CBT and Intentional Effort: Understanding Inactivity and Mental Health in Modern Life

In our modern world, physical activity is no longer a natural part of daily life for many people. With digital lifestyles, urbanisation, automation, sedentary jobs, and shifting work demands, fewer of us are meeting our body’s basic movement needs. Movement isn’t just about physical health, it’s deeply tied to psychological wellbeing. This post explores the meso and macro level forces shaping our behaviour, and how intentional effort, connecting with nature, and vegetable growing can help re-root activity into our lives for better mental and physical health.

The Big Picture: Why Movement Has Fallen Off the Daily Map

Over the past few decades, convenience technologies - robot vacume's, remote office working, dishwashers, washing machines, ready meals - have significantly reduced incidental physical activity. Jobs that once required standing, walking, and lifting are increasingly replaced by desk-bound work for long hours with a stationary commute leaving very little time outside of work for physcial exhersion and movement.

Micromovements, like walking to a workplace, taking stairs, or simply standing, matter. When those are removed, total daily energy expenditure drops. Modern sedentary behaviour has been linked with poorer physcial health including cardiovascular disease.

💡 What you could do? Build intentional activity breaks into routines. Setting movement alarms, scheduling short walks, or doing gentle stretching before/during work shifts can interrupt sedentary patterns.

Intentional Effort: What It Is and Why It Matters

Intentional effort means setting purposeful goals and habits to prioritise activity and self-care in ways our society no longer automatically provides.

This could look like:✔ Choosing a 20-minute walk daily before work✔ Scheduling gardening time each week✔ Using lunchtime for movement instead of screens✔ Starting strength or flexibility training routines

Why Intention Beats Motivation Alone

Motivation fluctuates, but intentional habits create durability. Research in behavioural psychology suggests that structured routines are far more consistent predictors of long-term healthy habits than relying on motivation.²

By embedding movement into the calendar — like we do with work meetings and family commitments — you reduce decision fatigue and increase consistency.

Nature & Vegetable Growing: A Path Back to Body Awareness and Mental Resilience

Spending time in nature and growing food combines physical activity, mindfulness, and meaningful purpose.

1. Physical Activity Hidden in Everyday Tasks

Gardening may not look like a gym workout, but it includes bending, lifting, digging, reaching, and walking — all moderate physical activities. Studies show that gardening can help adults meet recommended physical activity levels without the pressure of formal exercise.³

2. Mental Health Boosts from Green Spaces

Exposure to nature has well-documented mental health benefits — from reduced stress and anxiety to improved mood and cognitive function.4 Being among plants, sunshine, and soil can restore attention and emotional regulation in ways urban interiors can’t.

🌱 Fun fact: Soil contains microbes that may increase serotonin (a “feel-good” neurotransmitter), contributing to better mood when gardening.

3. Vegetable Growing Fosters Purpose & Community

Planting seeds, nurturing growth, and harvesting produce connect us to the rhythms of nature and our bodies’ needs. Participating in community gardens strengthens social bonds, reduces isolation, and enhances collective well-being.

Addressing the Bigger Systemic Barriers

It’s not enough to talk about personal habits — we must acknowledge and tackle meso and macro level barriers that reduce people’s ability to stay active and healthy.

Macro Forces

• Economic constraints: lower-income communities often have less access to safe parks, fitness resources, or nutritious food.

• Work culture: long hours, remote demands, and overwork reduce free time for movement.

• Policy gaps: limited funding for recreational spaces and active transport infrastructure.

Public health research consistently shows that environments and policies shape health behaviours more than individual choices alone.5

Meso Forces

• Family & community norms that prioritize work over leisure movement

• Cultural expectations around productivity and “busy-ness”

• Healthcare systems that focus on disease treatment, not prevention

So What Can We Do — At Every Level?

For Individuals

✔ Map weekly movement goals into your calendar✔ Choose nature-based activities (walking trails, gardening, outdoor play)✔ Join community gardens or green space initiatives

For Communities

✔ Support local walking, cycling, and green space advocacy groups✔ Start or volunteer in community gardens✔ Organize group nature walks or gardening events

For Policy Makers & Healthcare Providers

✔ Invest in green infrastructure✔ Integrate movement counselling and nature prescriptions into primary care✔ Support programs tackling inequities in environment and activity access

Final Thoughts

We are living in a world that subtly nudges us toward inactivity and disconnection from our bodies. But by understanding these structural changes and weaving intentional effort, nature connection, and vegetable growing into our lives, we can reclaim physical movement as a source of health — mentally and physically.

Movement isn’t just something we “should do.” It’s a way of living that re-connects us to our bodies, our neighbourhoods, and the natural world that nourishes us.