A new study has uncovered the exact amount of time Brits spend outdoors, revealing significant generational differences in nature engagement. Research conducted among 2,000 adults found that one in five Brits rarely manage to spend an entire day outdoors, with 21% only achieving this a couple of times a year and 5% getting the chance less than once annually.
Barriers to Outdoor Time
The primary obstacles preventing people from spending more time in nature include a lack of personal time, office-based work, and childcare responsibilities. Notably, 11% of Gen Zers admitted they have lost interest in outdoor activities, compared to 7% overall. Millennials were particularly affected by family duties, with 21% saying raising a family impacts their outdoor time.
Daily Outdoor Exposure
The average Brit spends just 84 minutes outdoors each day, while 5% reported spending less than five minutes outside in a 24-hour period. Time spent in direct contact with greenery or plant life drops to just half an hour daily, with 22% experiencing under five minutes of nature contact per day.
Generational Differences
The most outdoorsy cohort is 25-34-year-olds, who spend an average of 104 minutes outdoors daily, with 11% habitually spending six hours or more outside. In contrast, those aged 45-54 spend only 73 minutes outdoors on a typical day. Time outdoors begins to climb again after age 55, as lifestyles become more relaxed and commitments decrease.
Despite these challenges, 61% of Brits are actively working to spend more time in nature. Their strategies include exploring new outdoor locations, arranging outdoor social gatherings, and setting daily or weekly targets. One in ten are planning longer trips away by camping.
Life Stages Impacting Nature Connection
The study identified key life stages that affect people's ability to connect with nature. Entering full-time employment tops the list (48%), followed by starting a family (18%). Educational transitions such as starting university (11%) or moving to secondary school (12%) also play a role.
Technology and Outdoor Time
Among the 28% who feel their generation spends less time outdoors than previous ones, technology was cited as the main culprit. Greater screen time (55%), more digital indoor entertainment choices (47%), and over-dependence on technology (48%) were blamed. This constant connectivity may lead to shorter outdoor excursions to minimize distraction.
Sabina Voysey, director general at The Camping and Caravanning Club, which commissioned the research, said: "Outdoor time is obviously important, but we also acknowledge how hard it can be to spend time in it due to everything else we have on our plates. This is one of the reasons we're so passionate about the benefits of being able to properly switch off and reconnect with nature for longer periods."
She added: "It's such a shame that we don't get more opportunities as a nation to get outdoors and re-connect with nature. It's understandable given the pace of life most people have, with multiple commitments on their time. But I think all can agree when you do find that motivation to disconnect and breathe in the fresh air, it can't be beaten."
