Why Working Indoors is Secretly Sabotaging Performance (and What to Do About It)

Most managers spend their time trying to improve performance through better processes, clearer communication, and stronger accountability. But there’s a hidden factor that rarely gets attention, and it’s quietly undermining all of those efforts.

We spend nearly all of our time working indoors.

Offices without windows. Back-to-back virtual meetings. Long hours in front of screens. It feels normal because it’s common. But as Dr. John La Puma explains, it’s not how our brains and bodies are designed to function. And that mismatch comes at a cost.

Dr. John La Puma is a physician, author, and expert in lifestyle medicine who focuses on how nature, nutrition, and environment impact human performance and health. His latest research addresses the indoor epidemic and what we can do to bring more nature into our lives.

The Hidden Cost of Working Indoors

When a team feels unfocused, disengaged, or mentally drained, the default assumption is often that something is wrong with motivation or workload. But part of the issue may be environmental.

Dr. John notes that indoor spaces, especially enclosed meeting rooms, can impair cognitive function. As carbon dioxide levels rise, decision-making and clarity decline. Even small adjustments, like improving airflow or opening a window, can make a difference.

But the deeper issue is what we’re missing.

Modern work has created what Dr. John calls “digital obesity.” We are constantly consuming information through screens, but we are disconnected from the natural inputs, such as sunlight, that our brains rely on to regulate energy, focus, and recovery.

Over time, this leads to mental fatigue, reduced engagement, and lower-quality thinking.

Nature Is Not a Break, It’s a Requirement

Many people think of time outside as a way to relax or clear their heads. But the science suggests something more fundamental: exposure to natural light and environments is essential for how our bodies function.

One of the most important Dr. John calls out is morning light.

Within the first hour of waking, exposure to natural light helps regulate your circadian rhythm, the internal system that controls alertness, energy, and sleep. Without it, your body struggles to properly time key processes, including when you feel awake and when you feel tired.

That misalignment doesn’t just affect sleep. It impacts how clearly you think, how well you focus, and how effectively you make decisions throughout the day.

For managers, this is not a wellness detail. It directly affects performance.

“Going Outside” Isn’t Enough

It’s easy to assume this isn’t a problem because most people do go outside at some point during the day. But Dr. John explains that there’s an important distinction between being outside and experiencing it.

Walking outside for short stints while commuting or running errands doesn’t provide the same benefit as intentional time in nature. When your attention is on your phone or your to-do list, your brain stays in work mode.

To actually reset and restore your mental capacity, Dr. John says you need to engage with your environment.

Luckily, it can be surprisingly simple.

Intentionally Use Your Senses

One of the most effective ways to get the benefit of being outside is to use your senses intentionally, offers Dr. John.

For example, take a short walk and spend a minute focusing only on what you can hear. At first, you’ll notice the obvious sounds: traffic, movement, voices. But if you keep listening, you begin to pick up subtler details you would normally ignore.

That shift matters.

Dr. John explains that it moves your brain out of a constant state of alertness and into a more restorative mode. Stress levels drop. Your nervous system settles. Your ability to think clearly improves.

This is why a short walk can feel so refreshing when done intentionally and why it often doesn’t work when you’re scrolling on your phone at the same time.

Rethinking The Causes of Burnout and Exhaustion 

Burnout is often treated as a personal issue, something to solve with better time management or resilience. But this perspective overlooks the role of the environment.

Dr. John notes that when people are constantly exposed to screens, artificial light, and uninterrupted cognitive demands, their brains don’t get the recovery they need. Over time, that leads to exhaustion, disengagement, and reduced performance.

From this perspective, burnout isn’t just about workload. It’s about imbalance.

And that’s something managers can influence.

Bring Nature Into Your Daily Routine

You don’t need to redesign your entire workplace to see the benefits of this. A few small shifts can make a meaningful difference.

Dr. John urges us to find simple ways to experience more nature. For example, taking a meeting outside instead of sitting in a conference room can lead to more open, collaborative conversations. Encouraging people to step away from their desks during lunch to take a walk or sit outside and spend a moment experiencing nature with their senses, can help them return with more focus and energy.

Even something as simple as inviting your team to start their day with a few minutes of natural light or a sun lamp can improve how they show up to work.

The key is not just getting outside but changing how that time is used.

Increase Performance and Wellbeing

Managers are always looking for ways to help their teams perform at a higher level. What’s often overlooked is that performance isn’t just about what people do. It’s also about the conditions they’re working in.

Right now, most workplaces are optimized for efficiency, not for human functioning.

Reintroducing nature through plants, orienting workspaces towards windows, and taking breaks outdoors can start to correct that imbalance.

When you do, you’re not just improving well-being. You’re creating the conditions for better work. Because when people are well-rested, mentally clear, and biologically supported, everything else, including communication, collaboration, and decision-making, becomes easier.

Listen to the entire episode HERE to learn more about the connection between performance and nature.

Keep up with Dr. John La Puma

- Connect with John on LinkedIn here 

- Follow him on Instagram here 

- Follow him on Facebook here 

- Subscribe to his YouTube channel here 

- Visit his website here

- Learn more about The Indoor Epidemic here 

Guest Bonus: Free Guide: How To Talk To Your Doctor About A Natural Prescription

Dr. John is providing members of Podcast Plus with his guide, "How to Talk to Your Doctor about a Nature Prescription." This one-page guide offers a simple script and prescription layout so you can create your optimal nature prescription.

Get this guest bonus and many other member benefits when you join The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.

Check your email or log in to the member site for more details.

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