Article
OACCUs’ Autumn Bucket List
Get outdoors and explore healthy activities this season
The end of summer – for many people this means reducing the time spent outdoors, especially when temperatures drop and the sun makes room for clouds and rain.
However, even in autumn it is possible to enjoy outdoor activities and admire the beauty of nature alone or with your family and friends.
It is indeed important to be able to develop and maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle throughout the seasons.
Here are some ideas – based on the 4 pillars of a healthy lifestyle – on how to spend your free time outdoors in autumn:
1. Physical Activity & Outdoor-Sports
Especially during the autumn season nature offers beautiful landscapes. Therefore, taking a walk or bike ride in a park can be a perfect way to take a break from everyday life and forget the stress of work. If you don't have a nice park near your home, make a trip to the countryside or the mountains where you can find rivers, forests and other natural beauties. Body and mind will benefit.
- Hike up a mountain or hill.
- Go for a walk. Take off your shoes and walk barefoot for a while.
- Use the bicycle for your daily commute.
- Go for a swim in a lake – embrace the cold sensation.
Join us and share the activities and action you choose to carry out in these four areas with the OACCUs community.
2. Balanced Nutrition
Autumn, even if the temperatures drop, still allows you to enjoy time outdoors. Use this valuable time to go outside in nature and bringing sweet and savory foods with you to spend time, alone or in company, in total relaxation.
- Cook a meal using only (or as many as possible) seasonal fruit and vegetables.
- Drink fresh juices, smoothies and fruit shakes.
- Organize a picnic with friends and family. Everyone can contribute a homemade dish/snack.
- Make a nice hot drink with ginger and turmeric. It is good for your immune system and reduces inflammation.
3. Sustainability & Nature
Don't forget to take care of nature and the environment around you, here are some ideas how to:
- Buy local and seasonal. Visit a farmers market near you.
- Try to pollute as little as possible. For example, reduce electricity consumption, avoid disposable plastic, use eco-friendly detergents, take shorter showers, choose green fashion and don’t waste.
- Take a walk outdoors – whether it is in a park, on the beach, near a lake or river – and collect all the trash you find in your path.
4. Physical & Mental Well-Being
To immerse yourself in the winter routine, focus your attention on the demands of your body: eat well, sleep a lot, be active outdoors. Don't push your body and mind over the edge.
- Don't neglect your sleep – try to make this a priority and sleep at least 8 hours a night. Track your sleep amount within a “sleep journal” for a week.
- Immerse yourself in the pages of an exciting, adventurous and intriguing book for a few hours and relax your mind from worries and duties.
- Dedicate yourself to yoga and meditation. If possible, find a spot immersed in the autumn landscape.
- If you live in a city, organize a trip out of town on one of the weekends. Visit the sea or woods close to you and take a deep breath, recovering from the routine of the work week.
If you appreciate our tips for celebrating nature and yourself with the arrival of autumn, share your good practices and healthy habits with us. Do not forget to tag @oac_connects_us in your photos and videos.
For more information on the project, visit OACCUs website and social media accounts - facebook, instagram, twitter and LinkedIn.
Author: Sara Vivirito, CEIPES