Need a Mental Reset? Bring a Bit of Nature to Work

Need a Mental Reset? Bring a Bit of Nature to Work

Ever feel like your brain just… hits a wall? That’s mental fatigue, and it’s something we all face, especially in today’s always-on work culture.

Attention Restoration Theory (ART), developed by psychologists Rachel and Stephen Kaplan, suggests that our ability to focus becomes depleted over time, especially when we're bombarded by tasks that require intense, directed attention (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989).

However, time spent in or even just with nature can restore that mental capacity. But what if you can’t step into the forest between Zoom meetings?

Try bringing a natural sensory object to your workspace. This can be something as simple as a smooth river stone, a small pine cone, or a piece of driftwood. Take a short 2-minute break to hold it, breathe, and notice its texture, weight, and scent. This gentle shift in focus taps into what ART calls “soft fascination,” a restorative mental state that helps your brain reset without effort. Small acts like this reconnect us to the natural world and give our overworked minds a chance to recover. Because sometimes, the path back to clarity is as simple as holding a stone.

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Reference: Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective. Cambridge University Press.