Have you ever gotten a great idea while you’re on a run, on a bike ride, or on a walk – one that would have never occurred to you if you were sitting? Or have you ever been sitting in a meeting, tapping your foot anxiously, just waiting to get up and stretch your legs? Maybe you should try walking meetings, a type of meeting that caters to both your mind and your body. Studies show that these meetings produce higher levels of creativity and productivity and may even lengthen your life. Read on to learn more about embracing activity and walking your way to wellness.

What are walking meetings?

A walking meeting is pretty self-explanatory – you’re walking while you’re in a meeting. Walking meetings gained some popularity in 2013 after Nilofer Merchant’s TEDTalk, Got a Meeting? Take a Walk. While the walking meeting trend waxed and waned a bit before the pandemic, when COVID-19 hit, virtual walking meetings became a way for coworkers to get active with each other after weeks of quarantining at home. And now that employees are beginning to return to work, walking meetings are making their mark in the hybrid world.

Why are they so great?

Studies show that walking meetings increase creativity levels by anywhere from 81 to 100 percent. They also promote something called divergent thinking, which generates many solutions to one potential problem. Walking also boosts energy levels and exposes employees to fresh air and sunshine, away from dusty air conditioner units or cramped offices.

Walking meetings aren’t just great for your mind – they’re also necessary for your body. A startling 2017 study showed that inactivity leads to shortened lifespans. In particular, mortality risk correlates with patterns of sedentary behavior that are often seen in office workers (prolonged, uninterrupted bouts of sitting). By breaking up moments of sitting by walking, you increase blood flow, get your heart rate up, and give yourself a burst of energy.

How to organize a walking meeting

Getting up and around isn’t hard; it promotes health and mental wellness for everyone involved. Walking meetings can work for anyone, whether in person or on a remote team. But if you want to make a walking meeting, where do you start?

Plan ahead

• Get a group together and see who’s interested in a walking meeting.
• If everyone from one team wants to strut their stuff, pick a recurring meeting – keep it the same length of time and time slot as the meeting you originally had planned.
• Plan your route. Whether you’re walking around the office or wandering through a park, be considerate about where you’re going and how you’ll get there. Make sure it’s not too difficult for anyone with mobility issues, and if someone on your team has trouble ambulating, find places to stop along the way, like benches.

Remote tip: Even if you’re on a hybrid team, everyone should plan their own routes so they don’t get lost or exhausted on their personal trek.

• Assign roles. During a sit-down meeting, employees may take notes collectively or trade-off monitoring the agenda when everyone has their computers in front of them. But to keep things organized during a walking meeting, you should have one person who reads the agenda, one who takes notes, and whatever other specific roles the content of your meeting might call for.
• Make a backup plan. Weather is fickle, and you don’t want your parade to get rained on – so make sure you have other options if your walk is weather-permitting.

Remote tip: If the weather isn’t great on your end, but everyone else has clear skies, try getting on a treadmill or a stationary bike, so you still have some measure of movement during your meeting.

On the day of the walk

• Get your gear. Remember to bring comfortable walking shoes, water, sunscreen, and other things you might need on a walk.

Remote tip: If you’re using a pair of headphones to talk to your coworkers remotely, consider if the area you’re walking around is quiet enough for a conversation. Also, keep in mind that crowds could potentially make certain areas noisy. And if you live in the center of a thriving metropolis, certain events could be going on in your city that could create a lot of noise.

• Go over the agenda. Like a regular meeting, someone should keep track of the agenda as they go along. Make sure that there’s nothing on the agenda you would need technology for, and if you do need tech, you can take it on the road with you.
• Make sure you’re feeling alright to walk. If you’re feeling too tired, sore, or physically unable to walk, don’t be ashamed to tell teammates that you’re not feeling well. A walking meeting should be fun, not physically taxing.

During the walk

• Stay on track. It can be easy to have your mind wander during a walking meeting, as walking facilitates creativity – but you’re on a mission to check items off your meeting agenda. Whoever is the keeper of the schedule is the one who’s got to make sure everyone is on task.
• Keep a reasonable pace. Some of you might be faster walkers than others, so ensure that everyone is comfortable with your rapidity.

Remote tip: The harder you walk, the harder you’ll breathe – and heavy breathing on a conference call can be a bit distracting. Remember to mute yourself when you’re not talking during your walking meeting.

• Towards the end of your walk, as your meeting topic comes to an end, stop somewhere and get yourself a well-deserved reward! Get a drink at your favorite coffee shop or finish at the office cafeteria. If your meeting is before lunch, you can also plan your meeting around a team lunch and walk to a lunch location altogether.