Distraction-Free Park Rx

by Shelby Bostick

For my personal Park Rx, I spent 20 minutes sitting in a local park in complete silence. No music, no phone, no distractions, just me and whatever was happening around me. At first, I didn’t think this would be challenging. It’s “just sitting,” right? But what surprised me most was how uncomfortable the silence felt in the beginning. I didn’t realize how used I am to constant stimulation and noise until I tried to take it away.

Within the first few minutes, my mind immediately jumped to my to-do list, assignments, and everything I needed to get done. It was hard to focus on the outdoors when my stress kept creeping in. But as I sat there longer, I slowly began to notice small details. I noticed the cars that were passing by, college kids walking back from class, and people going into and out of the local stores and restaurants nearby. Once I allowed myself to be present, I felt my body relax.

By the end of the 20 minutes, my mood had noticeably shifted. I felt calmer, more clear headed, and less overwhelmed. It wasn’t that my responsibilities disappeared, but they felt more manageable. Sitting in silence helped me reset mentally and emotionally in a way I didn’t expect. I also felt more connected to my surroundings instead of ignoring what surrounded me every day.

This experience challenged me to step outside of my normal day to day. It challenged me to sit in silence and focus on my surroundings rather than my to do list. Being intentional about sitting still helped me see nature as a tool for stress reduction and mental clarity. Taking just a few minutes each day to be present in nature can have a bigger impact on our wellbeing than we might expect.

If I were to recommend a Park Rx to someone in my community, I would suggest starting small, like 15 to 20 minutes in a park without distractions. It’s free, accessible, and can significantly improve stress and mood. As future nurses, incorporating simple, nature like tasks like this into patient care could be a great way to promote both individual and community health.