Achieve more in less time: the power of a 24-hour session

The coming months are characterised by interruptions. Holidays around Easter, Ascension, King's Day and Pentecost mean shorter working weeks. Pleasant, but also a challenge for many teams. Because how do you keep focus and progress when time gets fragmented?

Especially then, it is valuable to consciously step out of your daily environment with a meeting with your team in nature at Kapellerput.

We asked Anne from Team MeetingDesign how you can make real progress with your team in a limited amount of time. Her advice is clear: opt for a 24-hour session.

"What we often see," Anne explains, "is that teams keep trying to solve complex issues within the delusion of the day. In between meetings, emails and deadlines. While it is precisely distance that creates overview."

A 24-hour session with your team in nature, away from your own workplace, helps you consciously seek out that distance. In a different environment, space is created. For focus, for new ideas and for real conversations.

A 24-hour session is compact and effective. Instead of separate moments spread over weeks, you work together in a concentrated way in a short period of time. "You use the time much better," Anne explains. "Because you are together, without distractions. That ensures speed in thinking and decision making."

More and more organisations are opting for effective meetings with an overnight stay at Kapellerput.

"The evening is often the most underestimated part," says Anne. "That's precisely where something essential happens."

After a day of working together, the dynamics shift. An informal dinner or relaxed drinks create space for other conversations. Colleagues get to know each other outside their role or function. "These informal moments create trust and connection. And you take that back into the session the next day. You notice that conversations become more open and teams get to the heart of the matter faster." It is precisely this combination that makes an overnight teambuilding session so valuable.

The overnight stay makes the difference between a good and a truly effective session. Not only practically, because you can start immediately the next morning, but especially mentally.
"You don't have to go home, are not 'on' for other commitments. That gives peace of mind. And that calmness ensures sharpness the next day." As a result, the morning starts differently: more energetic, focused and with a sense of togetherness.

A setting in the middle of nature reinforces that effect. Holding meetings in nature helps you break free from fixed patterns and look at issues with fresh eyes.

Depending on your goal and team dynamics, you can choose two set-ups:

1. Start in the afternoon/evening
You meet at the end of the working day. The evening is all about meeting, relaxing and connecting. After a good night's sleep, you start fresh with the substantive programme the next day.
Ideal for teams who want to land and strengthen connection first.

2. Start in the morning
You start immediately with an intensive working day. Afterwards, there is time to relax, eat together and let the day sink in. The next morning, you finish together after breakfast.
Suitable when the focus is on content and results, with relaxation as a valuable conclusion.

An additional advantage: efficiency.
Because your programme is compact, you often only need a meeting room for one day. At the same time, you get more out of the total time you spend together.
"It's not only more effective," says Anne, "but also a smart choice when you consider time and investment."

What it delivers

The benefits of a 24-hour session are clearly felt:

• more focus
• faster decision-making
• stronger mutual connection
• concrete steps forward

"Teams are often surprised by how much they achieve in such a short time," says Anne. "Precisely because they really get away for a while."

In a period when working weeks are shorter and agendas seem fuller than ever, the solution is not to work harder, but to work together more consciously. Sometimes 24 hours, in a different environment, is all you need to regain focus, direction and connection.

Curious about what a 24-hour session could look like for your team?
We would be happy to work with you on a programme that suits your issue and dynamics.