying in the office when stress ramps up. A 2022 study by the University of Sydney revealed that the simple act of watching a video of a natural scene can have a restorative effect. (Redwood Zen Den or the California Sea Lions at Pier 39 live cams are among my favorites.)
And, because I believe that just about anything worth doing is worth automating, I'd also recommend scheduling forest bathing breaks ahead of time. In my book, Automate Your Busywork: Do Less, Achieve More, and Save Your Brain for the Big Stuff, I outline some of my favorite break organizing/reminding tools, including Eye Rest Reminder, Pomofocus, Stretchly and Take a Break.
Related: How Your Company Can Move Toward 'Nature-Positivity'
Like many entrepreneurs, I have a love-hate relationship with technology. The same tools that power my work can also vacuum energy, leaving me frazzled, so I've had to figure out ways of balancing digital and analog activities, and that's where forest bathing comes in. It gives me a much-needed break from that blue-lit screen and restores a sense of awe. It also calms, and when I return from a quick dip in the natural pool, the result is feeling happier and more motivated.
