Some days (maybe every day), talking a walk can seem like the last thing you want to do. Sure, a quick stroll might lower your blood glucose, boost your energy, and help with weight loss. But those prospects don’t always get you out of your chair.
So what can you do to make regular walks a part of your daily routine? Putting them on your calendar can certainly help, but finding time isn’t the same as fueling motivation.
To get you up and (eagerly) moving, try attaching a different kind of benefit to walking — something that will inspire you. Maybe it’s greater productivity, an opportunity to see friends, or a chance to escape from work and clear your head.
Take a look at the examples below. Which, if any, could turn your next walk into an event that’s well-worth taking a break for?
- Schedule a call with someone you truly want to talk to. If it’s a friend/family member you’re eager to catch up with, you may even walk longer.
- Listen to a podcast. To get you pumped to walk, consider a podcast that’s seriously suspenseful, along the lines of the true crime hit, “Serial.” Or choose a podcast that typically ends with a cliffhanger, like “Welcome to Night Vale,” a radio show for a fictional town where conspiracy theories are real.
Then commit to only listening to that podcast when you walk, so if you want to find out what happens next, you’ve got to hit the road.
- Learn something new. Upload a self-help/educational book on audio, and focus on a life skill you really want. Finally master Spanish, ace your finances, discover how to deal with toxic coworkers… whatever info you’re truly thirsting for.
- Spend quality time with your people. Ask a family member, your spouse, a neighbor, whomever: “Hey, do you want to take a quick walk with me?
- Inspire others. Like posting to social media? Get moving with the goal of finding something interesting, funny, or beautiful to share online.
- Strategize. Pick one thing you have to figure out soon, whether it’s what to get someone for their birthday to how to successfully score a raise. Then, devote the time you spend walking to brainstorming.