If you’re trying to live a calmer, less cluttered and less stressful lifestyle, then going for walks is a fantastic way to achieve this. Walking has a vast number of benefits for your body and your mind which we will look at here. What’s more, is that it’s something anyone can do and that anyone can fit into their routine. You don’t have to walk a marathon to see big benefits in your life; just a little bit extra each day can make a world of a difference.
The power of taking a walk
Going for a walk is right away one of the best things you can do for your health. This is a very gentle and low-impact form of exercise that will help you burn calories and keep your heartrate up. If you sit for long periods during the day, then it’s very important to ensure you are occasionally getting some exercise as otherwise you may be having a detrimental impact on your health!
What’s more though is that walking has a number of powerful benefits for the brain. When you walk, it causes you to activate your brain’s ‘default mode network’. This is the series of brain areas that come to life when you’re not focussing on anything in particular. Using the default mode network allows your brain to recover from lots of focus and it helps you to come up with creative ideas. It’s almost meditative!
This is only then heightened when you additionally start taking walks in scenic areas. Studies show that simply being in the presence of greenery is enough to help us lower our heartrates and to instil a sense of calm. What’s more, it also further enhanced creativity.
If your life feels constantly busy, rushed and hectic, then a walk might just be the perfect escape that your body and mind are crying out for.
5 Specific benefits which demonstrate the power of taking a walk
While the benefits discussed above are very general, the following are benefits that you will definitely experience when you make taking a walk part of your everyday life; even if it is only casual walking.
1. Increased resilience
Taking a walk increases both your fitness and strength. As a result, you will be better able to cope with the pressures of life. No matter how well you manage your life, there will be times when you are under severe pressure. It is your ability to cope with this pressure (i.e. your resilience) that will determine whether you go on to experience the negative effects of stress or, you manage to cope with the pressure and push through.
Taking a walk daily is one of the easiest ways to build your resilience and reduce your stress levels.
2. Thinking time
When you are under pressure, the worst thing that you can do is to sit still and try to work through it. It is far better to take a walk and give yourself the time to think things through. By taking a walk you will be changing your surroundings and giving your mind a break from the problems you are experiencing. This will enable you to think with greater clarity, creativity and intelligence; all of which are essential components of problem solving.
I remember when I was working in New Zealand, nearly 10 years ago. I worked in the lovely harbour city of Wellington. Whenever, I found myself under pressure or stuck for ideas, I would take a brief walk and take in the beauty of the area. I always found that when I returned to work, I was better able to think of the actions required to move forward.
3. Emotional management
As Tony Robbins so rightly points out, emotion comes from motion. When you are under pressure, you are in a very negative state. The first thing that you need to do is break that state so you can build your confidence. To do this, the easiest thing you can do is to start moving. By taking a walk you will begin to let go of the negative state and the thoughts that go with it. You will then find that you start to feel more positive.
You don’t have to pretend that everything is perfect but adopting a positive mindset will allow you to look at the problem with the belief that you can solve it and; it is far easier to solve a problem when you believe that you can solve it.
Next time you find yourself in a negative state, break that state by taking a walk.
4. Time out
Sometimes, when you are working hard on a task, you just need to take a break from it. When you take that break, you can return with a fresh set of eyes and renewed motivation and enthusiasm. It may seem counterintuitive but taking a time out and taking a walk can actually help you to get those difficult tasks completed quicker.
So much so that taking a walk is one of my very favourite time management tips.
5. Taking a walk is N. E. A. T.
I had never heard of this acronym until a few years ago when my personal trainer explained it to me. Non exercise activated thermogenesis refers to any time that your metabolism is elevated by something which is not specifically intended to be exercise e.g. if you walk to the shops, your intention is to get something from the shop but your metabolism will be raised as a consequence of the walk.
There are many simple ways in which you can move about and walk throughout the day to increase your metabolism. The higher you keep your metabolism, the more calories you will burn so; if you want to manage your weight and ensure that you are maximising your energy levels, taking a walk is one of the simplest things you can do.
How to fit walks into your routine
So how can you make this work within your current routine?
One option is to go for more walks while doing other things. A particularly good example of this is speaking with a friend. If you have a friend over for tea, why not suggest catching up while going for a walk? Alternatively, if you are on the phone, why not take it with you for an amble?
Another option is to walk places that you might otherwise have driven or gotten the bus. The old tip is to try getting off of your bus one stop earlier and then just walking that last stretch to work/your home.
One more strategy is to take brief walks on your breaks. You should be taking a short break every hour. Why not use one or two of your breaks during the day to go for a brief stroll?
Truthfully, there are thousands of ways you could add a little extra walking to your schedule. With just a little effort, you could reap many, many benefits.
For more great stress busting tips, check out Stress Free Living.