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Do you find that your work ability kind of sucks in the summer? There’s actually a great way to increase your summer work productivity, creativity, and take advantage of that great weather!

• But, you say, I can’t see my computer screen outside in the sun.
• But, you say, I can’t get wifi in the middle of a park.

That’s okay.

Last year we interviewed work futurist Anthony Townsend (IFTF) about how to Break Out of your work routine.

Anthony co-hosted a festival called Break Out! in New York City in 2009, which showed people how to use the space around them to immerse themselves in their work - mentally and physically. And, how to do it with your colleagues too!

Here are five ways Anthony suggests you can Break Out this summer:

1. Up the creativity of your planning sessions by moving them into a high energy environment, like a point of transit. Take your mobiles and wear headsets, call into a conference, if you’re worried you won’t be able to hear each other.
2. Energise meetings by making them mobile: all of you don’t need to be sat in front of your laptops during the meeting, just one of you does. Set up one team member in the office on a computer to take notes and add value to the conversation. The rest of you: get cycling - and don’t forget to pair your cycling helmets with wireless headsets!
3. Source new ideas by ‘bumping into’ other people in your workspace. Make the lobby of your building a social space. Put comfy chairs there, make sure the wifi reaches, buy some biscuits and bring down some coffee. Coworking with other companies in the same building can strengthen bonds and lead to more business.
4. Reclaim the space outside of your office building! Get some pillows or folding chairs and tables, borrow some sidewalk chalk and scrawl “open cowork space”. Dangle your router out of the window or plug in your dongle.
5. Blow out the cobwebs and work in inspirational places. You’re stuck in a rut, or perhaps your whole team is - have everybody meet up in a space with an inspiring view. And don’t drive there, walk there - and not directly there, but ‘have a walk’ to loosen up and see something new. Plenty of art galleries and museums have wifi cafés these days: declare you will all work from a gallery for the afternoon after checking out the Magritte exhibit (‘cause nothing gets you looking at things cockeyed like a surrealist painter).

How are you breaking out of the office this summer? Share your tips and feedback in the comments below.

Photo credit: jypsygen