We all feel pressure to optimize, but the walking meeting isn't for everyone.
In our era of endless optimization, it can feel like every moment is an opportunity to enrich and improve our lives. Washing the dishes? Catch up on a podcast or listen to an audiobook about an important issue you feel guilty for not really understanding! At the office? Get off your behind and raise that desk to standing height! Cooking a meal? Prep all your meals for the whole week! Think of all the money you'll save not ordering takeout! |
I am by no means immune to the siren song of self-improvement and optimization. Like most writers, I struggle mightily with procrastination — I put writing this email off to the last possible moment — so I am a sucker for gadgets and apps that help me manage time and keep me focused. Even if they don't actually work, I'm eager to try them all. |
Early in the pandemic, when we were all going nuts cooped up in our homes, walks became, for many of us, a godsend and lifeline. Before vaccines made tentative indoor socializing possible, walking with a friend outdoors was a great and relatively safe way to connect with another human and feel less alone. |
But as life has come back to something close to normal, I can't help but notice that the invitations to go on a walk keep coming. My plea: Could we do something — anything! — else instead? |
As I write in the column, long solo walks have always been a crucial time for me to let my mind wander. A walk with a purpose — let's catch up while also working toward our lifesaving 10,000 steps a day — kills the vibe. So here's to aimless ambling, and letting your mind be as free as your feet. |
Here's what we're focusing on today: |
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