By Noah Van Ekdom- July 20 2014

The transition to an office job can be a difficult one. To the lucky few whom are working in the sun, shade, or rain this summer, I congratulate you. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, over 86 percent of the United States labor force works indoors while fewer than two million are currently employed in farming, fishing, forestry, or outdoor education.

This means that most of us, whether we seek heart-pumping thrills or serenity and relaxation, spend our days at a desk. Whether you are pounding away at memos or dealing with your colleague’s twice daily “emergencies”, it’s important to remember that the lessons taught by nature are just as applicable to your nine-to-five as they are to a successful backpacking trip.

Savor the moment:

A friend working out of a private research lab emailed me earlier this year to say that he was considering quitting his fellowship, which he had just earned 6 months earlier. Buried in his rant about long hours and inadequate equipment was this disheartening gem: “I don’t even enjoy making progress, because it just means something even more vague is next.” The simple fact is that progress always means more work – that is the very nature of progress. Mount Rainier isn’t just a classic, rewarding climb. It’s also a stepping stone to peaks like Mount McKinley in Alaska or Aconcagua in Argentina. Recognize and celebrate small victories, and use them to spur you on to greater ones.

Sometimes the old ways are best:

Society worships the idea that change is beneficial, and it often is. Carrying a GPS with you reduces the danger of climbing the wrong mountain, and Google’s search engine is a clear increase in efficiency over an encyclopedia. This type of thinking can often lead us to become dependent on the convenient rather than the reliable. An administrator at the National Institutes of Health recently told me that he addresses every issue of high importance at his job in person, rather than via email. He explained “Dealing with confrontation behind that kind of barrier is easy, take it away from people and you start the conversation with the upper hand.” A GPS might be handy, but the U.S. Navy still teaches its navigators how to use a sextant. In both the wilderness and the office, technology should be used to supplement existing skills rather than as a crutch.

In the end, we’re all on the same team:

The thing I’ve been most consistently amazed by in my outdoor travels is the camaraderie between everyone I meet. I’ve shared tents, stories, and cans of cold soup with the strangers I’ve happened upon; in almost every situation these things have been given and received with good will on both ends. Whether you’re thru-hiking or working on a big project, remember that you’re traveling the same path as most of the people you meet. If we could bring even a fraction of that kindness back to the office with us, I’m sure many of us would view Mondays with less collective dread.