Prioritize Outdoor Daylight Activities to Maximize Winter Well-being

Key Quotes

"When resources are limited, economics tells us that we should consider the opportunity cost of using that resource versus other resources. When it is light until 9 PM, maybe it wouldn't feel so bad to be in meetings that didn't have to happen and windowless conference rooms from 9 AM to 4 PM. But when the sun is going down a little after 4 PM, well, that is a different matter entirely."

Laura argues that when a resource, like daylight, is scarce, its value increases, making the "opportunity cost" of not using it more significant. Laura explains that activities that might be acceptable in windowless rooms during long daylight hours become less justifiable when daylight is limited and sunsets early.

"So, don't waste the daylight. Maybe by working through lunch, you might be able to get out of work at 5:00 instead of 5:30. But here where I live, it is dark at 5:00 and it is dark at 5:30. If you don't have anything in particular you are going to do between 5:00 and 5:30, given how important seeing daylight is for mood and energy, the opportunity cost of working from 12:00 to 12:30 when you could have seen the light is much higher than the opportunity cost of working from 5:00 to 5:30."

Laura highlights that the perceived benefit of working through lunch to finish slightly earlier is diminished when it is already dark. Laura emphasizes that the opportunity cost of foregoing daylight for work, especially when it has minimal impact on the end of the workday, is higher than the benefit gained.

"This is true on weekends as well. While there is nothing wrong with watching TV on a Sunday afternoon, you can in fact watch TV when it is dark out. It's going to be harder though to go for a hike in the dark. So it is worth prioritizing the afternoon time for that hike. And then go for the screens when there is less competing for those hours."

Laura suggests that on weekends, activities that can be done in the dark, like watching TV, should be deferred in favor of activities that require daylight, such as hiking. Laura believes this prioritization ensures that limited daylight hours are used for activities that are not feasible in darkness.

"When it goes off, ask yourself, have I seen the daylight? Have I gotten outside for at least a few minutes? If so, excellent. But if not, maybe you should take a pause from whatever you are doing and stick your head outside for 5 to 10 minutes. I am guessing that whatever you are doing could be done in a few minutes later too. But the sun will go down, probably sooner than you want it to."

Laura proposes a practical check-in before sunset to assess daylight exposure and encourages taking a short break to step outside if daylight has not been experienced. Laura suggests that most tasks can be briefly paused, as the fleeting nature of daylight makes this a valuable opportunity.