OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES: FINDING NEW WAYS TO CONNECT WITH COLLEAGUES

How do we as colleagues and teammates emerge from isolation and evolve to re-connect with each other in the flesh, where core attachments are formed and bonds are deepened, allowing us to work more productively as a team? Where trust, camaraderie, engagement and appreciation fuel productivity and success? Outdoor activities may be the answer.

At La Vida Laguna, we create unique experiences in the great outdoors that are designed to foster and amplify these corporate relationships, resolve core issues, develop new communication tools, improve workflow and make people healthier.

Let’s face it, working remotely and online has many advantages, but the most potent form of interaction will always be in the presence of one another. We are, after all, social animals. We now know that being active and outdoors are essential to our wellbeing and immune system.

According to Dr. Michael Osterholm, an expert on infectious diseases and interim director for the Centers for Disease Control, “being outside is really a very important thing [for Covid-19]. It’s getting fresh air, and being able to move and exercise. It turns out that being in the outside environment dissipates these aerosols very, very quickly. Of all the outbreaks that happened in Wuhan, China, where people get together with one infected individual and then transmission occurred — all but one of them occurred inside.”

As we navigate life during this pandemic, being active and outdoors is the safest way to connect with colleagues, and no place offers more dynamic opportunities than Laguna Beach – with a protected marine reserve and 25,000acres of open space connected by a network of scenic trails.

The Laguna Coast Wilderness is one of the last open-space preserves in coastal Southern California, with a unique ecosystem known as coastal sage scrub. It’s fragrant and brimming with flora and fauna. The Pacific Coast here is clean and healthy, with successful conservation efforts abetted by the no-take zone designated by the marine reserve. We are likely to see dolphins, sea lions and whales during any of our outdoor activities.

Being in nature allows us the clarity that comes with fresh clean air, ample CO2 from plants, and scenery that stimulates the senses, mind, body and soul. In this environment, we can be simultaneously mindful and reverent of the natural elements around us, and at the same time be truly present with one another – free of digital devices and modern distractions. We call it Mindful Business –and it’s the new way forward in this uncertain world.

At La Vida Laguna, we have transformed our core outdoor offerings – hiking, eBiking, and kayaking, into essential meeting places for small group interaction. Your group will enjoy team building, core bonding, trust-building, mindfulness and exhilarating fun all in one. And all of these Laguna Beach activities are facilitated by experts in mindfulness, psychology, wellness and conscious communication.

On every terrestrial outing, each participant receives a backpack with a portable chair, blanket, water and other items to stimulate and enliven the senses (plus optional food if lunch is included).

Our typical outdoor activities may include the following:

An opening ceremony outlining why we are here and what we hope to accomplish

• Beginning breathwork and light yoga stretches to increase oxygen and blood flow.

• A deep dive into nature with a trail hike, ocean kayak trek, beach walk, bike ride, treasure hunt, sand sculpture, or other teambuilding challenges.

• A short break to sit in a circle and awaken the five senses to our surroundings.

• We then move to a “clearing,” where each person has a chance to express anything that is on their mind that they wish to let go of in order to be fully present. This technique is used in various Native American indigenous cultures. The key here is for colleagues to listen and let each other be heard. Then we can collectively “let go” of those things that no longer serve us. This is an excellent tool to “mine” where people are at since this health crisis began. We find that shared experiences and emotions bring us closer together.

• From there, your team can delve into business issues and topics of the day. We can leave you alone here or La Vida Laguna can facilitate with questions on brand identity, core values, shared purpose, and reaching the pinnacle of Maslow’s Pyramid of Needs, a point which is known as self-actualization.

• We close the meeting with a meditation where topics of the day can be distilled and internalized.

• The meeting concludes with a ceremonial, “tribal” drumming and gratitude circle, where everyone can express what they are grateful for – in that moment or in the big picture. This is always a stunning moment that highlights collective positivity.

Upon the conclusion of our outdoor activities, your team can head home enlivened and energized, with new tools to incorporate in everyday life and business.

La Vida Laguna has curated the most epic locations for these Laguna Beach activities – with amazing view corridors in the Laguna Coast Wilderness, on the sand or out at sea on a kayak. Choose any of our team building activities to make it a day of exhilaration, exercise and fun.

Once it’s safer to be inside, we also have ample indoor in our office for small gatherings in the heart of Laguna Beach, which can be catered by many nearby restaurants. We have a conference room that seats 10, an overflow meeting area, and we also have an outdoor patio space that can be used for meetings. During our current pandemic crisis, this outdoor patio space can be an excellent safer option for a gathering.

We have many mindfulness programs that can decrease stress, improve wellness, increase productivity and promote clarity. These programs include meditation, yoga, breathwork, sound baths, aromatherapy, crystal therapy and drum circles.

Let us design meaningful, custom outdoor activities for your team. Contact the team at La Vida at any time for a consultation and we will create a one-of-a-kind bonding experience in the great outdoors.