Michael Easter's excellent book "The comfort crisis" makes the argument that our relentless quest for greater ease and comfort is not good for us; on the contrary, he suggests that if we want to thrive in this life we need to actively seek out discomfort. The book weaves together a range of scientific studies with the story he tells of his own epic (uncomfortable) journey through vast uninhabited areas in the Arctic. We have found it a fascinating read!
The most recent chapters I have read talk about the critical importance of boredom and of being outdoors. There is extensive research that connects boredom with creativity - time and again researchers are able to show that a wandering, bored mind is far more capable of producing creative ideas. Who'd have thought it? And yet we live in a world that would spare us from boredom - worryingly, our devices ensure this.
Easter also produces lists of studies which demonstrate the measurable impact of being outdoors in nature on all sorts of physical and mental health issues. Even twenty minutes a day in a garden makes a noticeable difference, and the research suggests we should all aim for at least five hours a month in the wild.
Maybe in the week ahead you and I could try combining our prayer time with a walk in a garden? Or just sitting quietly with no agenda in a green space, "wasting time with God" (as Henri Nouwen describes it)?