Your daily walking habit shouldn't be stressful, but it does have a purpose. To get the most from it, keep these guidelines in mind.
Getting the Most from Your Daily Walking
>> Walk alone whenever possible.
>> Leave the electronics behind. If you try to listen to an audiobook or podcast, you'll either miss most of it because of your thoughts or you won't get the mental space to do that thinking. Neither is good. Leaving the phone behind will, similarly, allow you to think without those pesky, intrusive notification alarms.
>> It's a brisk walk, not a workout. Leave the data-gathering devices behind.
>> Ideally, walk 30 minutes in one go. If that's not possible, three 10-minute walks spaced across the day will be nearly as effective.
>> Add other walking to your day wherever possible. Regular movement is more effective in combatting modern disease than one long workout at some point in the day.
>> Make sure you have good shoes to walk in. Nothing kills off a walking habit quicker than blisters.
>> Especially if you live somewhere cold, wet & dark (like I do), make sure that you have appropriate warm, waterproof clothing. Humans don't dissolve in water but there is no point being uncomfortable.
It doesn't take long before most people look forward to that walk that they previously thought to be a waste of time. At the very least, you're giving yourself the opportunity to have some mental downtime, which most folks never get.
Tasks for this lesson:
1. Set a daily appointment in your diary to go for a walk. Put it in your planner / diary. Make it an unbreakable appointment that you'll keep except in emergencies.
2. Assess your shoes and warm, waterproof clothing. Are they appropriate for the conditions where you live?