There are a hundred reasons why you might lead a life that revolves around working a 9-5. Even for those adventure junkies among us with a severe case of the gotta-get-outside-itch, there will always be a time when we need to be in one place, if only to save up for the next great escape. Whatever your reasons, rest assured that there is life beyond the office walls. Here’s a few tips on how to have an adventure or two when you have to work all day:

Look locally

You don’t need to travel thousands of miles to find adventure. Some of the best outdoor activities are those that force you to see familiar places in a new light. Buy a map of your local area (I mean a real map, paper and everything). Seek out lakes, rivers, hilltops and green spaces you’ve never noticed before. Then grab a picnic and a friend and go check those places out in the flesh. You’ll be amazed at what you find.

Use your evenings and weekends

Time. The biggest adventure-killer. You may not have as much of it as you’d like to go adventuring, but if you’re clever, you can make the most of what you do have. Don’t let yourself believe that midweek evenings or weekends are too short to be meaningful. A hour or two can go a very long way. Here’s an example of just how much you can do with your mid-week if you live in a big city (London in this case).

Make time – Get away for a day

So you’ve managed to plan a midweek adventure. Excellent. Now, treat that adventure as if it were the most important business meeting you’ve ever had. It’s all too easy to get drawn into staying late at the office or postponing PTO. But think about all those times you really haven’t been able to stay because you had a plane to catch, dinner with a friend or a gig to make. A midweek adventure should be no different. Don’t overthink it. Shut the laptop down at five and leave. Better yet, take a day or a few hours off and find adventure locally. If you’re able to get away for day, an afternoon, or just a few hours, you’ll thank yourself tomorrow.

Stay curious

When we were kids, even a trip into the back yard was an adventure. Now as an adult, we wonder how to have an adventure amid all our daily stress. Sometimes it’s as simple as tapping into that glorious feeling as often as you can. The other week, I travelled to dinner with a friend on rollerblades – simply because they were there, staring out at me from a dusty shelf, and I wondered how it might feel. Low and behold, it felt awesome (well, the parts I stayed upright did).

Use your commute

You probably spend anywhere between thirty minutes and two hours of each day commuting to work. Ask yourself how you could make that journey more adventurous. Even changing up your commute or part of your commute just once a week can make a difference. Maybe you can you park the car three miles out and walk for an hour. Or find an off-road trail to run instead of your usual cycle. Get creative with lies between you and your workplace and turn something that’s a necessity into a real joy.

Feed your inner adventure junkie

On the days where you just can’t find time for outdoor activities, start the day with a Ted Talk over breakfast. Read a blog about a country you’ve always wanted to travel to over lunch. Go to a talk in the evening on a subject you’re really interested in. Read a tourism guidebook for a place you’re planning to go to, or map out your next trip. Carve out time each day for the things that make you feel alive. Because when you feel alive, adventures will find you. It’s that easy.