Choose Your Pants

I’m tossing my hands in the air this month (and grabbing handfuls of falling leaves).

Last week, the?Washington Post?put out a piece, “Workers are putting on pants to return to the office only to be on Zoom all day.”

As a corporate and government agency leadership trainer, I can confirm this is happening. Whether you are on team?stay at home, or team?go in to the office?is not the issue. For me, I see, and some days can feel, the worker anxiety of being inside.

Commuting has several advantages beyond going into the office. Commuters have set schedules, time to transition from home to work, down time to listen to music or audio books, and the ability to tack on personal chores while they’re out.

Working from home isn’t bad. Ditching the commute has been as big a time and stress saver in our community as a drive-thru Starbucks. Working from home offers flexibility for families, recovers extra time for other things, saves money in terms of gas and a work wardrobe, and keeps us COVID safe.

Working from the office via Zoom or MS Teams, and staying at home via those same platforms share one terrible trait – you’re inside all day.

The past few weeks have blessed us with the weather for which we wait all year – warm, dry, and sunny. And with luck, and an upper atmosphere not holding a grudge against us, the weather will remain beautiful.

Go outside!

This article from?Yale360?on Ecopsychology explains the emotional and physical benefits of immersing yourself in nature. The recommended dose is 120 minutes each day. Two hours. You don’t have to hike in the woods, you can enjoy the outdoor rolling hill views while sipping wine at one of our area vineyards.

Not everyone drinks or likes sitting. Here is a list of events, many outside in the?DC area?in October and in?Prince William County.?You’ll find festivals, pumpkin patches, family- and pet-friendly events. And of course, we have some of the best trails in Northern Virginia.

Take advantage of the COVID-safe outdoor activities and beautiful weather. Make new memories with family and friends, or meet up with some co-workers. The choice of pants, long or short, is up to you!

This article was first posted on Prince William Living.