Common sense tells us that spending time outdoors has a positive effect on our mental wellbeing – and this is an intuition which is backed up by science. Experts have come up with what is known as the Attention Restoration Theory to describe how our cognitive resources can be replenished by spending time in nature. Even a short stay in green surroundings reduces stress levels, improves concentration and boosts creativity. These effects become particularly pronounced when physical activity is added such as jogging or hiking.
“We are happier and feel less stressed when we spend time in nature,” explains Professor Katharina Hüfner, Director of the Innsbruck University Clinic for Psychiatry II (Psychosomatic Medicine).
Among the numerous studies carried out in this field is one which determined that participants who went for a walk in nature were measurably more creative and productive afterwards than a second group of participants who had walked in an urban environment for the same amount of time.
“High up in the mountains – far away from our problems down in the valley – we engage our attention in a different way,” explains Hüfner. “Unlike artificial, urban working environments, which demand concentration and focused attention, nature invites us to let our minds wander and be spontaneous. This enables the brain to recover more quickly.”
This principle can also be applied to teams. Spending time together in nature often forms bonds that would be impossible to foster in the office environment. This is an observation which has also been made by Florian Schuchter. With his company, Teamday, he has been running teambuilding activities in Tirol for more than 17 years:
“We operate 90% of our programmes outdoors in nature. You notice straight away the benefits of the alpine environment in Tirol: the new smells, the crisp mountain air, the panoramic views, walking barefoot in the forest – it really has an effect on the participants.”
For Schuchter, who himself likes to retreat to the mountains to work, it never ceases to amaze him what a difference a break from the office routine can make: “After a walk in the mountains, a management team from a large company told me that they’d just held their most important meeting of the year.”
Georg Gasteiger has had similar experiences. He has transformed a 400-year-old derelict farmstead in Steinberg am Rofan into a venue for communal retreats:
“Some groups arrive with a tightly packed schedule. My advice to them is: scrap half of it and get outside. The rest will be taken care of by your time together in nature.”
Gasteiger also talks about a flattening of hierarchies his guests experience at the Mesnerhof C:
“Here in Tirol, at 1,000 metres above sea level, everyone’s on first-name terms anyway – plus, here everyone has to make their own bed, whether they’re the CEO or a trainee. When cooking together, it might be the boss who is peeling the potatoes whilst the intern calls the shots. Hierarchies are turned upside down – this interaction on equal terms forges new connections and does teams a world of good.”
Whether as a catalyst for new ideas, a space for strategic discussions or an attempt to strengthen team spirit, retreats in the great outdoors offer effective solutions to many of the challenges of the modern working world. They provide a break from the stress of daily business, encourage open communication and enable a change of perspective that is often difficult to achieve in the office. With its inspiring surroundings and modern infrastructure, Tirol offers the ideal setting for sustainable and effective team meetings, seminars, management retreats and conferences.
