In support of Action for Happiness’ Reclaim Happiness campaign to coincide with the UN Day of Happiness, 20th March 2014, we decided to add a little extra happiness to our meetings.
Armed with a table and chairs, we set off from our office in Brighton to have pop-up meetings in some unlikely locations around the city, ending of course on the beach.
We were, quite literally, ‘walking the talk’. After all, many of the Do’s we send our Do-ers are designed to create a fresh perspective on everyday life.
As we toured the city with our table and chairs tucked under our arms we took in the fresh air and the welcome break. But other things began to unfold. We bumped into a few local partners who stopped for a chat. Bystanders waved, grinned and clicked with cameras as we set up in a shopping street. And our outdoor impromptu lunch together was great – something we don’t do often enough.
And finally, brainstorming ideas for a client programme, the changing locations inspired all kinds of new approaches we wouldn’t have come up with sitting in the office. So we were living proof that small changes to the environment can unleash creativity and boost teamwork, as well as being great fun and forging unexpected connections too.
With Do Something Different it isn’t just the Do that makes the difference, it’s the down-the-line changes that happen as a consequence, sparking off something unexpected and exciting.
What can you Do?
1. Take an ordinary activity like a meeting, or lunch or a regular journey and do it differently. Get your colleagues outside. Eat something you’ve never tried before, with people you don’t usually eat with. Take a bus instead of a train. Meet someone in an unusual location. See what happens.
2. Remember to support Action for Happiness’ Reclaim Happiness campaign. Just upload a photo of you doing something happy on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Google+ and use the hashtag #HappinessDay and you’ll instantly find your picture featured on the Happiness Wall.
3. Let us know what you do. Join us on LinkedIn, Tweet us, pop a pic on Facebook. We’d love to hear from you.
