Go for a walk! – E|F Shorts

Go for a walk.  That’s it – that’s the post.

If you are struggling through something and seemingly making little progress with it then get up and go for a short walk.  10 minutes is all you need.

Getting outside and getting moving has a multitude of benefits and it is such a simple thing to do.  As productivity hacks go, it’s one of the easiest to implement.

So, next time you are in deep study, wrestling with a complex problem, trying to write something or even doing mundane repetitive tasks and it feels you are wading through treacle and inertia has taken hold, go for a walk.

1. A change of scene refreshes our mind.  If we are stuck on something o 10 minute change of scene is key to refocussing.
2. Being outside in a different environment gives a boost to our mood and mental state.  This can really help you come back to something with a renewed desire to keep wrestling with it.
3. Movement gives us a boost to our energy.  Inertia can lead us to feeling sluggish and like everything we do is an effort.  Taking a short walk breaks this cycle and resets our body for the next stint.
4. A complete change of scene and activity can bring other parts of our brain into play.  I have lost count of the number of times that sitting at my desk working something through, I got completely stuck on it.  Whilst doing something completely unrelated, like going for a walk, the solution clarified itself in my mind.  Sometimes, intense focus on something prevents us from working it through.

Sometimes when our computer gets stuck, we need to perform a reboot.  Going for 10 minute walk outside is a bit like a reboot for your body and mind.

This is why flexibility in how we execute our plan is key.  If I have set myself a block of time, planned in, to complete a task, what matters is that I complete the task, not that every single minute is spent in intense focus on the task.  If going for a 10 minute walk will help you complete the task in the time allotted, then you are not wasting time and it is very much time well spent.

So go for a walk.

Please leave this field empty

E|F Muses on....

Each week on a different topic.

It's intentionally unpolished.

It's my early, raw thoughts. It gives you the chance to respond before I polish it up and publish.

It also gives a roundup of content I have published and the top content I have read/watched from the past week.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.