This post features a collaboration with adidas.
Earlier this month, I read about a survey in which nearly 9 out of 10 regular gym goers said that new gear helps them push themselves harder. As someone who is normally happy to make do with the stuff I have, I took it with a pinch of salt to start with. Reading a bit more about the science of motivation (because that’s the internet hole I ended up in), it turns out that having the right gear available can genuinely psychologically motivate you to work towards your goals.
So that new pair of running trainers I received from adidas recently might actually be helping me keep on track with the couch to 5k running programme I am doing? More on that a bit later.
Do Your Motivation a Favour
This got me thinking. When it comes to spending time outside every day, I’ve been concentrating my writing, here and on Instagram, on the things-to-do side of things. I made the reasonable assumption that having heaps of ideas of things to do outdoors, would be one of the best ways to help motivate me – and you – to get outside.
But there’s a whole other side to this. The results of this little survey – and the articles I’ve since read – shows that there are bunch of other things we can do to help improve the motivation it takes to stand up and make our way to the front door.
Habit formation is a whole different set of science studies, and while that’s ultimately what I’m aiming for with all this One Hour Outside stuff, motivation is a huge part of it.
Can New Gear be Motivating?
The idea of new gear being motivating could easily be seen as a marketing ploy – a reason to buy more stuff.
However, there’s a train of thought that suggests motivation is about “tricking yourself” into thinking you are ready to do something. You know, throwing yourself into it, creating a sense of urgency, or making specific plans you can’t back out of so your brain and body has no choice but to get on with it. Having new shiny new things associated with your chosen goal can apparently help with that.
I’m not suggesting that you can – or should – buy your way to One Hour Outside. I might enjoy sharing a semi-regular Currently Loving post, and will be publishing my Gift Guide for Outdoor Lovers in the next week or so, but I’m not someone who bases life on material possessions.
But, if you are struggling to get motivated to spend time outside because your trousers don’t fit, your head is cold, your waterproof coat isn’t, or you are trying to walk or run in something wholly unsuitable, then maybe some new gear might just be the thing you get you started.
New Trainers
True or not, I have added a couple of pairs of trainers to my workout wardrobe in the last month, thanks to a collaboration with adidas. You know, just in case the tales are true. One pair – the Dropset Trainer Shoes – are designed for the gym but I will probably use for everyday wear, because (as I’ve mentioned before), I can’t help myself when it comes to footwear. The other pair – the Terrex Two Flow Trail Running Shoes – I chose specifically to get me through the couch to 5k programme.
I’m planning a post on the popular get-started running app nearer to Christmas, when I’m a few more runs in, and I’ll review the adidas trainers in my usual style then. In the meantime, know that these are far superior to the trainers I was trying to run in, and are absolutely helping to motivate me to get out. I’m on week four, run two, and dare I say it, finding adding the half-an-hour jogs into my routine easier than I thought.
Three Real Motivation Tips
New gear won’t fix motivation alone, though. And let’s face it, normal people can’t spend our way to our goals. Thanks to all that reading on motivation over the last couple of weeks, here are three tips you could try to help you get motivated to spend a little bit of time outside every day.
Tell Someone
Research shows that the act telling someone else you are going to do something, makes you 33% more likely to actually go ahead. There’s also research which says that we are more likely to stick to a routine if we write it down.
So… decide on your goal, split it up into small practical steps, put those steps into your diary and turn reminders on, and share what you are doing with someone else. How are you going to spend One Hour Outside today? Share your plan with me over on twitter or Instagram
Go Together
The same research says you are more likely to follow through if you go with someone else – a third more likely. I mean, this one definitely makes sense. Thankfully, making a habit of spending time outside can be a very sociable thing.
Arrange to meet a friend for a walk in the park, spend your lunch break with a colleague, agree to take the kids to the park after School. Or look further afield – sign up to a walk or other outdoor activity run by one of the many online groups such as Adventure Queens.
Be Prepared
I’m sure you’ve heard people say that if you want to run in the morning, you should get your workout clothes ready the night before, so you get up and put them on without thinking. It’s proven – apparently, we are 50% more likely to do something if we’ve prepared ourselves properly in advance. For me, this is about making sure my shoes are in the right place… Wear or take a pair of trainers to work so you can have a brisk lunchtime walk, or bung a pair of walking boots in the boot of the car when you’re on a road trip so you can stop off somewhere on the way.
Being prepared is also about fuel. Keeping yourself hydrated and eating well through the day is motivating in itself, because when we look after our bodies in that way, we feel good and are more likely to want to work towards our goals or keep our habits. There’s a whole other post in nutrition for the outdoors, but just making sure you keep on top of your fuelling is always motivating.
A Final Thought on Motivation
Whether or not new gear is motivating is still open for debate for me. But I do concede that there is a certain pleasure in the new – whether that be a new pair of running trainers, a newly re-proofed waterproof jacket, or a newly-curated plan of action. And there is no doubt that having the right gear makes spending time outside every day, which is my habit of choice, both much easier and more enjoyable.
Whatever goal you are working towards – whether it’s related to One Hour Outside or not, I hope these tips help.
Thanks to adidas for the new trainers – if you want to follow on with my couch to 5k journey, keep an eye on my Instagram stories.