If you can walk to work, would you have done it? Depending on where you live, the most popular way of going to work is still driving your own car followed closely by commuting via public transportation. Walking to work, unless you live in places like Manhattan, falls in third place. It shouldn’t be that far from driving and commuting. Research found out that a short-distance walk before work can make people more productive.
If you look at the routine of several successful people—from Elon Musk to your favorite Hollywood actors—you will find out that exercising and working out are parts of their daily routine. They make time for it. Working out for them isn’t just something they squeeze into their busy schedule. They make sure that they have at least 30 minutes to an hour for some form of exercise.
Granted that these people have other people working for them to tend the household and their businesses, you won’t have to do rigid exercises every day. The best form of exercise for busy people like you is to walk. You’ll get somewhere—the grocery, the bank, or your work—and still find time to do a form of cardio exercise. It’s a win-win situation.
Make Sure You Are Ready to Walk
Although walking is the simplest form of exercise with nary a warm-up requirement, you won’t be able to do it unless you’re in a peachy form. You have to make sure your health is A-okay for you to walk a mile or two to work every day. You can also visit a foot specialist to make sure you don’t have any conditions such as plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia, and turf toe that can cause pain when walking. Once you are done with that, you can go ahead and schedule your everyday short walks to the office.
Good Exercise
Walking for 30 minutes is considered good enough exercise for people busy with their lives and couldn’t squeeze in an hour at the gym. Studies showed that walking for at least 30 minutes a day can extend one’s life by seven years. That’s a good bargain. This is true even for people who are otherwise unhealthy and suffering from other medical conditions.
Meditative
Do you know that Buddhist monks see walking as a meditative practice? Walking is necessary to a monk’s life because this is when they can calm their minds and rest their spirits. In fact, many employers encourage their workers to walk during lunch breaks in a nearby park. A short walk is essential to someone who’s been cramped inside the office.
Mood Booster
Have you ever tried to walk after an argument with someone? Walking boosts your mood; so much so that you will feel less angry, anxious, frustrated, and sad after a short walk. It doesn’t only clear the mind, but it also gives a boost to your overall well-being. You can even walk with a companion—a neighbor, friend, co-worker, or dog—to make it a social activity. During winter, walking to work stave off Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Productivity
The creative output of people who walk before taking on their work increases by 60%. Walking and other types of exercises help you think better, thereby letting the creative juices flow during the workday. If you are a writer who needs to churn out content for the day, walking for 30 minutes or more will clear your head. You will easily find the inspiration you need. Once you go back in front of your laptop, you will find that you can think better and clearer.
This is especially important during the afternoon when your attention is waning, and you cannot wait for the day to finish. Most employees will see a cup of coffee as a solution to their lethargy and inaction but walking helps better. A short walk during lunchtime is going to give you that boost of energy you need for the afternoon work; even better if you have access to a park. The green and blue of nature make people happier and healthier.
Workers should focus on bettering themselves and making sure they are healthy. The easiest way to do that is by walking to and from work if that is possible. Squeezing in a brisk walk during breaks is also an instant mood and productivity booster. Workers should never again look down on walking as the practice of merely getting to and from one place. In such a highly competitive and excruciating world, walking clears the head and benefits everyone.
