Walking meetings can help you get more done and feel better along the way.
Sitting is the new smoking in terms of bad health habits and for good reason: sitting for long periods of time increases the risk of dementia, heart disease and various forms of cancer. Huddling in freezing conference rooms munching peanut M&Ms all day is clearly not good for your body, but it’s also not good for your brain.
For one-on-ones or small groups of 3 to 5, try taking your next meeting for a walk. Steve Jobs preferred walking meetings, and Jack Dorsey of Twitter and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook are fans of the brainstorming stroll as well.
Beyond the trend among the Silicon Valley elite, there are other good reasons:
Walking stimulates creativity. Researchers at Stanford University found that the creative output of people increases by an average of 60 percent when they are walking. Indoor walks were just as good as outdoor walks.
Walking meetings remove hesitation and barriers. People relax during walks and are more likely to speak from the heart and get to the point more quickly.
Walking meetings improve energy and engagement. Johnson & Johnson has studied the effects of walking on its associates and has found that people felt increased amounts of energy, increased focus, and improved engagement.
Walking meetings increase brain blood flow. More blood flow means you can express ideas more fluently and communicate more clearly.
Walking meetings outdoors make people happier. The UK’s University of Essex found that mood is boosted significantly with as little as 5 minutes of outdoor exercise.
You say your group is too large to take for a walk? Try a standing meeting instead.
Less sitting down and more moving around is good for your body, your mind – and your business.
Have a great week.
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