I’ve been trapped in the boring boardroom box many times myself. I’ve led countless campaign planning meetings and marketing strategy meetings where expectations are high and outputs are low. Even when surrounded by creatives, designers, and marketers, there has been a lack of truly original thinking. Yes, we’ve got there in the end, but the process has been slow and sluggish. I wish I’d known back then what I know now about thinking more freely outside the office than inside.

The ceiling is, quite literally, the ceiling.

When we try to think creatively inside an office space, we’re immediately putting a limit on how far our minds can explore.

In a meeting room we’re probably looking at four bare walls. If you’re lucky one of them is made from glass so you can at least people-watch. The bespoke floor to ceiling dry-wipe board, installed for ideation sessions, is just a very big flipchart that requires extra cleaning. The oversized TV, bought to facilitate screen sharing, is likely filled with faces of remote teammates who have already turned off video and audio functions. And the multipack of sticky notes, discovered buried in the stationery cupboard, is competing for attention against Teams, Slack, and WhatsApp!

The point is, we can’t expect to think outside the box when we’re literally sitting inside a box. If we can only see ten foot in front of us, how can our thinking go any further? There is a literal wall blocking where our mind might be able to go if allowed. And a ceiling too. The sky should be the limit but if we can’t see it, we’ll never get there!

If we want to change the energy, we need to change the environment.

That means leaving the office that you work in every day and going somewhere else. An inspiring setting like an art gallery or dedicated workshop space would be a great start, but that comes with a cost. Space that doesn’t come at a cost? Your local park or green space, or better still; hills, moors and woodlands. Because when we’re immersed in nature without the distraction of media and technology, our performance on creative, problem-solving tasks increases by 50%.

And whilst sitting outdoors reaps many benefits, moving outdoors offers even more. When we walk in nature, our creative output increases by 60% (compared to when we are sitting still), not only during the walk, but for some time afterwards as well. Forget speed, distance, endurance or effort, and just walk. If we want to unlock more and better ideas, we simply need to move.

And in addition to the personal benefits we experience from walking – the mental and physical wellbeing boost – we also benefit as a group. Because we don’t just leave behind the mundanity of the office environment when we go outside, we also leave behind the hierarchy, the culture, and the assumed roles we play whilst at work. Where it might be daunting for some to open up, to share ideas, and to challenge other people whilst at the office, this is much easier to do whilst walking. The rhythmic pace of walking helps us to synchronize thinking in the moment, whilst the lack of eye contact required when walking side by side breaks down social barriers to honest conversation. The outdoors can be the ideal playground for introverts and more junior colleagues, where the rules of engagement are left at the trailhead.

So, next time you need to change your thinking, start by changing your environment. Movement in nature offers time and space for divergent thinking, original ideas, and open dialogue that we might struggle to cultivate indoors. The boardroom might be the perfect setting for slideshows and screen-sharing, but it’s likely stifling your best ideas before they’ve had chance to form. Start your next marketing strategy with a walk, and see where your feet – and your ideas – lead you.