Six Tips to Begin Applying BusinessOutside Principles Today
By Bart Foster, founder of BusinessOutside®
I’ve been blown away by the interest in BusinessOutside®. So many executives, acquaintances partners, strangers, and friends have reached out expressing interest. But one question keeps coming up: How can I start applying BusinessOutside principles to my everyday life? I want to share a few easy tips and proven practices to help you get started.
It’s important to remember that BusinessOutside is more than being outside in the great outdoors – although that’s a vital part. It’s also about getting “outside” outdated societal and corporate norms that have no place in the future of work. People crave healthier, more creative, more inspired, and more authentic workplace cultures.
The boundaries between personal life and business have disappeared. Executives are exhausted and limited by an inability to find focus, purpose, meaning, and inspiration. BusinessOutside gets back to the fundamentals of humanity by building authentic connections and strong relationships. We take you outside of your comfort zone to help people feel psychologically restored by tapping into your true, authentic self in a natural setting.
Authenticity in action: Why companies must practice what they preach
I know from experience that these principles are proven and work, and I try to live them out in my everyday life. Here’s a quick story how.
Shortly after I moved to Boulder, I was asked to serve as president of a yoga, fitness, and wellness company. As exercise is important to me, and so is living the company’s values, I decided I would prioritize taking a yoga class at least three times a week. I was so surprised to find only three people in my first class. As president, when people saw I was attending yoga classes, it gave them permission to do the same. In the next class, ten employees attended. Then twenty people. I was so inspired and energized by the participation.
One day, when I was walking down the hall with my yoga mat, the CEO made a comment as we passed. “Oh, it must be nice.” I was startled by the comment. The subtext, of course, was that it must be nice to have so much free time to take a yoga class during the day. I was trying to lead by example, but instead, the CEO made it seem that I must be shirking my responsibilities or not working hard. Even though the company said they had a culture of health and wellness, everyone knew the actual corporate culture rewarded more hours behind the desk, and yoga and wellness should happen on their own time.
This is exactly the outdated, toxic mindset that BusinessOutside wants to change. Below are six tips to get started today with BusinessOutside.
Six tips to start applying BusinessOutside practices today
Book the Outdoors. Just like booking a room, make it possible to book the outdoor space – whether that’s at the office or your remote office/home. Set up shop on your home patio, grab a picnic table, or bring a folding chair to a park.
Walkie-Talkies. These are one-on-one walking meetings outside. Ideally in-person. But if that’s not possible, ditch the video call and tell your team to take their phones and start a walking meeting. Not only does it provide a built-in way to de-stress, but walking together creates a common bond, generates creativity and clarity, and is better for your physical and mental health than sitting behind your desk.
Weekly Check-Out. Check-ins are typically a time for managers and employees to touch base. A check-out is an invitation to be outside. It can create an opportunity to be more open and authentic. I find that being outside is more efficient and creates richer conversations. Research shows that 87 percent of people enjoy the outdoors and nearly 86 percent would like to spend more time outdoors during the workday. So, schedule a check-out – either with teammates or by yourself.
BusinessOutside Brainstorm. We generate better and more ideas outside. In a groundbreaking study, Stanford University researchers measured the effects of walking on problem solving and idea generation. Of all the variables tested, 81 percent of participants experienced enhanced creative thinking from walking outdoors. Try brainstorming outdoors and watch the creativity explode.
Fresh-Air Fridays. Take a page from outdoor retailer L.L. Bean, whose company does Fresh Air Fridays. Statistics show that 77 percent of people regularly eat lunch at their desks. Taking perks like catered lunches into the fresh air and having regularly scheduled picnics will break the routine and make lunch breaks even more healthy and fulfilling. Whether at the office or remote, take a Fresh-Air Friday.
Power Presentations. Often, people sit inside a conference room when doing a dry run through slides and talking points. Did you know we remember more when we rehearse outside? Next time you find yourself preparing for an important presentation, rehearse it outside and make the most of the extra memory boost nature and movement offer.
If more companies were made aware of the ways that working outside can bolster productivity and promote happiness, more workers would feel empowered to get outside – outside in the great outdoors, and outside outdated corporate norms. But the culture must change first, and that starts with leadership. As a leader, you have a chance to lead by example. Two million years of evolution can’t be wrong. Humans thrive “outside.”