One of the five facets of wellbeing is movement! With so many of us spending longer and longer on our screens, it is even more important to make time for walking. Maybe you feel you’ve done lots of walking over this past year but I cannot advocate enough just how vital, nurturing and beneficial it is to include it as part of your daily routine.

According to the Mental Health Foundation, 74 per cent of us have felt so stressed at some point over the past year that we’ve felt overwhelmed and unable to cope. Yet there is much we can do that can help us and these strategies are entirely within our control. Walking is one of those strategies.

Why is walking so good for us?

  1. Walking helps you to process change. Amidst so much uncertainty, what we often neglect to do is make space to process all of that change. We rush from one distractor to another and try to “keep busy”. Walking gives you that space – to reflect, gain perspective and just process stuff.
  2. Walking helps to calm and regulate mood. Research shows that regular walking is calming and helps regulate moods. When you walk with someone like a co-worker, friend or neighbour you feel more connected too. Walking also exposes you to natural sunlight, an immediate mood booster.
  3. Walking makes you more creative. Whether you’re feeling stuck at work or you’ve been searching for a solution to a tricky problem, research shows it’s a good idea to get moving: According to a study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, Learning, Memory, and Cognition, going for a walk can spark creativity.
  4. Walking increases energy levels and reduces fatigue. You’re outside and just that will boost your levels of serotonin, a hormone reducing any tiredness and boosting happiness. Remember, that processing change and dealing with uncertainty also drains energy and can leave us feeling very fatigued sometimes.
  5. Walking increases attention span and focus. Because you are getting some perspective you will often find that when you return to a piece of work or a project, you are able to focus for longer and not get so distracted.

Next time you have a one-on-one meeting, make it into a “walking meeting” — and let ideas flow while you walk and talk.

Even just getting outside every day has massive wellbeing benefits. Simply spending just five minutes outside in nature each day helps! Here are some ways to get just that five minutes – though I recommend making it longer of course:

  • Go outside for five minutes. Stare at the trees, listen to the birds, watch the branches move in the wind. Really focus on your surroundings and luxuriate in the experience. If you have a garden or balcony it’s fantastic to do this first thing in the morning –natural daylight exposure at this time is great for your body clock, helping you feel more awake and, hours later, sleep better.
  • Multitask in nature. This could mean having your morning cup of tea in the garden. Or sitting by an open window, listening to the birds singing or meditating on the branches blowing in the wind. If you need to make a phone call, do it outside. Read a book, sketch, write your diary, take some photos. Look for opportunities to get back to nature, whatever the task at hand.
  • Gaze on something green. Research has shown that even just looking at images of the natural world (compared to urban environments) is calming. Select a beautiful photo of the outdoors for your screensaver, and place a few botanical pictures around your desk at work.
  • Listen up. Even if you really can’t get outside, the sounds of nature can be of benefit. A quick search of YouTube, Spotify or any meditation app will find recordings of waves crashing or birds singing, so tune in to some aural therapy.

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