I have the great fortune to divide my time between two wonderful cities: Madison, Wisconsin and Berlin, Germany.
While the trips back and forth require planning and effort, the benefits always outweigh the short-term logistical stress.
By shifting my location, I gain a fresh perspective on old problems and find the freedom to test new ways of doing things, both in my work and in my daily routines.
Those of you who have participated in offsite retreats have probably also experienced the energizing power of changing your environment.
In this post, I describe ways to reap the benefits of changing your location—without buying a plane ticket or organizing an expensive offsite event.
My revitalizing non-vacation
Each summer, my family relocates to Berlin, where my husband grew up. This isn’t a vacation, but rather a change of environment and opportunity to reconnect with local family and friends.
My husband and I work remotely, and our children even attend German public school for a week or two. (The German school year has a shorter summer break, so the timing works beautifully for us. The kids might feel otherwise.)
The change of location energizes me and provides me with a clean slate for new daily routines. I’m speaking a different language, reading different newspapers, and hearing new perspectives by spending time with German friends.
I also find that many of my unhelpful habits recede. For example, EU data protection laws block several Wisconsin news websites that serve as procrastination sources back home.
The Retreat Connection
This experience reminds me of something I’ve repeatedly observed in my strategic planning work: the transformative power of offsite retreats.
If you’re looking to think creatively and strategically, there’s no substitute for gathering in a new place, changing your routine, and reconnecting with one another in pursuit of a shared purpose.
But there’s one key problem: offsite retreats are often expensive and rare. This is especially the case for those of you facing shrinking budgets in the nonprofit, international development, higher education, and health care sectors.
Bringing retreat benefits to daily work
The good news: you can enjoy the benefits of offsite retreats on a smaller scale. Here are five practices to revitalize your work and move from strategy to action.
1. Change your work location for a day—or even an hour. This doesn’t require elaborate planning; sometimes moving to a different part of your room is sufficient. Consider swapping desks with a colleague, taking a walking meeting, or working from a conference room for part of the day.
2. Work on paper. There is mounting evidence that handwriting enhances memory and creative thinking. Try spending an hour each day away from your computer, using pen and paper to think, plan, and write–just like those flipcharts and sticky notes that make retreats so productive.
3. Build in connection time: Retreats let participants get to know one another as people, not simply as co-workers. You learn their strengths, preferences, and perspectives on problems. Whether it’s a 15-minute coffee break, a monthly office birthday celebration, or a weekly in-person breakfast with a colleague, invest in knowing your teammates. Small community-building activities shouldn’t be seen as a frivolous extra, but rather an investment in your organizational mission.
4. Schedule time for quiet thought: Retreats are productive in part because there is typically time built in for individual reflection. Schedule 30 minutes each day to focus on solutions to your long-term challenges.
5. Nourishment is key: When I facilitate retreats, I insist on having good food—plenty of coffee, tea, water, and nourishing snacks. This isn’t a luxury—it’s fuel for creative thinking and a way to show your team that they’re valued.
Final thoughts
You don’t need a plane ticket or a conference center to access the benefits of environmental change. Small shifts in location, routine, and connection can unlock fresh perspective and creative energy—ultimately allowing you and your team to move from good intentions to meaningful action.