First of all, it is important to answer the question What is a walking meeting?
The walking meeting is a working meeting that occurs while walking, between colleagues, clients, or other stakeholders, to discuss common issues.
It is a meeting held outside when the weather is good or inside the building, instead of in traditional offices or a conference room.
In today’s society where everything goes fast and there is not enough time for everything, a walking meeting is a simple and effective way to stay healthy, and this, over working hours. Get paid to get well!
1. It’s good for your health
This is quite obvious but very important to mention.
You spend an average of 75% of your working hours sitting. It is even said that for the current workers, sitting is the new smoking. Physical inactivity is very present in our working environments.
Change your habits and go for a walk. It’s easy, accessible, and good for your health! Walking brings you only good benefits!
Walking helps to maintain a healthy weight, reduces the risk of dementia, diabetes, colon, and breast cancer as well as heart disease, strengthens bones, and prevents depression.
By having a walking meeting, you will be less likely to suffer from an energy drop after dinner.
“We recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of intense physical activity – or an equivalent combination each week.”
– Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
2. An accessible physical activity
It is a physical activity that is accessible, without cost, and can be done at any time of the day unlike a gym membership for example.
Replace only 1 traditional sitting meeting per week and you will see, that this will positively impact your health.
“Practicing moderate exercise for 15 minutes a day can increase life expectancy up to three years.”
– Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
3. Enjoying going to meetings
All types of exercise promote the release of endorphin, the happiness hormone. Finally, have fun going to meetings. Walking meeting no longer gives the impression of wasting time meetings. Now you’re doing both!
4. Increase well-being at work
Increase your physical well-being and even more your mental well-being by walking. Practicing regular physical activity allows you to engage in healthy lifestyle habits.
Walking gives energy, improves memory, increases your sociability, and above all, you will be in a better mood. This greatly reduces the stress that your busy schedule can bring you.
5. Improve your efficiency at work
Walking meetings increase productivity, improve time management, mental performance, and ability to meet deadlines, and help to be more focused on work.
It is recommended to take screen breaks at work, which allows you to be much more efficient after a short constructive walk.
6. Develops team spirit
Walking develops and strengthens interpersonal relationships and teamwork. People are more socially comfortable and spontaneously when they move.
Walking meetings allow for a less confrontational exchange as can sometimes be felt in a face-to-face meeting. Even more so if you have your meeting outside.
7. Facilitates decision-making
Changing your working environment can give free rein to your imagination and lead to more options that were not previously considered. Walking improves interactions and helps to find solutions quickly. People are more relaxed and talk easily about the subject they want to settle on.
8. Better communication
When we feel happy, energetic, and engaged, discussions among colleagues or during a team meeting are better.
It is also a good way to resolve conflicts; people are more likely to argue when they do not face to face, to look directly at each other.
9. Stimulates creativity
It has been proven that changing environments inspire new ideas. What are you waiting for to go outdoors and enjoy the sun? Invite your colleagues to have a walking meeting to solve a file that is causing you problems.
Is it raining? So, walk inside! The goal is to be physically active and to be stimulated by your visual and auditory environment. Besides, it’s a change from your traditional office.
“Walking also helps generate new ideas and improves on average of 60% creativity.”
– Stanford University
10. Reduces hierarchical distinctions
Walking side by side reduces hierarchical and status distinctions and puts people at ease in the discussion. This automatically brings more openness and engagement to the conversation.
Be part of the change with more walking meetings so you demonstrate a concern for the well-being of everyone at work.
In conclusion
Keep in mind that walking is not a break or a simple walk at your work. It is only a different way of holding a meeting that would have taken place in a colleague’s office or around a large conference table.
Please note that not all types of meetings should be walking meetings. Sometimes we need special tools or it may be important to be sitting in front of the person to observe the reactions or negotiate.
However, to accompany you during your co-walking, we suggest that you use Beenote with your tablet or phone to keep a record of your meeting. You can record the important points of your discussion and even assign tasks by voice.
And what would be your reason for having a walking meeting at work? Tiredness? Back pain? Going outdoors?
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