By Rachel Fagnant-Fassler

In business, we’re in an era of innovation—both in products and in the understanding of office life. Treadmill desks, sleep rooms (yes, these exist!), and fully paid for farm-to-table cuisine at work are just a few examples of how companies are rethinking office life to improve employee satisfaction and to make work seamless with personal lives. We’re a small office, so we have some flexibility to try new ideas and discard outdated practices that no longer work for us.

Research has repeatedly demonstrated the positive effects of physical activity on mental functioning. In our daily lives, we often experience this as moments of inspiration or moments of particularly clear thinking. In my own life, I turn to distance running for clarity, and I find my best ideas are often generated during those concentrated periods of reflection. I grew up jogging with my mom, and we found that the best conversations—often the most fruitful with subsequent action steps generated for post-run—were during these runs.

So, this week, we are expressing our love of walking meetings and blue sky brainstorming sessions. In an effort to communicate clearly and access our most productive selves, we’re taking some time out of our weeks to walk and talk through business items outside in the fresh, open air.

"With the limitations of closed walls and doors, we often find that the creative flow of ideas during meetings can be confined or constrained. By breaking down those walls (or for ease, stepping outside), we open our minds to limitless possibilities. Blue Sky and walking meetings have helped Careers create an open forum for discussion, brainstorming and dialog. Our minds are open and the ideas flow freely--nothing can beat Washington Square Park during a summer afternoon!" - Charlie Russell