Why are so many of us so busy and why do we almost feel a sense of pride in feeling busy?

I’m first to admit that I’ve worn my badge of busyness with pride, and, if they had the busyness olympics I’d consider myself worthy of representing my country and possibly being a medalcontender – That’s if I could fit it into my busy schedule!

In a society where we have all of these time saving gadgets, time still seems for many of us to be a precious commodity.

Maybe if we spent less time scrolling social media and more time actually engaging with who and what’s around us, we’d all be a lot happier.

When’s the last time you’ve laid out on your lawn , looked at the sky and breathed in the air – really stopped and smelt the roses.

While I’m reluctant to delve into the whole growing trend of mindfulness, I think just being instead of doing, for at least a part of our day is something worth looking into.

It could be taking as little as ten minutes out of your day, to stop, engage in nature, take some deep breaths and enjoy what’s around you.

On a personal level, I’ve put up bird feeders in some trees near the house and could easily spend half an hour watching bellbirds, waxeyes and the odd tui fly in and out.

In a previous life I would have considered this a waste of time, nowadays I consider it a much needed mental health break.

And finally if you’re looking for a way to destress in nature, consider taking your dog for a walk.

Not only will you be taking a break from your busy day but hopefully you’ll be picking up some tips from man’s best friends on living in the moment and appreciating the simple things in life.