Restorative disruption and creativity: Nurturing ‘third places’ for connection and mental rest in the remote workplace 

Remote working can exacerbate stress, burnout, and feelings of disconnection, particularly in demanding roles such as public services, emergency response, and education. This project led by Dr Karen Gray (University of Bristol), aims to explore the potential of ‘third places’ to support connection and rest experience at work. The project will investigate how nature-based third spaces and places might disrupt remote work routines and offer a meaningful counterbalance to occupational demands. Using participatory and embodied arts-based methods, the group aim to characterise the components of an intervention that supports productive mental rest.