[kevingadd]

During my time as a producer at a game studio, the office was located in a little business park surrounded by grass and rivers and small lakes, with lots of wildlife and some hiking trails. We had a tradition of going out on walks every day before/after lunch, usually a couple loops around the park. I made a point of going every time because I found that lots of conversations would happen naturally during the walk and some of them helped me identify process issues that weren't being addressed or discussed yet - the sorts of things that people were afraid to complain about in meetings because it would make them seem like a whiner.

[KineticLensman]

> I found that lots of conversations would happen naturally during the walk and some of them helped me identify process issues that weren't being addressed or discussed yet

I stepped up to a line manager role (to cover someone for maternity leave) so that I was suddenly line-managing my peers. We had always gone for walks at lunchtime and we very quickly evolved the convention that conservations during the walk were with 'old me' vs those in the office that were with 'manager-me'. This allowed me to vent as well, given that we all a fairly cynical non-corporate bunch.

[woliveirajr]

Sometimes getting out of the loop and going to a coffee, to a walk, or anything that just makes you leave the building but keep talking with coleagues can make wonders for productivity.