Russell Martin believes stepping away from the "intensity" at Rangers has been a benefit to the players as he refuses to take planned fan protests "personally".
After being booed off the Ibrox pitch following defeat to Hearts, the head coach took the squad to Loch Lomond for wild swimming before a hike up Conic Hill.
With Rangers winless following their opening five Scottish Premiership matches, and 10th in the table, Monday's trip was not well received by the fans.
But Martin insists it was something he always planned to do.
"It has just been the timing to do it. This city is so intense, the club is so intense, I think to step away from it sometimes is a good thing," he said ahead of Saturday's League Cup quarter-final against Hibernian.
"The lads can take a breath, actually spend some time together where they're not just playing football and being worked. It was good, I really enjoyed it.
"I think we did it when we were winning, no one says a word and you can be perceived either way. I've done it every club we've been at, not always the sea or the loch because you're not close enough, but I'd say it's good for the lads, there was a lightness to it.
"I said to them, you have to take a breath in there, otherwise it's going to really hurt. We're going to experience a bit of pain together, which we have done and then we'll get through it and the potential for growth in the group and getting through this period is so big.
"It's about looking after these young men as human beings first and foremost.
"I think when you get to my age and you experience lots in the game as a player, you can stand there and take pretty much anything to be honest, so I think it was about trying to get them to understand a little bit that when you're in this bubble and here all the time, the intensity is really difficult and to play the way we want to play sometimes on the pitch is really difficult.
"There's so many young men feeding their way into their Rangers career in difficult circumstances, so many games, lack of training time, trying to learn through playing matches and the big scrutiny and we've had some tough moments, so I think all of it is just to help them."
'I can't take protests personally'
Rangers supporters are planning to protest outside Ibrox before Saturday's match, calling for Martin and chief executive Patrick Stewart to be sacked.
While the former Rangers defender admits it "hurts professionally", he remains focused on turning the team's form around.
"It's a really difficult balance, it hurts professionally because we're working so hard to try and give the supporters what they want, it's a team that wins and wins a lot and does it in a certain way," he added.
"I'm as frustrated, more frustrated than anyone because we're the guys that are in charge of that.
"With the results and some of the performances it's been really frustrating, really difficult and then being in here and listening to someone tell me the team doesn't look like it's coached is difficult because I think the one thing that we've always had with any of our teams is they have a certain way of doing things.
"Whether you believe in it or you like it or not they definitely look a certain way, which takes a lot of time in the training pitch.
"We'll get there with this team, the fans' protests and stuff I can't control at all. I have to respect it, I have to understand their frustration and their annoyance but I feel every bit of it as well.
"We just need to win football matches. The protests and stuff like that, I can't take it personally because I don't know any of them and they don't know me and they don't know how hard we're working, but I think the people inside the building, I feel incredibly well supported, the players, the staff, ownership and as long as that continues then it'll be fine."
The return of Raskin
Nicolas Raskin will return this weekend after he was left out of the Ibrox side's last two matches despite featuring for Belgium during the international break.
Clear-the-air talks took place between Raskin, head coach Martin and sporting director Kevin Thelwell upon his return.
Martin said last week that the 24-year-old had to "regain the trust" of his teammates and club staff before being allowed to play again.
"Nico has trained all week, he's in a good place and is back in the squad for the weekend," the Ibrox boss added on Friday.
Kelly: Players 'desperate to get it right' for Martin
Rangers goalkeeper Liam Kelly:
"Us, as players, are fully desperate to get this right for the manager because we're talking about somebody who treats us with utmost respect.
"The way he conducts himself in the building every day. Of course, the football side of things haven't been good, but our job as Rangers players is to give the utmost for any manager at this football club because ultimately that's going to give the best chance of a result and a victory for Rangers. Ultimately, that's the most important thing.
"I definitely feel as though the players can turn around, but what does that look like on the pitch?
"We need to be there for each other more on the pitch, in terms of not just living on our own wee island. No matter who that is, whether it be where I play or any other player plays.
"We need to be collectively there to help each other, no matter who it is. We need people to put the team on their back and lead the team forward. That's what we need at this moment in time.
"We can't watch our mate in trouble, in possession or out of possession, everybody needs to help, no matter where the ball is on the pitch. Everybody needs to take part in the game.
"Some people can't say, but I'll show you why the games went so well against a better opposition. Against a better opposition, everybody knows that they need to take part in the game the whole time. So we're not playing against supposed elite-level European teams.
"We need everybody to take part in the game the whole time and I believe if we can get that, then we'll be better for it."