Creative conference breaks build successful teams

Soft Bowling 

After sitting in conference rooms for a long period of time, some form of exercise simply does a lot of good. Soft bowling is therefore an ideal contrast programme in between intensive conference content. Both ball and pins are made of foam, making the game considerably quieter than regular bowling. As long as there are smooth floor surfaces available, you can also relocate your soft bowling session outdoors to get an additional breath of fresh air. Allow about one to one and a half hours for this intermission. A meeting venue that offers you such a soft bowling set is the Refugium Hochstrass in Lower Austria, for example.

Escape Games 

Escape games are the perfect team-building activity as they encourage exchange between the participants and strengthen team cohesion. It’s all about working together to solve a tricky puzzle by using cleverly placed clues and tasks. Montée's Secret Escape boxes are particularly flexible, as they can be solved both indoors and outdoors, and take around one and a half to three hours to complete. Your guests are guaranteed to arrive at the next conference session spurred on with creativity and richer with a new sense of achievement.

Do-it-yourself-Wellness 

Design breakout sessions either as a refreshing contrast to the content of your event or choose an activity that, on the other hand, is related and fits particularly well with the theme of the meeting. If you're planning a health or wellness event, making face masks and face scrubs together is a particularly good way to provide for an invigorating break. In Tirol, for example, the Natur & Spa Hotel Lärchenhof supplies you with everything needed for relaxing do-it-yourself facial care.

Regional workshops 

Another approach to a skilfully designed intermission starts with the event location. What can you offer your guests that fits particularly well with the region? Don't be afraid to get to the bottom of one or the other cliché, so why not dare to take part in a yodelling workshop in Tirol, for example. The participants can try out alpine yelling and yodelling and are sure to experience many an entertaining moment – and that, as is well known, is a bonding agent. In Vienna, on the other hand, a waltz lesson conducted by one of the renowned dance schools, is a lively way to fill a break. In the evening, your guests can put their newly acquired dancing skills to the test at one of the many famous Viennese balls.

Business Yoga 

Stretch your limbs extensively after a long conference session or use a common yoga class as a stimulating start before another intensive presentation. The mixture of tension and relaxation in the various exercises gives fresh energy. In terms of time, the yoga session is particularly flexible. As the loosening up lasts between a quarter of an hour and an hour, a session can be perfectly integrated into the agenda of your event.

Cooking together

Too many cooks spoil the broth? Convince yourself and your participants of the exact opposite and go ahead and cook together. Use the break time to prepare small snacks that you can later savour and enjoy with one another. Regional delicacies are particularly suitable: In Salzburg, your guests can learn how to prepare the delicious Salzburg dumplings and the finest apple strudel at the Edelweiss Cooking School. In Tirol, on the other hand, you have the opportunity of preparing Moosbeernocken, a traditional Tirolean speciality. You aren’t only catering for stimulation and indulgence during your event but you’re also giving your participants one or the other useful lesson on the sidelines, apart from the overall theme of the meeting. And not without reason does one say: Eating brings people together.

Photography Competition   

Shift the focus away from the conference screen and towards photogenic motifs. A photography competition gives conference attendees new ideas, and it can also pick up on the main topic of your event in a masterful manner. For example, throw in a few terms related to your industry or theme and ask the participants to aesthetically photograph all related or associated objects and sceneries. Within 30 to 60 minutes, completely new, visual perspectives will certainly open up.  

Energy-Qi-Kick 

Improvement of memory and concentration, promotion of communication, increased receptiveness and motivation: Just one Energy-Qi-Kick module promises all this. Targeted physical exercises help to restore strength and can be carried out directly in the seminar room or outdoors without a change of clothes. The Garten-Hotel Ochsenberger in Styria, for example, offers such a breather, accompanied by a trained mental and fitness expert. Take at least 20 minutes for this activity before starting the next meeting with renewed vigour.

High-ropes activities 

Reach your goal faster as a team: This exciting outdoor exercise makes it possible for everyone to experience first-hand what counts in day-to-day business. Overcoming obstacles outdoors is an action-packed item on the programme, especially for multi-day events and team-building sessions. Your team will definitely benefit from these exercises in the long term. At the Lachstatthof in Upper Austria, you can improve trust issues within the team and add variety to the agenda with high-ropes activities and crate stacking.

Painting lessons  

When painting, both hemispheres of the brain are activated, and stress is reduced, as has been proven before, making it an ideal activity to do during a break between the complex content of meetings. Guests create great works of art under the guidance of an art teacher – making their own keepsakes. Think up a theme in advance. Maybe you’re in a particularly beautiful region that inspires your creative side? Then a postcard painting session would be a suitable option. The creativity levels of your participants are guaranteed to be taking a sharp upward turn within 30 to 60 minutes.