Change Scenery to Change Your Mind

Recently I met up with my colleague Deb Becker for a “retreat” to talk about some bigger questions regarding a program we co-developed and co-lead (Engage). Since there were just two of us, we opted to meet at the main branch of the Boston Public Library.

Deb and I talk frequently about Engage, but it’s typically operational and on a tight timeframe. We needed a block of open, spacious time to dialogue and align around questions that would guide future operations. The library provided a destination and an architecturally interesting space for us to get out of our normal office environments.

The message here is simple - change your environment when you can in order to create new and different thinking about strategic questions you’re facing. I worked with a team over the course of a year, meeting monthly in the afternoon for four hours. We made a point to meet outside of their office, even though we were just down the street and they had a conference room that was big enough to hold the meeting. This was important to help the time feel different to them, which in turn would help them unplug from their day-to-day work.

Simple Scenery Changes to Try:

• If you work from home, leave your home office and work from a coffee shop.

• If you have a startup, meet with your co-founders in a conference room at a library.

• If you have a business team, find a space outside your office for important team conversations once in a while.

In short, changing scenery can help you change your mind. Change the way your mind works, that is, thanks to a different environment where you can also slow down and wrap your head around the bigger picture. Use this to your advantage and use it consciously.

Engage alignment meeting with Deb Becker at the Boston Public Library