A Case for More “Walk and Talk” meetings!

In a study by the American Heart Association a few years back, researchers found that those who moved more, especially if they accumulated an hour of physical activity over the course of the day, cut their mortality risk in half! I bet most of us wouldn’t be able to find a better return than that for something so simple in our work lives…. 

And here’s something else: you can share that benefit with others too!  As many of us come back to the office, let's take more of our one-on-one meetings with your colleagues out for a walk.  Or, if you’re still remote, switch to the phone and have a moving conversation while moving your body.

In fact, a walk-and-talk meeting might be a particularly good option if you need to give feedback or advice to someone more junior to you. These conversations often feel more authentic if you’re not staring across the table in a boring conference room or behind blurred zoom backgrounds.  You will also eliminate unintended intimidations of the stare down!

Let’s all promote the walk-and-talk meeting…something that doesn't eat into your work time, just changes where you meet so you’re moving (and hopefully) outdoors.  

As John Muir put it: “Keep close to nature's heart... and break clear away, once in a while… Wash your spirit clean.”