By Brooke Mellen of Cultured Forest, LLC
“Nature itself is the best physician.”
– Hippocrates
Summary
Burnout among employees increased drastically during the Covid pandemic. Not only does burnout harm the health of individuals, but it also hurts the bottom line for businesses. The good news is that for every $1 invested in employee well-being, corporations save another $4 through greater productivity and improved health in staff. Forest Therapy and Nature-Based Mindfulness programming for employee wellness is a unique and creative well-being solution that addresses many of the negative effects of burnout. This white paper reviews the health benefits of these practices, and presents options available to corporations and executives for implementing Nature Mindfulness programming based on Forest Therapy theories for better health and wellness.
A Group of Women Spend Time Forest Bathing in Central Park NYC during the Pandemic to Reduce Stress
The Pandemic and Resulting Burnout
The Covid pandemic took a toll on and continues to affect the physical and mental well-being of individuals, thereby impacting businesses as seen through the Great Resignation. According to a recent article by Garin Staglin in Forbes:
Burnout has soared to new highs during the stress and strain of Covid-19. In one survey, 67 percent of employees said burnout has gotten worse during the pandemic. … Burned-out employees face exhaustion, difficulties concentrating, and feel disengaged or cynical toward their jobs. They report higher levels of stress, depression and physical illnesses--from increased heart rates to headaches.[1]
What is burnout and why does it matter? The World Health Organization explains:
Burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:
feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and
reduced professional efficacy.[2]
Further statistics regarding how burnout influences employees from Gallup demonstrate that employees who say they very often or always experience burnout at work are:
63% more likely to take a sick day
½ as likely to discuss how to approach performance goals with their manager
23% more likely to visit the emergency room
2.6x as likely to be actively seeking a different job
13% less confident in their performance[3]
The impact of burn-out is well researched, documented and relevant to today’s businesses.The good news is that implementing wellness based programing can address burnout, and the investment pays back. Staglin with Forbes says, “investing in employee well-being doesn’t just produce happier workers, it also boosts the bottom line. The WHO pegs the ROI from strategies that focus on mental health at $4 in greater productivity and improved health for every $1 invested.”[4]
In an article on Deloitte’s blog, Don Miller suggests several areas for concentration when addressing employee well-being. Two of the strategies that we will further focus on in this paper are to:
Build well-being into social behaviors and track them and
Design physical work environments that facilitate well-being.[5]
What are the Health and Wellness Benefits of Mindfulness & Meditation?
In an article in the Harvard Gazette, Sue McGreevey discusses a Harvard study looking at MRI scans of the brains of a group that practiced mindfulness for eight weeks. Not only can daily meditation practice grounded in mindfulness improve decision making and attention, but it actually changes the brain and improves cognitive activity. The study reports:
“Although the practice of meditation is associated with a sense of peacefulness and physical relaxation, practitioners have long claimed that meditation also provides cognitive and psychological benefits that persist throughout the day,” says study senior author Sara Lazar of the MGH Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program and a Harvard Medical School instructor in psychology. “This study demonstrates that changes in brain structure may underlie some of these reported improvements and that people are not just feeling better because they are spending time relaxing.”[6]
According to this Harvard study, improvements in brain function were discovered after participants practiced mindfulness for 27 minutes a day for eight weeks. It showed that practicing mindfulness leads to a sense of peacefulness and relaxation and improved cognition[7], so businesses are wise to incorporate this into their employee well-being strategy.
Additionally, the Mayo Clinic lists some of the Health Benefits of practicing meditation as a mindfulness exercise, and those benefits address the results of burnout. It says:
Meditation has been studied in many clinical trials. The overall evidence supports the effectiveness of meditation for various conditions, including:
Stress
Anxiety
Pain
Depression
Insomnia
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Preliminary research indicates that meditation can also help people with asthma and fibromyalgia.
Meditation can help you experience thoughts and emotions with greater balance and acceptance. Meditation also has been shown to:
Improve attention
Decrease job burnout
Improve sleep
Improve diabetes control[8]
The benefits of mindfulness are clear, but how is it defined? The Mayo Clinic describes mindfulness and its benefits. It explains:
Mindfulness is a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment. Practicing mindfulness involves breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practices to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress.[9]
The benefits of practicing mindfulness are well documented, and according to our sources it addresses many of the complications that come with burnout. When this meditation practice is combined with nature based activities such as Forest Bathing, Forest Therapy or Guided Nature Imagery the results are even more pronounced.
What are the Health Benefits of Nature Based Mindfulness and Forest Therapy
In the 1980’s Japan faced a public health crisis related to burnout of workers in densely populated cities. In response, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries developed a public health program called “Shinrin-Yoku”. It translates to “Forest Bathing” or “Taking in the Forest Atmosphere”. It is a prescribed program where participants can go to a dedicated Shinrin-Yoku trail and meet with a Doctor or Nurse certified in Forest Medicine who tests their cortisol levels (a stress indicator), heart rate, blood pressure and mood before and after their Forest Bathing session. Participants practice wandering slowly in a forest or nature setting with the intention of forgetting their troubles and engaging their senses in their surroundings.
The Japanese Society of Forest Medicine was established in 2007 with the purpose of promoting research in the field of forest medicine. The Japanese medical community conducted a myriad of studies, and among their most interesting findings was that spending time mindfully connecting with nature leads to marked improvement in physiological and mental health. Specifically, Bum Jin Park et al. explain that “forest environments promote lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, lower blood pressure, greater parasympathetic nerve activity, and lower sympathetic nerve activity than do city environments.”[10]
Qing Li, et al. also found that a 3 day/2 night trip to the forest contributed to increased NK (Natural Killer cells), thereby improving immunity. Additionally, phytoncides, (a chemical produced by many plants to ward off pests and disease) have also been shown to increase this NK cell activity.[11] Such phytoncides can be found in many essential oils, so can also be diffused indoors.
Since the development of Shinrin-Yoku programming in Japan, Forest Therapy is now trending throughout the world. Interestingly, during the Covid Pandemic two major US medical institutions wrote about the benefits of Forest Therapy as a way to cope. Dr. Susan Abookire in a Harvard Medical blog wrote:
The pull toward the natural world is present even in normal times. Now, as we’re confined indoors by the coronavirus pandemic, often spending hours in front of inanimate screens, the urge to be outside is ever more acute. One way to satisfy these urges while improving our health and well-being is forest therapy, a practice growing in popularity around the world.[12]
The Cleveland Clinic also published a blog post during the pandemic discussing the benefits of Forest Bathing. The article discusses the way the practice boosts both the mind and body:
Common sense says that taking in the sights and sounds of the forest can help you relax. But it’s not just our brains that get a boost. There’s evidence that forest therapy is good for our bodies, too.
One study showed that forest therapy reduces cortisol, a stress hormone. Another study found that forest therapy had a positive impact on blood pressure and adiponectin, a protein that helps regulate blood sugar levels.[13]
More recently Chenhoa Hu et al. in China conducted studies on the benefits of nature exposure via video on essential workers during the Covid-19 pandemic and reported:
Results indicated that after five days, the natural stimuli intervention yielded overall improvements in various indices of subjective well-being. Furthermore,…everyday nature stimuli exposure provided both immediate and repeated restorative benefits. The proposed natural-based intervention is brief and easy-to-use, offering a cost-efficient psychological booster to promote subjective well-being of essential workers during this crisis time.[14]
The research clearly shows that something as simple as spending time outdoors improves our health, including many of the symptoms that accompany burnout. These benefits can be further emphasized in the way we design our indoor work environments.
A Nature Photo of Rose Colored Autumn Leaves can Brighten a Work Space
Positive Effects of Indoor Nature Settings
Not only does time outdoors positively affect our health and mood, but making our workspaces more biophilic (nature-inspired) can also improve concentration. One recent study in Melbourne by Kate E Lee, et al. showed that viewing green roof spaces rather than typical city concrete environments in office spaces improved concentration by boosting sustained attention.[15]
A paper looking at trends in Shinrin-Yoku by Yuko Tsunetsugu, et al. discusses a study in Japan that looked at reactions to nature sensory experiences indoors on participant’s physiological health. Researchers displayed a “Shinrin-yoku” photo of people walking in a French forest, and viewing this scene participants experienced significantly decreased blood pressure and improved prefrontal activity versus those looking at a grey screen.[16] This same paper also reviews a Japanese study where participants inhaled Taiwan cypress essential oil indoors, which relaxed subjects and helped them focus better on tasks.[17]
Marc G. Berman, et al. conducted a study at the University of Michigan that looked at the effect of viewing images of nature versus images of urban areas on cognitive function, and it found that simple and brief interactions with nature can produce marked increases in cognitive control.[18]
These findings demonstrate how natural work environments and exposure to nature imagery indoors improves concentration and focus. Overall a more natural environment is conducive to well-being, so businesses would be wise to invest in this type of design.
Nature Based Programing Solutions for Executives and Businesses
There are a variety of existing solutions for companies and individuals to gain the various benefits of time spent connecting mindfully with the outdoors presented in this paper. As discussed, these benefits include improved concentration and focus, lowered stress markers, improved immunity, lowered blood pressure and heart rate.
Cultured Forest provides one-time and ongoing virtual and live services to corporations with measurable results tracking improvements in mood using the POMS system including:
1-to-1 coaching sessions for Executives who desire to start their own Nature Based Mindfulness practice for improved decision making, creativity and focus.
Ongoing weekly or monthly guided nature meditation sessions online for staff
In-person Forest Bathing events
Forest Bathing events where participants dial in from their own location if working remotely
Virtual events where employees engage in guided nature meditation and learn about and commit to spending time outdoors for wellness
Tactile Nature Therapy gift boxes accompanied with virtual nature meditation sessions
Nature photographs and products for display
Art Advisory on building sustainable art collections using nature imagery
Training employees as Forest Therapy and Nature Mindfulness guides for ongoing programming such as in parks and resorts
Social media and written nature-based content collaborations
Conclusion
Now more than ever, for businesses to be competitive and also improve the well-being of employees they must implement creative wellness solutions that appeal to their staff and that stand out from competitors. Time spent connecting with nature whether through guided meditation and imagery in indoor environments or in taking Mindful Nature Forest Bathing walks is shown to improve well-being. Implementing this type of programming in advance of development of problems can improve employee morale and save on the costs associated with turnover and lost productivity due to burn-out. Cultured Forest provides solutions based on Shinrin-Yoku, Forest Bathing and Mindfulness.
About the Author
Brooke Mellen founded Cultured Forest to share and merge her passion for culture, art and the outdoors and has been featured in WSJ and Vogue. She advises individuals and corporations on how to have enriching and healing experiences through nature and art. This can be done through a guided Forest Bathing experience or by building a nature-inspired, sustainable Art Collection. She has a background in Insurance and Art Business with a Masters in Visual Arts Administration from New York University. She has traveled the world studying how other cultures connect with nature and art, and uses this knowledge to help clients find better connection and well-being in their lives. She is Certified in Forest Medicine by the International Society of Nature and Forest Medicine (INFOM) in Japan, and holds a Certificate in Forest Therapy from the International Nature and Forest Therapy Alliance (INFTA). She has been certified in Wilderness First Aid by NOLS.
Brooke previously worked at several organizations in New York City including Sotheby’s, Marsh, Jack Shainman Gallery and W.R. Berkley, and uses this experience in both corporate and arts environments to provide her clients with unprecedented professional experiences. She works in New York City, but is currently a digital nomad based in Austin, Texas.
About Cultured Forest
Cultured Forest aids our clients in finding balance and well-being by promoting awe inspiring experiences in Art and Nature. We believe in creating environments and opportunities for growth. We do this by encouraging our clients to find healing moments whether it be through the appreciation of a beautiful work of art, a traveling adventure or Forest Bathing. Forest Bathing involves the art of taking in the forest atmosphere through mindfulness exercises that improve productivity, creativity and health.
We believe an enriched life of cultural and outdoor experiences leads to empowered individuals and communities.
We strive to create experiences that welcome people of all backgrounds, and that encourage marginalized communities to feel empowered in the outdoors. By opening the eyes of individuals to nature, we hope to inspire others to protect and safeguard our natural resources.
Contact
Email brooke@culturedforest for information on demos and pricing or for press inquiries
Instagram: @culturedforest
Website: www.culturedforest.com
Topics Covered
Burnout, Employee Well-being, Employee Morale, Corporate Wellness, Mindfulness, Meditation, Nature Based Mindfulness, Shinrin-Yoku, Forest Therapy, Forest Bathing, Biophilia, Interior Design, Nature Photography, Pandemic, Covid-19, Essential Worker, The Great Resignation, Shinrin-Yoku, Employee Retention, Nature Connection, Aromatherapy, Essential Oils, Stress Reduction, Cortisol, Essential Workers, Guided Imagery, Mental Health
Sources
[1]Staglin, Garin. “Prevent Employee Burnout … Or Face the Great Resignation.” Forbes, Oct 27, 2021, www.forbes.com/sites/onemind/2021/10/27/prevent-employee-burnout--or-face-the-great-resignation/?sh=e110ebecb5b2.
[2]Who-Int. World Health Organization, 2022, www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/promotion-prevention/mental-health-in-the-workplace. Accessed 4 Feb. 2022.
[3]“How to Prevent Employee Burnout.” Gallup, 2022, www.gallup.com/workplace/313160/preventing-and-dealing-with-employee-burnout.aspx#ite-313184. Accessed 5 Feb. 2022.
[4] Staglin, Forbes.
[5]“How Bold Will You Be In Battling Burnout?” Capital H: Human Capital Blog, Deloitte, 11 Mar. 2021,
https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/blog/human-capital-blog/2021/focus-on-wellbeing-to-prevent-employee-burnout.html. Accessed 4 Feb. 2022.
[6]McGreevey, Sue. (2011, January 21). Eight Weeks to a Better Brain. The Harvard Gazette. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2011/01/eight-weeks-to-a-better-brain/.
[7] McGreevey, The Harvard Gazette.
[8]“Mindfulness Exercises.” Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356. Accessed 4 Feb. 2022.
[9]Mayo Clinic.
[10]Park, Bum-Jin, et al. The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, June 2009, 15(1):18.
[11]Li, Qing, et al. Phytoncides (Wood Essential Oils) Induce Human Natural Killer Cell Activity. Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology, 8 Oct. 2008, 28(2): 319-333.
[12]Abokire, S. (2020, May 9). Can forest therapy enhance health and well-being?. Harvard Health Publishing. www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-forest-therapy-enhance-health-and-well-being-2020052919948. Accessed 4 Feb. 2022.
[13]“Why Forest Therapy Can be Good For Your Body and Mind.” Health Essentials, Cleveland Clinic, 6 May 2020, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-forest-therapy-can-be-good-for-your-body-and-mind/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2022.
[14]Hu, Chenhao, et al. Using natural intervention to promote subjective well-being of essential workers during public-health crises: A Study during COVID-19 pandemic.Journal of Environmental Psychology, February 2022, 79.
[15] Lee, Kate E, et al. 40-second green roof views sustain attention: The role of micro-breaks in attention restoration. Journal of Environmental Psychology, June 2015, 42:182-189.
[16] Tsunetsugu, Y., et al. Trends in research related to “Shinrin-yoku” (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing) in Japan. Environ Health Prev Med, 2010, 15:27.
[17]Tsunetsugu, Y., et al., Environ Health Prev Med
[18]Berman, Marc, et al. The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting With Nature. Psychological Science. January 2009, 19:1207-12.
Copyright 2022 Brooke Mellen and Cultured Forest, LLC
