003.20 RESTORATIVE “ENVENTORY”
It can be hard for us to recognize the restorative potential around us, especially when we are in a moment of attention fatigue. This activity helps us inventory our environment ahead of time so that when we’re depleted, we can easily find something or somewhere restorative in the time we have available.
EXPLORE
RESTORATIVE “ENVENTORY”
Preparation
This is a solo activity.
You will need about 20 minutes.
Grab a piece of paper and a pen or marker.
Instructions
Draw four concentric squares on the page.
Label each with a time: 5m, 15m, 30m, 60m.
Inside each square, list restorative environments you can access in that amount of time.
Extend
If you made a work map, make a home one (or vice versa).
Create a group map by drawing the squares on a whiteboard, writing places on post-it notes, and placing them.
What is one minute away? What is a day away?
Consider
When you imagine environments, consider things you can see (windows, plants, wildlife), hear (silence, music, conversation), and do (stretching, stillness, movement).
Which environments benefit from others, which benefit from solitude, when, and why?
Keep this map nearby for when you have a break.
