If you’re looking for a way to clear your head, just step outside.
At least, that’s what Apple CEO Tim Cook does. The 62-year-old heads one of the world’s biggest tech companies, with a passionate fanbase and a $2.62 trillion market cap, creating a wide range of pressures and responsibilities. Getting out into nature eases those tensions and helps Cook reset the mind, he told GQ on Monday.
It’s a “palate cleanser for the mind,” says Cook. “It’s better than anything you can do.”
Cook, a native of Mobile, Alabama, has spent the past 20-plus years based in Silicon Valley — where activities like hiking and kayaking can feel overshadowed by fancy tech startup campuses. But his previous stops in North Carolina and Colorado fueled his passion for the outdoors, he said.
“The outdoors is always accessible there, except for some occasional snowstorm or something,” Cook said. “I always think about hiking and the things that really impress me when I’m here [at work].”
Getting out of the Bay Area tech bubble helps, he adds: “You can walk to so many different places [in California]. It’s almost a sin not to go out and enjoy.”
Doctors are increasing prescribing nature walks — sometimes in combination with medications — to help patients with symptoms ranging from anxiety and depression to stress and obesity, according to a 2020 paper in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Spending at least 120 minutes in natural environments like parks, woods and beaches is associated with positive well-being, especially for people living in urban areas, a 2019 study published in Scientific Reports found.
The study observed 20,000 people who tracked their outdoor activities for seven days. Its data showed that good health and well-being increased after spending 200-300 minutes outside.
Cook, with a estimated net worth of $1.8 billion, is not the only billionaire who prioritizes time outside. Oprah Winfrey has a daily hiking ritual, and was known as an avid gardener. Mark Zuckerberg wrote in 2020 that he once hunting in his free time, and Tyler Perry flew radio controlled planes as a hobby.
It’s quite simple to be more intentional about spending time in nature, experts say.
“Even if you only have a few minutes, consider going for a walk or eating a meal outside,” writes Jared Hawkins, a therapist and assistant professor at Utah State University, in a university blog post last year. “Bringing your attention to the sight of trees, the sound of birds, or the feel of the wind can help you be mindful and reduce stress.”
You can also take up hobbies like hiking, fishing or star-gazing, in addition to gardening and having picnics at nature sites, Hawkins recommends.
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