Workplace Wellbeing: Get outdoors to boost your work productivity 

Studies show that being outdoors in nature improves memory, reduces mental fatigue and increases creativity

Elma Carew who is based in Galway, talks about the benefits of working outdoors for part of the day. Photo: Ray Ryan

Elma Carew’s daily step count plummeted as soon as she started working from home. The 40-year-old from Galway, who runs a career and wellbeing coaching business, found that remote working took an unexpected toll on her health.

“I underestimated how many steps I was getting in just going to and from work, walking around the office and getting lunch,” she says. “I went from roughly 6,000 steps a day to between 2,000 and 3,000. My back, neck, and shoulders got sore from so much sitting, and I had to book regular physiotherapy sessions.”