As programmers, we spend all day in front of the screen. At Virtual Coffee, we also value health and wellbeing. The motivation behind our August challenge is to get folks out and about and seeing the world. We will be encouraging our members to make the most of summer (in the Northern hemisphere, at least), enjoy some work / life balance and benefit from the fresh air and exercise of the great outdoors. The challenge could also be completed without ever leaving the car, but the hope is that folks will leave the car for a bit and get some real fresh air and exercise. A little hint for those of you that have access to public transportation: Public transportation is a great way to see the world while someone else does the driving. It also forces you to actually get some exercise because it probably won't pick you up at your front door.

Some inspiration

August is a good time to get out of the house, away from the desk. The city, the country, the beach or steam trains, it doesn’t matter what you do out there, so long as you get out there and enjoy living, not just working, even for a little bit. So, let's do it, folks!

If you’re addicted to your phone and want to take this idea a step further, we have a bigger idea for you: Get together with friends or family and leave all your phones (and other networked devices) behind, bringing only a standalone camera to record your day. we bet y'all will have fun, enjoy yourselves (and each other) and realize there's no need to always have the entire world in your pocket. The internet will still be there when you get back.

If you’re not yet a member of Virtual Coffee, but the Challenge appeals to you, we encourage you to get out and do it anyway, and post your pictures in the comments section, below.