Next time you plan a meeting and need breakout meeting rooms, rethink your strategy and schedule walking brain breaks instead.  Why? Science has proven that walking and talking stimulates the brain more than sitting still, and after all your job is to stir up creative juices and get people thinking differently.  You’re spending loads of money to bring people together. Surprise your guests by changing up breakout meetings that will encourage people to think outside the box and help retain content by taking a walk outdoors to breathe in some fresh air and enjoy your surroundings!

Set up some game rules before mapping out the course.  Here are some ideas to ponder.

  • Work with the hotel to map out safe and easy directions for walking around the hotel area.
  • Set a start and end time so everyone begins and ends at the same time.
  • Serve the break after the walk when everyone is ready for a treat.
  • Provide reusable water bottles for everyone to take on the walking break.
  • Have a leader for each group present goals and intentions prior to taking off on the walk.
  • A group member can present the group’s outcome and ideas generated on the walk.
  • Inform everyone in advance to wear comfy shoes and dress accord to the weather.

Many experiences show that during and after exercise, even very mild exertion, people’s brains perform better especially in terms of retaining information and memory.

One of my favorite writers is Henry David Thoreau who said this about walking:

“Methinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow.”

Stop wasting money on breakout meeting room rental space and go for a free walk around the block to stimulate the brain.  You’ll get much more out of your participants so that your organization meets goals for training and establishing new ideas that can be put to work immediately.  Everyone wins!