If you could work anywhere in the world, where would you work?

I am not asking about a nice country or a good company to work for; I’m asking what external factors draw you to those places. Although the answer to this question may result in different places, you probably answered both of them along the lines of somewhere outside. Maybe a job in California, so you can relax by the pool, or have more weekends at the beach all year round. If you could travel anywhere in the world, would you spend all your time there inside? As humans, wherever outside is, we strive to spend our free time, and even our not-so-free time, there.

As a college student, I am prone to long hours spent inside at a computer lab, the library or even just holed up in my own room studying. Whenever this is the case, I often opt to walk to campus or take a break from indoors and hang up a hammock or lay down a blanket so I may enjoy as much fresh air as I can while simultaneously being productive.

There are many benefits to being outside; your immune system strengthens, you feel happier, your self-esteem goes up, stress levels go down, and overall, you are more prone to physical activities, which is also better for your health than trying to be active indoors.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average American spends 7% of their lifetime outdoors. That’s almost half a day per week that we spend outside. This may not be the case in the PNW, as it seems everyone and their grandmother likes to hike, but what about in the winter? For those of us who are ski- and snowboarding-impaired, there is a lot more time spent inside. Pollutants are more concentrated inside, and when we are sick, we perpetuate this by not leaving our beds. Contrary to popular belief, it is not winter that spurs flu season, but the lack of outdoor activities.

Aside from the simple, get outside and enjoy some fresh air (it is recommended 10-15 mins a day regardless of rain or shine), Kirt Martin, VP of design for Landscape Forms, is determined to bring the outside to our workspaces, and I for one am excited. Landscape Forms is known for enhancing outdoor experiences through design and landscaping innovations. Being outside has a huge impact on our mental state and could make going to work more enjoyable. Although only feasible for temperate climates -- not including the obstacles of glare, wind and extreme temperatures -- this could be a great seasonal solution for locations like the Midwest, or even the PNW, where a sunny 70+ degree day can be interrupted by 15 minutes of rain. Since I am about to be entering the job force and predict a lot of board room meetings in my future, I can without a doubt say that presenting a marketing pitch to a team of executives would be a lot less stressful surrounded by the rustling of tree branches and chirping of birds.