Get outside to get creative

Our team offsite this week was a walk and group workout in the park.

The weather was colder than planned, and the ‘stretch and meditation’ workout more vigorous than any of us expected – and yet it was incredibly energizing to move in nature together! I loved every minute.

Whenever I’m outside during the workday, I’m reminded of how powerful getting away from our laptops can be. I have heard people say over and over again that great ideas don’t come to you when you’re staring at a screen. And, of course it’s intuitive that, alone at our laptops, we get sucked into checking, doing and consuming vs. thinking, feeling and creating. Yet, when I’m staring at my long list of to-dos at the top of my morning, the idea of booking outdoor time into my workday seems almost indulgent. And so, it rarely happens.

But interestingly, when I’m talking to some of the most effective entrepreneurs I know about their productivity tips – many of them have a weekly practice of clearing big blocks of time for the sole purpose of thinking in nature. One of them feels so passionately about it that he gives his entire team one mandated laptop-free day per week. Employees are encouraged to get out into nature on their own or with friends and family. He said team productivity and creativity has soared.

And when I reflect about where I get clarity on my toughest problems, inspiration for a creative project or simply, where I recharge - it’s never at my desk responding to emails. I’m on a run, a walk, a hike, in the water - I'm almost always doing something active in nature! I've even found that by the time I've reached the end of a week-long vacation, I’m equal parts sad that it’s ending and excited to dive back into work and implement all the ideas that have come to me while I’ve been away from my laptop, in the natural world.

Do you find yourself more creative in nature? How are you finding ways to build outdoor activity into your workday or team culture?