Though the research is somewhat lagging in the area of mindfulness at work and mindful leadership, it is nevertheless growing in interest. The key may lie with mindfulness – gently noticing what is going on for us, in the present moment, without passing judgment. Is it possible to thrive, rather than flounder, in the work environment? And the same can go for nature: Having a strong emotional tie to it or deep understanding of it as a part of yourself, even when you’re not physically in a natural setting, can be psychologically soothing, too.The workplace can be a fast-paced, stressful environment. “Knowing that your partner or best friend exists, even if you’re not in the room with them, can be comforting,” she says. She also makes the analogy between a strong level of nature relatedness and an intimate interpersonal relationship. “We evolved to want to connect-with people, but also with places and other living things,” says Cindy Frantz, PhD, professor of psychology and environmental studies at Oberlin College & Conservatory. “Having a ‘good relationship’ with nature, or rather, a sense of close connection to it, may be helpful in a similar way or for similar reasons.”īecause natural resources have forever been an integral part of our survival, much of the benefit we get from connecting with nature is likely evolutionary. “There is ample data to suggest that having good social relationships is helpful for our psychological and physical health,” says Dr. To go back to the “mother nature” idea, researchers suspect that a close tie with nature may be something that we’re hardwired to appreciate. Why a high level of nature relatedness is connected to more positive emotions That is, the mental benefit of feeling close to nature, overall, could extend far beyond the temporary mood boost of stepping into sunlight or even taking a lengthy hike. Zelenski, citing research that links nature relatedness with big psychological upsides like experiencing more happiness, as well as more meaning and satisfaction in life.
Interestingly, people who report stronger connections with nature aren’t just better stewards of the environment, as you might suspect they also tend to report higher levels of well-being across various indicators, says Dr. People who report stronger connections with nature also report higher levels of well-being, according to John Zelenski, PhD, professor of psychology. Zelenski and Elizabeth Nisbet, PhD, professor of psychology at Trent University, developed a brief scale that measures nature relatedness based on how much a person identifies with statements like, “I feel very connected to all living things and the Earth,” and “I take notice of wildlife wherever I am.” And if you’re curious about where you fall on the spectrum, there’s an online version of the scale you can take for free. To streamline this concept into something they could study, Dr. “It can include physical experiences (like living near or being in nature), emotional elements (say, feeling care and concern for nature) and also an understanding of the close links between people and other parts of nature through evolution and ecosystems,” he says.
In general, nature relatedness is a subjective sense of having a close or distant relationship with nature, says John Zelenski, PhD, professor of psychology at Carleton University and director of the Carleton University Happiness Laboratory.
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