Occasionally, we come across meeting tips that we consider so unusual that we strive to pass them on to our audience. And as we all know, savvy meeting planners know that their job entails much more than taking care of what happens in the meeting rooms. Attendees can become overwhelmed by the amount of information they are taking in, as well as all the new contacts they are making with colleagues. Planners always are trying to come up with ways to help participants relax in between the commotion and stress of each meeting.
With that in mind, planners are finding success by offering a “forest bath” at their meetings that take place in properties and resorts that focus on natural surroundings, noted an article at Successful Meetings.
If you’ve never heard of a forest bath before, you might think that it involves some kind of outdoor cleaning ritual involving soap and water. Actually, a forest bath is the term people give to putting on comfortable walking shoes and clothing and taking a mindful walk through the woods.
Participants typically take a forest bath while accompanied by a knowledgeable guide who will help them focus their attention on the beautiful plants and animals in the area surrounding their meeting facilities. Doing so helps reduce stress, letting meeting attendees unplug for a while and get back in tune with nature.
Forest baths will differ from location to location, but the main idea is to gain a greater appreciation for the natural world while taking a break from the hectic pace of the meeting room.
For example, Mukul Beach Golf & Spa in Nicaragua offers forest baths with a guide that takes groups of people through the gorgeous rainforest. A guide helps steer participants from focusing on items in their spreadsheets or deal memos and instead pay more attention to a tree, the sounds of birds and other animals or to simply gaze at beautiful stones on the forest floor.
Forest baths typically take about an hour, but because participants move so slowly, they usually only stroll for about a mile. Taking it easy enables forest bathers to get in touch with nature and think about what they really want to do with their lives and not just the immediate tasks at hand. Connecting with the natural world can relieve stress, improve your mood and often leads to better sleep. These are all benefits that any meeting planner can easily support.
If you already know the benefits of taking mindful walks in nature, it is easy to see how this type of activity can really help your meeting participants get some much-deserved relaxation. The less stress your attendees experience thanks to taking forest baths, the more positively they will regard your efforts in setting up meetings. This, in turn, can lead to more of them coming back to have you plan their future meetings.
Tags: meeting tips