a woman watering on a roof garden
Body & Soul
30.07.2025 Gabriele Strasser 16140

Reduce stress: 7 tips for city dwellers

Going out into nature for 20 minutes three times a week has been proven to reduce stress. Seven tips on how city dwellers can also experience nature in small ways to improve their well-being.

Imagine you could take a pill that has been proven to reduce your stress. You would only have to remember to take the pill three times a week and your whole life would be more relaxed. Your mental and physical well-being would demonstrably improve and you could even measure this effect. Would you take this pill?

Well, this pill is within reach and it is simply called: get out into nature!
A remarkable study that prescribed city dwellers to experience nature for just ten minutes at least three times a week illustrates just how great the effect of a "nature pill" is. The relaxing effect was proven using saliva samples.

"Natural pill" reduces stress

The results showed that even very short nature experiences led to a significant reduction in cortisol and alpha-amylase - two stress markers in the human body. The greatest benefit for the test subjects of the "nature pill" was measured when the testers spent between 20 and 30 minutes in nature - the exact time of the nature experience did not matter.

A number of studies also show that experiencing nature not only increases well-being, but can also promote personal development by strengthening aspects such as self-esteem, creativity, social skills and environmental awareness. Researchers have also found that spending time in nature promotes a sense of connection, autonomy and personal development.

Get out into the countryside, whatever the time!

It doesn't matter whether the "nature experience" takes place in the morning, afternoon or evening. The time can be chosen based on individual factors such as energy levels, preferences or daily planning. Some like to start in the morning to start the day full of energy, others prefer the afternoon for an activity and some prefer to relax in the evening.

Choose the time that best suits your daily routine and well-being and pay attention to how the activity affects your mood.

 


 

Seven tips for experiencing nature in the city

Cities also offer numerous opportunities to experience nature in a relaxing way. Community gardens, parks and rivers offer city dwellers green recreational spaces:

1. small picnic on a meadow

Take a blanket and sit down for 20-30 minutes on a green area or at the edge of a small pond. Enjoy a small snack or a drink and take in the surroundings.

2. meditation or yoga outdoors

Find a quiet place outside, be it in the park, on a green space or on your planted balcony. Meditate for 10-15 minutes or do a short yoga session. Focus on your breath and the natural surroundings.

3. observe animals in the park

Go to a place where you can observe animals, such as a pond with ducks or a park with squirrels and birds. Take 20-30 minutes to observe the animals' behavior and enjoy the nature around you.

4. visit a rooftop or community garden

Visit a community garden or a rooftop garden. These places often offer a surprising amount of greenery and nature in the city. Enjoy the plants and flowers and perhaps also the conversation with other nature lovers.

5. take a short bike tour through green districts

Take a short bike ride through the greenest neighborhoods in your city. Even a 20-minute tour can help you connect with nature and get some fresh air.

6. concentrate on the sounds of nature

Sit down in a quiet place, such as a park, and consciously listen to the sounds of nature around you. The chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves or the sound of running water can be very relaxing.

7. watch the sunset or sunrise

Find a place with a good view, such as a bridge, a hill or a skyscraper roof, and watch the sun set or rise. The natural colors and play of light can have a calming effect and energize you for the day or evening.


 

Sources:

Hunter, M. R., Gillespie, B. W., & Chen, S. Y.-P. (2020). "Urban Nature Experiences Reduce Stress in the Context of Daily Life Based on Salivary Biomarkers." Health & Place)

Vitalizing effects of being outdoors and in nature, Richard M. Ryan, Netta Weinstein, Jessey Bernstein, Kirk Warren Brown, Louis Mistretta, Marylène Gagné, Published in: Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

zero Failure is a matter for the boss: How to learn from mistakes for the future

Leadership & HR
17.02.2020 Christin Müller 12028

Failure is a matter for the boss

Where there's planing, there's chipping. A well-known saying that takes on new relevance in times of digital change - in the form of the widely propagated error culture. After all, change requires creativity, innovation and, above all, the courage to make mistakes. Establishing a positive error culture in the company is therefore a key management task.

Germany calls itself "The Land of Ideas". We are also world-renowned for perfectionism and top quality. This is what makes our economy so unique. Even at school, we learn that mistakes bring bad marks and a scolding from our parents.

In the world of work, it is best not to make any mistakes, as this could have far-reaching consequences for the company. This striving for perfectionism does little to prepare us for the digital future. "Those who plan for a long time and want to rule out every imponderable will miss out on important trends, market entries or changing customer needs, "1 says Luuk Houtepen, Director Business Development at the international HR consultancy SThree. In his opinion, an intelligent error culture would be an important survival strategy for a company.

Zero-defect tolerance was yesterday?

In the minds of most bosses, mistakes still mean a fiasco that must be avoided at all costs. Managers are afraid to take risks - after all, there are also professional fields in which mistakes would be fatal.

Established companies in particular have a lot at stake, so it is better to take fewer risks. The frequently cited "fail fast" principle works particularly well where the costs caused by errors are low, structures are less complex and hierarchies are not yet rigid: for example, in smaller start-up companies that primarily thrive on reacting creatively and agilely to market situations.

"Large organizations with established customer relationships, grown partnerships and a high degree of responsibility for their own workforce, on the other hand, put one thing above all at risk: trust," says change management expert Sören Krüger in an article on error culture.2 In unpredictable markets, dealing with errors is always a balancing act, he says. Many managers prefer to take the safe route and pursue a zero-error tolerance. However, there is not just black or white, but various ways to embrace a culture of error.

3 ways to deal with errors correctly

It always pays to deal with mistakes confidently, because nobody makes them on purpose. Avoiding mistakes at all costs is not an option. What is needed are solution-oriented strategies to deal constructively with mistakes.

A constructive error culture is cultivated at pme Familienservice . CEO Alexa Ahmad says: "Almost everyone is embarrassed by mistakes. You can't let that paralyze you. I have no problem if someone comes to me and says: 'I think something went wrong'". However, it is difficult when team members conceal or cover up mistakes. "That almost always goes wrong, violates trust and deprives us of the chance to do better next time. Often a problem only becomes big because team members don't 'speak up'. If you admit mistakes, you can iron them out," says Ahmad.

Error culture starts with communication. This includes managers showing their teams that mistakes are not desirable, but - with certain limitations (see list below) - are not a disaster either. They are part of the creative process and pave the way for development.

Of course, there are big differences. Formally celebrating mistakes and always seeing the positive in them can be beneficial and instructive in a complex environment with many uncertainties. However, where security is paramount, it can have more disadvantages. According to the survey "This is how Germany works", 86% of respondents would at least like to see a higher tolerance for errors.3 Implementing an error culture therefore does not mean completely restructuring the company. A partial error culture is particularly suitable for larger companies.

3 86 percent of respondents would like to see a higher tolerance for errors.
 

1. fault tolerance

A culture of error is not actively promoted, but it is perfectly okay for mistakes to happen. Employees are encouraged to own up to their mistakes.

2. openness to errors

Openness to mistakes is perfect for companies or departments where there are few standards and they are required to try things out and be creative - for example in the digital sector.

3. error prevention

Of course, there are areas in companies where errors should be avoided as far as possible, for example in accounting, in the airport tower or in quality control. However, there are more control mechanisms here.

Taking joint responsibility for successes and failures

We know that: Everyone makes mistakes - it's how you deal with them that counts. Alexa Ahmad: "I think everyone has a right to make mistakes, but not the same mistake twice or three times. It's better to try something new and make other mistakes that we can learn from. My tip: talk to each other, nobody is infallible".

This is where the management level comes into play. Only if senior management establishes and lives an error culture that is adapted to the company will this have a positive impact on the company's growth.

Here, it is just as important to give constructive feedback as it is to dissolve firmly anchored basic attitudes that prevent a culture of error. According to a survey by Statista on "What makes a good manager "4, 60 percent of employees would like to see a culture of error. How can a manager set a good example? Among other things, by communicating their own mistakes positively and openly, trusting in the abilities of their team members and motivating them to tackle new tasks with courage. And by taking the time to learn from mistakes.

Read our article: "9 tips on how managers can establish an error culture in the company" to find out how you as a manager can successfully implement an error culture in the company.

About the pme Familienservice

On behalf of more than 900 employers, the pme Familienservice Group supports employees in achieving a successful work-life balance and being able to work with a clear head.

Sources:

1 https://www.marconomy.de/wieso-scheitern-gut-fuer-das-geschaeft-sein-kann-a-728814

2 https://medium.com/deutsch/warum-eine-fehlerkultur-allein-nicht-die-antwort-sein-kann-9d70caf4a90a

3 https://so-arbeitet-deutschland.com/scheitern-innovation

4 https://de.statista.com/infografik/10710/was-eine-gute-fuehrungskraft-ausmacht