How to Disconnect from Stress and Reconnect with Nature

Americans are among the most stressed people in the world. We spend far more time working than socializing or doing something recreational, which doesn’t sound like a bad thing on the surface, but work/life balance seems to be something most Americans struggle to regulate for themselves. 

We don’t get much time off from our employers. In fact, the standard is just 10 paid vacation days per year, as compared to 30 in Finland (the happiest country for four years running.) However, even the time we do receive often goes unused. Only 45% of us actually use our vacation time every year, and among those, less than half of us use vacation days to actually take a vacation. 

Basically, we just suck at trying to unwind in our super connected world. Naturally, there are some barriers to taking an actual vacation. Things such as the stress of actually planning the vacation, issues with the cost, and several other concerns come into play when we are  considering using our time off. 

Fortunately, there is one, greatly overlooked, solution to many of the concerns; the great outdoors. Particularly since the beginning of COVID, camping vacations have been on the rise. Camping offers space and relaxation, it’s often free or very budget friendly, and we get all the perks and even mental/physical benefits that are inherent with spending more time outdoors. 

Outdoor vacations are a fantastic way to disconnect from work and stress and reconnect with our family and with our basic humanity.