This Simple Tweak Can Make You Happier, Less Stressed & More Productive At Work

It's one of those perfectly breezy early summer evenings in New York, and it feels like the whole city is out celebrating. Well, the lucky ones who don't have to work, anyway. But weave through the crowds of Madison Square Park—past the fountain and around the Shake Shack—and you'll find a handful of people in business attire, holding meetings and brainstorms outside in the golden light.

A new pop-up co-working concept, Be an Outsider at Work encourages employees to ditch their indoor desks, reserve a spot outdoors, and reap the benefits of working al fresco.

The collaboration between L.L. Bean and co-working company Industrious filled a corner of the park with outlets, comfortable chairs, standing desks, cycling desks—all the appealing fixings of a modern office. Some desk clusters are encased in glass structures, others out in the open, but they are all filled with people looking to trade in their office views for something more dynamic.

Stringer worked with L.L. Bean and Industrious to bring the Madison Square Park space to life after some surprising survey findings. When she pooled employees around the country, 87 percent of them said they enjoyed the outdoors, but 75 percent of them rarely or never took their work outside. Their reasons varied—everything from inertia to bad weather to fear of what bosses and co-workers would think.

"There's a perception that if you go outside, you're not working, you're playing," explains Stringer. But in reality, research suggests that getting outdoors actually makes for a more productive employee. "The science is there: Being outdoors reduces your stress, your memory is better, you're happier. And happy, healthy, satisfied, creative people are really great at business."

The health benefits of ditching your desk are equally pronounced. Employees who engage with the outdoors typically take roughly 15 percent less sick time off per year than those who don't. And working outside can help us maintain healthy circadian rhythms and avoid harsh indoor pollutants3. "Cleaning out an HVAC system is a lot of work. Walking outdoors is free."

While the outdoor co-working space was only set up in NYC for a few days (it will head to Boston, Philly, and Madison next), Stringer hopes that it showed employees and employers alike that adding outdoor time to the workday is simple and beneficial.

Ready to give it a try this summer? If you work a desk job and an outdoor space is available to you, Stringer recommends creating a dedicated outdoor workspace—complete with Wi-Fi (or cell phone tethering), a portable charger, anti-glare screens, and some shade if possible. Or you can take your screenless meetings, calls, and brainstorms outside. If you're a manager, she says to make outdoor workspace at your company bookable so your employees know it's an option, or start holding check-ins and interviews outside to set a precedent. And while some professions don't lend themselves to outside work, everyone can prioritize getting outside more this summer, even just for lunch or a quick break.