Many therapists and doctors in Switzerland prescribe to patients… a walk in nature. Not pills. A walk in nature.

The doctor of a a good friend of mine, who was going through the start of depression, prescribed to my friend… cooking. Cooking is something that brings a sense of calm to that person. And because the doctor said it, it didn’t feel like doing something that was not necessary, but something to get well prescribed by some serious person.

In coaching sessions with students, I have prescribed to students to take a break where they are not allowed to work on their project. (1)

As service creators, service worker or owners, we are sometimes seen as authority or serious figures. And sometimes it’s our role to use that little authority or influence we have to remind people to be… people. Not machines.

Action question

Where in your organization or service could you use your influence to prescribe actions that make people more human?

Footnotes

(1) Speaking with other coaches and psychologists I’ve often heard they prescribe similar things. This was made even clearer to me in the Thesis of Tetyana Kalyuzhna who wondered why nature walks are so much prescribed in Switzerland.