A Stroll a Day Keeps the Stress Away

Sometimes we need to tell ourselves to "take a walk," literally. It is the best solution when we are frustrated, stressed, confused, nervous, worried, sad, or simply mentally stuck. Thirty-plus minutes of walking have been shown to be one of the most therapeutic exercises and also is great for burning stubborn body fat! In addition, walking increases our ability to be creative, which in turn helps our problem-solving skills. See Harvard Health.

Some of my best ideas in life have come to me during a walk. Similar to how we integrate work and life, we can also integrate work and walk. I am always in a better mood and have an improved mindset after a walk, especially before and after dealing with difficult conversations. I would be remiss in my corporate engineering spirit if I did not provide an acronym. I believe to WALK is to Wield Amplified Loving Kindness.

So, here are some tips to integrate walking into your life.

1. Work. For your next meeting, consider taking a walk on the manufacturing floor, at the construction site, at the customer, or outside. This is a great opportunity to listen (i.e., you are not looking at a screen), to calibrate on standards (i.e., the ones we walk by are the ones we accept), to talk expectations, and to brainstorm on unexplored ideas.

   
   

2. Morning. If you have dogs, wake up 30 minutes earlier in your day to take them for a walk. Even if you don't have dogs, take an early morning walk to reflect on your goals and to visualize what success looks like for that day. If you are not a morning person, after lunch is also a great time because it aids in digestion and keeps you alert. I guarantee those 30 minutes invested will provide exponential returns in productivity for your day!

   
   

3. Reset. If you are feeling anything out of centerline for you performing at your best, take a 30+ minute walk until you regain perspective and calmness. This can happen before a presentation, meeting, or customer visit.

So, next time you are feeling the tolls of life, go outside and start walking! I hope you have enjoyed a Sunday Stroll today. If not, take a walk!

"Walking is the best medicine." - Hippocrates, Ancient Greek Physician and Philosopher

© Nuri Dimler 2025