To restore your concentration and combat mental fatigue, take a break to walk in nature without looking at your phone. If you do not have access to the outdoors, viewing images of nature, listening to natural sounds, or observing a landscape through a window offers similar benefits for resetting your focus.

noli's read

The work of Dr. Marc Berman of the University of Chicago, notably his 2008 behavioral study, validates the idea that a walk in nature of approximately 20 to 50 minutes significantly improves working memory and concentration compared to a walk in an urban environment. This finding is supported by the Attention Restoration Theory (ART) of Stephen and Rachel Kaplan, which shows that natural stimuli capture our attention in a soft, involuntary manner, allowing our focus to regenerate. Regarding the effect of fractal patterns, image analyses and cognitive tests from Berman’s team indeed suggest that our brains process these repetitive geometric shapes from nature more easily, which promotes relaxation. The assertion that virtual substitutes (images or forest sounds) can help also holds up: comparative trials conducted by the same team confirm real gains in attention, even if they often remain inferior to complete physical immersion. Conversely, the requirement to completely avoid a smartphone during the walk is more of an expert opinion and theoretical common sense, as few studies have rigorously isolated this specific variable in the field. Ultimately, the recommendation to use nature as a tool for mental recovery rests on particularly solid scientific foundations.

the sources

1. 1White MP et al. 2019