This productivity “secret” has been known since the most ancient of times. It was recommended by philosophers as diverse as Seneca, Nietzsche, and Kierkegaard. Writers such as Charles Dickens and Earnest Hemingway credit it for their prolific prose. Scientists Nikola Tesla and Charles Darwin used it, and tech superstars Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg even incorporated it into meetings. What’s the secret? Walking. Simply get up and take a walk.
The Science Behind Walking
While a walk in nature — and away from the incessent noise and bustle of modern life — is ideal, it isn’t necessary. The act of walking alone is sufficient. According to a study by New Mexico Highlands University, both walking and running cause noticeable increases of blood flow to the brain. Another study, by Stanford researchers, found that walking makes people 60% more creative. Best of all, that creativity boost lasts, even after you stop moving.
How to Squeeze in a Walk
You can get the benefits of walking from an outdoor stroll, doing indoor laps around a mall or office park, or even facing a blank wall on a treadmill. You don’t have to set aside 20 – 40 minutes for a lengthy walk, either. Smaller walks throughout the day can add up. You can walk around your office every time you’re on a phone call. Instead of using the bathroom closest to your office, walk to a distant one. Even work at home folks like me can use the one in the most distant part of the house. Rather than sharking for a parking space as close as possible to your destination, park at the far end of the lot and walk.
Fake Nature
If you have your heart set on a nature walk, you can still do that indoors. Get an ozone generator to provide the fresh scent of a rainstorm. And load up your streaming media or Amazon Alexa with nature sounds. One of the most popular Alexa Skills is the sound of thunderstorms, although beaches and tropical rainforests are also popular. A heavy downpour is much nicer to listen to than to be caught in while walking.
Walking Warnings
There are a few caveats to the productivity boost from walking. Not all tasks benefit from taking a walk. Deep focus tasks, or those requiring a single correct answer, actually suffer slightly from walking, according to the Stanford research. Another thing to be wary of is the use of headphones or earbuds while walking. If you will be in a potentially unsafe environment, such as city streets with cars zipping by, tuning out your surroundings may lead to a greater chance of accidents. Even strolling through the park can be dangerous if you don’t hear the bicyclist warning, “On your left.”
Now that you know what to do, get up and get moving. Your brain — and your creativity and productivity — will thank you for it.
