Ten minutes. That was the whole ask this week, and I still almost talked myself out of it more than once. Not because I was busy — because some part of me still treats rest like something you have to earn first. Finish the list, then you’re allowed. Except the list never actually finishes.
So this week wasn’t really about the hammock. It was about giving myself permission to stop before I’d earned it. Ten minutes, no task attached, no productivity waiting on the other side. Just outside, on purpose.
Research across 75 countries found that just 10 minutes in nature measurably reduces stress and improves happiness. Ten minutes. That’s it. That’s the science.
If you’d like to go deeper, I wrote a Substack piece during week 2 about giving yourself permission to spend time outside.