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Tips for Organising an Outside Meeting

Working outside and #greendesking in nature has an abundance of benefits, but how do you make it work? Here are our top tips for working outside in nature.

above view of people working at laptops on a table.
Team work outdoors Spending time outside is proven to reduce stress, improve productivity and restore mental energy. © Shutterstock
  1. Find a green space with Wi-Fi access. More and more public places and parks are making public Wi-Fi available to visitors, but if you are working from a space without internet access you can either create a hotspot from your mobile, bring a wireless internet stick along with you, or organise your day so that you’re doing the type of creative work that is enhanced from being ‘switched-off’.
  2. Something to sit on. Depending on your luck at the park or beach, you might not be able to find a bench or table to sit at. Bring along a blanket or picnic rug just in case.
  3. Bring the indoors outside. Try furnishing your outdoor meeting space with traditional living room furniture for a fun and comfortable setting. If you’re afraid that the weather will get in the way of your meeting, schedule outdoor venues with some sort of shelter, whether it’s a covered veranda or pavilion. That way, you don’t have to relocate back indoors if a little rain comes your way.
  4. Don’t lose your focus. It is easy to get distracted with beautiful sights around you. Don’t let your environment distract you from completing your work. Stick to the schedule you have set for yourself or your team.
  5. Have fun. Enjoy the fresh air and have fun with your team!
two men sitting outside on the ground talking.
Dean Yibarbuk and Geoff Lipsett-Moore Dean Yibarbuk and aboriginal elder with Geoffrey Lipsett-Moore, The Nature Conservancy's Northern Australia Program Director. © Ted Wood

Tips for organising a walking meeting

We are big fans of walking meetings and you’ll often find members of our team around the city on walking meetings. Recent research as highlighted in the Harvard Business Review article on How To Do Walking Meetings Right finds that the act of walking leads to increases in creative thinking.

Plenty of anecdotal evidence also suggests that walking meetings lead to more honest exchanges with employees and are more productive than traditional sit-down meetings.

Here are a few tips to help your walking meeting go well:

  1. Do not surprise colleagues or clients with walking meetings. Plan your walking meeting in advance so that your colleagues can arrive with a change of shoes and possibly more comfortable clothes. You might also keep water bottles on hand to offer on warm days.
  2. Stick to small groups. We would recommend a maximum of three people for a walking meeting.
  3. Have fun. Enjoy the experience of combining work with a bit of exercise and time in nature. Data show that those who participate in walking meetings are more satisfied at their jobs than their colleagues who don’t.

Source: How to Do Walking Meetings Right

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