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By Olivia Orman
As meeting and event planners, we spend a large portion of our career planning corporate events. When conceptualizing our visions, we often confine ourselves to conventional indoor settings with dim lights. Who ever said event planning had to be done at a nine-to-five office space?
Ditch the desk and take your notebook to the great outdoors! Some planners may use the excuse, “I don’t have the time to take a three-hour-away weekend trip in Missouri” when in actuality, there are various state and county park campgrounds in St. Louis County to experience a disconnected and productive, outdoor escape. There may be a weak cell signal for a couple of days, but this will give planners the space they need to let their ideas flow effortlessly. The desk will still be there upon the return; go string up a hammock at one of these campsites, and start planning!
Well, where do I go?
Many individuals want to embrace alternative methods of planning, but they have no idea where to begin. Traveling west of St. Louis, a small variety of county and state parks provide spacious grounds where we can take our productivity outside. Determining our objectives is very important in deciding the ideal camping spot for our needs. If a planner wants to camp in an open area, Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park would be a suitable choice. But if another planner wants to camp in a more primitive, shaded setting, West Tyson County Park or Greensfelder Park would match their criteria.
How will this excursion benefit my planning?
Expanding our scenery and terrain, quite literally in the forest, unlocks a whole new spectrum of inspiration and ideas. Who knows what will emerge when we let our creativity and openness run free? This is the essence of hammock-planning. Look for more places to string up your hammock and let your creativity flow in upcoming issues of MM&E.
MM&E
Olivia Orman, olivia@pc40.com, is a contributing writer from St. Louis, Missouri. For more information, visit: www.cathurtic.com
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