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The daily office grind is taking a toll. Professionally, we are more connected to our jobs than ever. That level of connectivity can leave us feeling as if we’re always “on.” Fewer opportunities to disconnect mean fewer chances to decompress: the result, workplace burnout.

That’s right, burnout is the new health crisis, and it’s real.

So real that the World Health Organization recently acknowledged that burnout is a phenomenon that could require professional intervention. You read that correctly, suffering from burnout is an official medical diagnosis.

In the interest of transparency, the Go Ape tribe is not suffering from a lot of burnout. Yes, what we do is fun, okay, a lot of fun, but is there is more to it than that?

Maybe just maybe, our outdoor office space has a little something to do with it?

We work outside. Numerous studies have shown decreases in blood pressure and cortisol levels in individuals who just took a simple walk through a forest. Imagine the benefits of an entire day spent outside among the treetops? Unfortunately, not everyone works in the outdoor recreation industry.

Short of quitting your job and becoming a travel blogger, or coming to work for Go Ape, how can the average worker combat burnout?

For those who don’t share our outdoor office situation, we have a suggestion to help increase the amount of time spent outside, without compromising your day-job.

Take a walk.

Okay, we realize that “take a walk” feels incredibly simple but stick with us here. Taking a walk is easy, but finding time to walk is another thing entirely, particularly if you’re office bound.

We’ve put together a few ideas to help the average office worker incorporate more outdoor time via walking, into their day to day:

1.  Take a walking lunch break. A study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports found that people who walked three times a week during lunch felt a lot better after walking for just half an hour. Study participants were less tense, more relaxed and, more enthusiastic about work. They even felt better about coping with their workload after just a brief time walking outdoors.
2. Take your meeting for a walk. Researchers from the University of Illinois noted in a cognition study that even the mildest exercise like a slow-paced stroll with a co-worker helps create new connections between brain cells, and increases the ability to focus.
3. Start or end your day outside. If you can’t get away from the office during the day, consider starting or ending your day with a walk outside. Create a family ritual after dinner to take a brief stroll through your neighborhood. Better yet, adopt a four-legged friend who provides just the right amount of motivation with those big brown eyes. Even a short 15-minute stroll can affect your overall wellbeing.

Hopefully, we’ve provided you with easy enough to accomplish ways to take a simple walk and stave off the dreaded office burnout epidemic. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can always join us at one of our 16 locations for a walk through the treetops. We promise you can’t beat the views.

Bonus, who doesn’t love a new pair of kicks?