Walk ‘N’ Talk – How Meetings & Conference Calls Become A Walk In The Park

Over the last few months many of us experienced drastic changes in their daily routines, their ways of working and even the location of their workplaces. Home office, in the past often eyed with suspicion, has become the new normal. And while many save hours of commuting every day and appreciate a newly found freedom and flexibility, as well as the chance to spend more time with their families, it is important to compensate what has been lost through home office work – social interaction and exercise.

I have been working mostly from home for a long period of time now. And although I highly enjoy the perceived freedom to choose my workplace freely – whether it is at home at my desk, in a coffee shop or under a tree in the park – I noticed, that all too often, I had been so caught up in my work that I didn’t actually leave the house. I never exercised the much-praised freedom that comes with the home office. And despite up to a dozen conference calls per day, social interaction during business hours was lacking.

So, a while back I started to “Walk ‘n’ Talk” – nothing revolutionary or groundbreaking, just a new way of doing my job in a different state of motion. Although I exercise regularly (usually in the evenings), I did miss the matutinal walk from my flat to the bus station when I still worked in a corporate office. This mini exercise activated my cardiovascular system, I got some fresh air and stopped by my favorite coffee place for an espresso and brief exchange of pleasantries with the barista or other regulars. Walking is a fantastic way to clear your mind, plan your day or find stimulation when a lot of hard thinking is required to resolve a task or be creative. And that’s why I decided to make walking part of my daily work routine.

The first step of “Walk ‘n’ Talk” was for me to take my conference calls outdoors. 5 minutes prior to the scheduled call I put on a pair of comfortable trainers and leave the house, I walk to the nearest park and plug in my earphones, so I have got my hands free, which is important so you don’t get a stiff shoulder or tired arms from holding the phone to your ear for length of the call. Parks or lake shores and riverbanks are usually quiet and ideal for phone calls. Sometimes, when I know the call won’t last too long, but I really need to get out, I go to a tiny park just around the corner from my house and walk in circles in the park while on the phone. 

Walking while being on a conference call helps me to stay focused. Some calls can be very long and if I have to listed only, I sometimes get distracted by incoming emails, messages on my phone and so on. Walking prevents this. I appear fresher, more attentive and engaged, and my clients appreciate this a lot. This little walk also breaks the routine of a long home office day and after I return from a call, I feel energized.

The second step of “Walk ‘n’ Talk” that I took had the aim to increase my social interaction. In an office you have colleagues and ideally even friends – you have coffee breaks, chit chats in the hallway and lunch dates. You talk about work or even private matters. Sometimes you need to vent, sometimes you want to share a success. Or you are looking for someone to take a look at your work from a different perspective. Those of us working from home permanently are missing out on this. Modern technology connects people around the world in real time and we can speak at any given moment to just anyone no matter where they are. But technology can have an isolationist effect, too, because we don’t need to meet anymore to speak to each other. Once we said what has to be said we hang up and there is no “hanging out” on the phone. But it is these moments of hanging out where creativity is often stimulated.

So, I began to include my clients and business partners in my walking routines. Instead of scheduling yet another phone call with clients in my city or the place that I visit, I invite them for a walk. It is a great alternative to arranging a meeting in a stuffy conference room or a crowded coffee place. A stroll in the park or along Lake Zurich is almost always welcomed by my counterparts. And apart from fresh air and some exercise, an appointment outdoors has a few more advantages.

Going for a walk has a bonding effect between you and your counterpart as it creates a certain intimacy. As the setting is less formal it makes communication easier and the feeling of an awkward silence very rarely occurs, which is important especially with first time encounters. When discussing important matters that are not meant for everyone’s ears a walk in the park drastically reduces the risk of colleagues or competitors overhearing your conversations as it would be the case in the buzzing coffee shop around the corner from your office. 

And maybe most importantly – an invitation to a walk in the park instead of conference call or ordinary meeting ensures that you are being remembered.

If you work in Zurich and would like to meet for a “Walk ‘N’ Talk” just email me at [email protected]