TIME TO DISCONNECT
With many people working from home now and spending a lot more time indoors, it can be hard to separate personal time with work. Before you go out for your walk, be sure to put your phone on silent (or even leave it at home).
Give yourself a break from staring at screens and focus instead on the trees, houses and everything else you see along the way. Look, listen, smell… let yourself reconnect with nature and try to forget about everything else while you’re out for your walk.
YOUR DOSE OF VITAMIN D
Walking outside allows you to take in all the benefits of natural light. Whether the skies are blue or grey, you’ll still get a solid dose of vitamin D. Also known as the “sunshine vitamin”, vitamin D helps support your cardiovascular system and strengthens your bones. It’s like a light therapy session—for free!
A BOOST FOR MORALE
Doing sports outside can help to generate positive thoughts and reduce the negative effects stress can have on your body. Even if you don’t consider your neighborhood stroll to be a “sport”, your body still releases endorphins while you’re moving. Walking also accelerates the production of serotonin, a hormone that affects your level of motivation.
MUSCULAR WORKOUT
If you’re looking for more fitness benefits from walking, walking on a sandy beach is a great muscular workout (but snowy sidewalks work too!). Whether you’re walking in a forest, through a park or across a field, the ground will naturally have different terrains. Take advantage of the ups and downs along your path to increase physical exertion while you walk.
A CHANGE OF SCENERY
If you always follow the same route, you're likely to get bored quickly and naturally become less motivated. It doesn’t take much to change things up! Start by exploring all the streets and alleys in your neighborhood. Once you’ve covered them all, start again. A change in seasons will make a familiar walk look and feel different from the last time you walked the path. Take a walk at different times of the day: the light and shadows will constantly change and offer a new view each time.
