Working from home? ....Try a walk in the park

There has already been a lot of really useful information shared on LinkedIn about the practicalities of working from home e.g. how to avoid constant interruptions, creating a designated working space etc. I don’t intend to add to this list but as someone who has had their office based at their home for over 15 years I did want to share one really positive aspect of working from home which has proved absolutely invaluable to me over the years. 

When I first started working from an office based at home, I found it quite a challenge to adapt at first. I am sure that many people who have found themselves in this new position very recently will be finding the same. Sometimes it is hard to focus when you have so many potential distractions around you but one thing that I found hugely beneficial from very early on was my morning walk. As many new home-workers might find that without their daily commute they have some extra time available, I wanted to share my experience of my morning walk in the hope that in these very challenging times, this might be useful to some of you too.

1.     Do your morning walk as early on in the day as possible. I used to go out as soon as my son had left for school. Alternatively, you can start at whatever time you would normally have left home for your morning commute. The important thing is to make it part of your daily routine.

2.     If you have access to a park or other green space locally then use it. It’s much more pleasant to walk in an area where you can be close to nature, hear the birds singing etc.  I am lucky in that I live in a fairly rural area so I can walk in the local fields and woods However, if that’s not possible where you live then just walking along the streets is also good. The birds still sing there if you listen! If you can avoid noisy, busy roads then all the better.

3.     Allow yourself at least 30 minutes for your walk if you can. Forty-five minutes to an hour is ideal.

4.     Use your morning walk to really set you up for the day. I use my walk for a whole range of things e.g.

a.     Reflect on the day before – what went well? What did you achieve yesterday that you were pleased with? Give yourself a pat on the back for all the things you achieved. These don’t have to be big achievements. If you are working at home for the first time, staying focused for 45 minutes on a particular task can be a big achievement. Focus on all the positives and recognise even small ‘wins’

b.     Reflect on the things that happened the day before that you would like to do differently today. What did not go so well? What can you learn from that? Again, this is not about beating yourself for your failures, it’s about being aware of the areas that you are struggling with and trying to find a new way of tackling them

c.      Something I find incredibly powerful – decide on your plan of action for the day. When you are out walking your mind is much freer of the usual distractions, so think about what you want to achieve during that day. What are your most urgent or most important tasks? What time of your day do you feel most productive? Make sure you plan your most important tasks for that time. What would you like to achieve today that would really give you a sense of accomplishment?

5.     Most importantly of all – use the time during your walk to think about the things that need doing that are causing you the most difficulty. Almost without exception all my best and most creative ideas have come whilst I have been out on my morning walk. My brain has time and space to think.  Time after time I have found creative solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems that I may have been have struggling with for days whilst sitting at my desk e.g how to start a particular task, having to choose one particular course of action over another, what to say in a particularly important communication etc etc . As soon as I get out in the fresh are and my mind is free of other distractions, the ideas just flow. Try it, you might be surprised

6.     If for no other reason, getting out in the fresh air is a healthy way to start your day. It’s great exercise, it helps energise you and even helps to wake you up. I sometimes use it in the middle of the day too if I am trying to think through a particularly difficult problem or I just need a break from sitting in front of my computer. If you don’t have time for a walk, just take your cup of coffee and sit outside for 10 minutes. Even if you only have a balcony at home, you can sit or stand on that, or just sit by an open window.

So many of us are usually stuck in cars or on public transport for our morning commute. These strange and difficult times that we are all facing right now mean we have to embrace new ways of working. Let’s try to find the positives of working from home. I definitely think the opportunity to have a morning walk is one of them. Give it a try and see if works for you. You might be surprised by the benefits. Good luck

PS If eventually we are told we should not even walk outside, then you can still sit in the garden, outside your front/back door, or on your balcony and get similar benefits