Spending Time Outside Safely: Your Before, During + After Checklist

This post reflects a compensated editorial partnership with Debug the Myths & RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment). All thoughts and opinions are, of course, my own!

Remember when going outside used to be simple? With a global pandemic on, everything takes more thought and planning and I feel like there are two realities butting up against one another: First, spending time outside is super important. Like, I cannot underscore how important it is, for both physical and mental reasons! Over the past 4+ months we’ve been indoors way more than usual given school and work shutdowns + limiting our errands to essential-only and it is most definitely making people crazy. Second, as Massachusetts reopens and people have loosened up on COVID-19 safety measures since Memorial Day, spending time outside can be tricky. Personally, I have been super cautious, partially because I am a central part of my 83-year-old mother’s care. As Massachusetts has opened up, I basically have remained locked down, which means I need to put a lot of intention into going outside safely.

From what I have heard from my friends, readers, and podcast listeners, I’m not alone in struggling with the above two realities, so today I want to talk about what to consider before, during, and after to make our time outside happy and safe. We can—and need to—embrace the beautiful, sanity-recalibrating great outdoors!

Before Your Outing

Reduce barrier to entry with easy outdoor adventures

On a daily basis, shoot for easy outdoor adventures; as in, ones you can tackle by just walking out your door. And let me underscore the importance of DAILY outdoor adventures. Because we got a puppy this spring, walks along the river or the neighborhood are my mainstay. We also have the benefit of a large university near us, which offers a great change of scenery and expansive green space.

If you have a university nearby, take advantage of the wide open green space!

Embrace your backyard if you have one

If you have a backyard, embrace it! Getting a puppy has translated to us spending a ton of time in our backyard, which has been one of the best things about the pandemic. There are tons of things you can do in your backyard (check out this summer bucket list for additional inspiration), even if your backyard is small like ours; for example:

We’ve been spending a lot more time gardening
We don’t have a ton of space but we’ve also been eating outside more
Water play is key during the summer, in addition to other games, working on soccer ball juggling, and doing art outside
Teaching our puppy James to play fetch has been a big development!
Backyard camping is a great idea if you have the steam to pitch a tent but want to introduce novelty for your kids

Violet building a rock border in our backyard

Do advance research

Speaking of novelty, it’s good for the brain and soul to experience a different vantage point! Do a little online research via Google maps to look for green spaces near you that you haven’t explored recently, and also be sure to check websites to see what the current COVID-19 protocol is at different destinations. Here are 12 wonderful state parks in Massachusetts to consider as well as tips for hiking with kids.

Head out during off peak hours

Ever since we went into pandemic mode, I get super anxious when it’s too people-y out. I steer clear around other humans at a distance much greater than 6 feet. I also try to head out during off peak hours. This usually translates to early mornings, which also helps when it’s really hot out.

Dress to prevent bug bites

If you’re going to be near wooded areas, dress to prevent bug bites. Wear tall socks, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts to help prevent ticks and mosquitoes. If you want to level up your protection you can tuck your pants into your socks and also consider EPA-approved permethrin-treated clothing or treat your clothes at home with permethrin according to label directions. (Permethrin is an EPA-approved and CDC recommended tick/pest repellent; it’s odorless after drying and won’t stain.)

Prep your skin

Apply sunscreen then EPA-approved bug spray before you leave the house. I’d also recommend lip balm with SPF and sunglasses and a hat if you need more protection.

During Your Outing

Wear a mask and maintain distance

Masks save lives; wear one! And maintain distance from people. I definitely recommend if you are hiking trails to keep your eyes open for other people up ahead and how you might be able to skirt around one another and give each other space. This might mean hopping off the trail briefly; all the more reason it’s important to prep your skin to prevent tick bites!

Reapply skin protectant

Be sure to reapply sunscreen and bug repellent during your adventures; check labels for directions on reapplication and also factor in if you’re sweating a lot. Also, a recommendation: use separate sunscreen and bug repellent products as 2-in-1 products may be less effective since sunscreen and bug repellent need to be reapplied on two different cadences.

Be mindful as you explore

If you’re in the woods, stay in the middle of the path to help avoid brush where ticks thrive. However, as mentioned, if you’re trying to make space to let other people pass, look for open spots, and also keep an eye out for poison ivy!

After Your Outing

Toss all your clothes in the laundry

I recommend showering and tossing all your clothes + mask in the laundry as soon as you get home!

Check for ticks

Don’t forget to check for ticks when you get home after your outing. This is so important because while the aforementioned precautionary measures are necessary, every now and then a tick sneaks its way in and we have found a couple in the past; the panic of which has kept us vigilant in continuing to check! You can learn more about ticks and Lyme disease here, but in a nutshell look all over and especially in creases (e.g., in and around the ears, belly button, armpits, behind the knee, around the waist) and in your hair. Because of COVID-19 we’re all super primed to look for symptoms and Lyme disease symptoms can resemble the flu. Misdiagnosed or left untreated, Lyme disease impacts the joints, hearts, and nervous system so it’s crucial to be vigilant about preventative measures!

Give yourself a high five

Seriously, give yourself a high five for getting out there. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, being outside is so important and it’s also hard for many reasons. But the bottom line is, our brain, body, and spirit needs nature and it is possible to get outdoors safely!

How will you spend time outside this week? Check out The Great Outdoors Challenge and share what you’re up to (safely!) outside using the hashtag #TheGreatOutdoorsChallenge

Spending Time Outside Safely: Your Before, During + After Checklist