.png)
Outdoor Office Day: A Simple Reminder That Work and Wellbeing Can Step Outside
- Outdoors NSW & ACT
- 4 minutes ago
- 4 min read
On 11 June 2026, or the week of 8-12 June, workplaces across the world are being encouraged to rethink where work happens — and more importantly, how work supports the health, creativity and wellbeing of the people who do it.
Outdoor Office Day is a timely reminder that nature is not something we should only squeeze into the edges of our day. It is not just for weekends, holidays or the occasional lunchtime walk when the diary allows. Nature can, and should, be part of everyday working life.
At Outdoors NSW & ACT, our purpose is to get more people outdoors more often for their health and wellbeing. Outdoor Office Day aligns beautifully with that purpose because it challenges one of the biggest barriers many people face: the idea that being outdoors is separate from being productive.
It is not.
Nature is not a luxury — it is part of a healthy work culture
The Outdoor Office Day manifest encourages workplaces to recognise nature as a source of peace, inspiration and recovery. It also calls on organisations to make space in the workday for fresh air, movement, greenery and light — not as a perk, but as part of a healthier and more sustainable way of working.
This matters because so many people now spend large parts of their day indoors, sitting at desks, moving from screen to screen and meeting to meeting. Even short outdoor breaks can help shift energy, clear thinking and improve connection.
And let’s be honest — some meetings probably would be better as a walk.
Stepping outside is still real work
One of the strongest messages from Outdoor Office Day is that stepping outside for a break is real rest, and stepping outside to work is still real work.
That distinction is important.
Too often, wellbeing is framed as something employees need to fit around work, rather than something embedded into workplace culture. But a walking meeting, a planning conversation in a park, a phone call taken outside, or a short reset in fresh air can all form part of a productive working day.
This is not about doing less. It is about working better.
Outdoor time can support clearer thinking, stronger relationships, creativity, focus and resilience. It can also create a more human rhythm to the workday — one that recognises that people are not machines, and that wellbeing and performance are deeply connected.
Small actions can create a big cultural shift
Outdoor Office Day does not require every workplace to move the boardroom into the bush or conduct all strategy meetings from a picnic rug, although we would certainly support more of that energy.
It can start simply:
Encourage staff to take short outdoor micro-breaks during the day.
Hold one-on-one meetings as walking meetings where appropriate.
Choose outdoor spaces for team check-ins.
Bring more greenery, natural light and fresh air into the workplace.
Give people permission to step away from the screen and reset.
Normalise outdoor time as part of a productive and healthy work culture.
These are small shifts, but they send a powerful message: wellbeing is not an optional extra. It is part of how we build strong teams, sustainable organisations and healthier communities.
Leadership starts with what we model
The Outdoor Office Day manifest also reminds us that we are all leaders. Our choices can help create a culture where wellbeing becomes the norm rather than the exception.
For managers, executives, educators, outdoor professionals, community leaders and business owners, this is an opportunity to model healthier ways of working. When leaders step outside, take walking meetings, encourage fresh-air breaks and value time in nature, they give others permission to do the same.
That ripple effect matters.
At a time when workplaces are grappling with burnout, disconnection, recruitment challenges and changing expectations around work, outdoor time offers something refreshingly simple and deeply human.
A call to those in offices around NSW ACT — and beyond
For those of us in the Outdoor Industry, Outdoor Office Day is more than a symbolic day. It is a chance to get people to experience what we experience each day and act on what we promote.
We know the value of outdoor experiences. We advocate for outdoor learning, outdoor recreation and adventure tourism because we see the health, social, educational and economic benefits every day.
But this message is for every workplace, every team and every leader who wants to build a healthier culture. You do not need a mountain, a trail or a major expedition to start. Sometimes it begins with opening the door, stepping outside and having the next conversation in the fresh air.
On 11 June 2026, we encourage workplaces across NSW, the ACT and beyond to take part in Outdoor Office Day and make a simple commitment:
More fresh air | More movement | More natural light | More connection |
More people outdoors more often.
Because nature is for everyone — including people at work.
Join the movement and sign the Outdoor Office Day manifesto:https://www.outdoorofficeday.nl/manifesto
Comments