Get moving.

Are you reading this sitting down?

(I’m not asking because there’s bad or shocking news to share here, don’t worry).

We've all heard that prolonged sitting is detrimental to our health. But it’s not just about countering the effects of a sedentary lifestyle…

For the past three years, I've intentionally walked an average of 11,000 steps per day, and it’s had a big impact.

Tracking steps with my OURA Ring, I typically plan around movement, whether it's for work or personal plans.

It started ramping up during the pandemic, when many of us were stuck inside. I made it a habit to get 1-2 walks every day — mostly because it felt better, mentally and physically, during a wild time.

To this day, incorporating movement throughout the day has become a natural part of my routine. Whether it’s a casual weekend walk through parks and markets, or planning my workday to include multiple café stops and walking routes. This has changed how I go about commutes, meetings, and even some social plans. 

As a creative and a strategist who’s always in need of ideas and solutions, it’s hard to ignore the evidence: 

Regular exercise, including walking, significantly enhances brain function, focus and creativity.

Don’t take it from me:

Unlike sitting for hours on end (or even working at a standing desk which I do when at home), walking gives us all a mental reset.

I’ve found it helps me switch gears, process thoughts, and generate new ideas.

Walking during the day like this is typically a solo activity, given I can’t extract everyone out of the screen to come walk with me throughout the day.

But walking while working doesn’t have to be done solo…

Networking while walking? 

Paul Nazareth, who’s worked in the charitable giving sector since I met him many years ago, has been using the term “netwalking”. He’s hosted “netwalk” events over the years. 

For over a decade he’s taken his daily networking meetings starting from a coffee shop into a “free-range structure of walking”. Once a summer he even hosts a public event, as an open call for people who want more out of life to self-select and join an exercise in discovery through dialogue.

The way Paul describes it is:

“I gather a couple dozen people in a public place in Toronto to think outside the walls of conference centers and workplaces, outside the framework of their own careers and jobs to stop and think — about purpose, passion, productivity and most of all, help each other to think out loud and think together. Oh, and walk while we do it.“

Last summer at the DoGood Day conference I was part of, Paul even took attendees out into nature (yes, during a conference).

He’s built an incredible network in person and amassed a loyal online following, all while doing good and supporting the nonprofit sector.

Not convinced or still wondering what could possibly get accomplished during the work day? 

Here’s what gets done while I’m on my feet

So while I’m not personally “netwalking”, while getting in my steps I often brainstorm, record content, listen to podcasts, and catch up on messages while taking in the latest storefronts, popups and local happenings. 

All of this contributes to more intentional and effective focused time when I’m back at my computer. 

If you’re looking for podcast or audiobook recommendations, I’ve got an unlimited supply (for another newsletter). But here are a couple of longer episodes I’ve listened to recently along the way that I recommend: 

• Cal Newport on Slow Productivity (Deep Dive with Ali Abdaal)

• Walking the Talk: Values Alignment in Nonprofits with Rickesh Lakhani (The Small Nonprofit) 

• Rick Rubin (Design Matters) — an episode from last year I recently found

On particularly busy days, walking meetings have been a game-changer. Although much more rare than I’d like, this summer I actually had a few meetings where we all embraced walking while we talked.

It's a refreshing and productive way to engage, clearly. 

Now, I don’t know what your life looks like right now. But I encourage you to add more walking to your day. Not as intense or prolonged exercise, but as a natural, integrated part of your routine. It’s almost too simple to have so many benefits, both short and long-term, to stay seated.

Next week, outside of walking, I’m recharging by the dock in a Muskoka chair. At least once a year, I’ll say this is equally as important — to me, at least 😀 

See you on the sidewalks?