A June wellness challenge is asking people to spend 20 minutes a day in nature, framing time outdoors as a practical way to reduce excessive screen use and indoor living.
Nearly 20,000 participants in a cited study reported better health and well-being when they spent at least 120 minutes a week in nature—about 17 minutes a day.
Experts say even small green spaces count, from neighborhood parks to street trees, and suggest blocking out two 10-minute outdoor breaks if a full 20-minute slot feels hard to find.
Phones should ideally stay home or switched off, they said, because unplugged time in nature can lower stress, improve mood, and restore focus through what one researcher called 'soft fascination.'
The challenge is the first of four June exercises aimed at countering what one doctor calls 'ultraprocessed time'—device-driven time engineered for convenience and stimulation rather than restoration.