Get your team feeling the right sort of blue…
At Team Activity Group, we've always believed that the best team-building experiences take people out of their usual environment and give them the chance to reconnect, recharge and see things differently.
That's one reason water-based activities have become such a popular part of our event programmes.
From dragon boat racing and raft building to kayaking and paddleboarding, being on the water combines physical activity, teamwork and problem-solving in a way that's difficult to replicate elsewhere. But the benefits go far beyond simply having fun for an afternoon.
There is now a growing body of evidence showing that spending time in and around water can have a significant positive impact on both physical and mental wellbeing. Researchers have even coined a term for it: Blue Health.
The link between blue space and mental health
Up until now most mental health research has been centred around green spaces. But now, with large-scale projects like Blue Health providing quantifiable data, the link between water and better mental health is undeniable.
Research shows it’s not only being in water that helps. Even when water is nearby, there are huge benefits to be had, including:
Mood enhancement: Water’s natural beauty and visual appeal helps lift mood and alleviate anxiety and depression
Reduced stress and lowered cortisol: The sound of water is a natural calming aid.
Improved creativity and problem-solving: Water has been found to stimulate better cognitive function
Physical health: Water-based sports such as swimming, kayaking/canoeing and SUP improve strength and fitness, but even walking by the water is beneficial (you’re more inclined to do it regularly in a beautiful setting).
Recently, locals in Plymouth were found to have increased satisfaction with their lives and improved psychological wellbeing following the regeneration of an inner-city beach. Similarly, people living in a more deprived area of Barcelona increased their levels of physical activity after access to a major urban river network was improved. In Greece, lower stress and anxiety levels were measured following the regeneration of Thessaloniki Waterfront.
The message is clear: water has a measurable impact on how we feel, think and behave.
These findings come from The Blue Health Project led by researchers across Europe.
Fitness, friendships and firing up the dopamine receptors
Certain water-based team building activities have the added benefit of boosting social cohesion and enhancing problem solving skills. For example, working together to build a raft, ensuring it’s buoyant and then navigating it down a river takes a certain degree of synchronisation and collaboration.
Being in sync is also a required skill of dragon boat racing - our specialism and most popular activity. The boat isn’t going anywhere with one person, or indeed with several people chaotically rowing at random (though that makes for some fun spectating!).
It's this shared challenge that makes water-based activities so effective for teams. People communicate differently, support each other more naturally and create lasting memories together.
We offer two different types of dragon boating adventures at Team Activity Group and you can read more about them here to decide which might be right for you and your team.
Quench your thirst for life with team water activities
We help organisations tap into the benefits of blue health by planning and delivering a range of water-based team activities. There’s no need to worry about sourcing of watercrafts, life jackets, or locations, we do it all.
Equally, no skills or experience are required either - in fact, novices are encouraged. Those who aren’t water-confident needn’t worry, our activities come with highly trained instructors.
Here at Team Activity Group, we’re keen to ensure you’re getting the most out of team building. We will also help you create a calendar of varied team events throughout the year that trigger actual organisational change (as opposed to running one-off team events which are fun, but unlikely to produce lasting impact).
Does it feel like it’s time to give your staff an escape from uninspiring, windowless meeting rooms and a reset on the water?
You can get started by reading our helpful event planning tips here, or give us a call on 07767 250192 / email events@tag-events.com.