A walk is commonly used to break up the working day – be that a quick 10 minutes around the block, or a more leisurely lunchtime stroll (or roll, for those of us using wheelchairs or mobility scooters).
Many of us may recognise the power of getting outside for a promenade – removing ourselves physically from our workspace, and therefore work – in calming us down, helping us dissipate stress, feel refreshed, or even energised.
We define mindful walking as being fully present on our walks, paying attention to what’s around us and what thoughts pop into our heads with curiosity and without judgement.
In a world where busyness remains a status symbol, taking time to ‘just be’ can help protect our wellbeing and – perhaps counterintuitively – boost our productivity.
Incorporating a regular mindfulness practice into our lives reduces the risk of mental illness, improves emotional regulation, our working memory, our ability to focus, and even our immune system.
And so, integrating an element of mindfulness into our walks is a great way to ensure we are consistently practicing – as regularity is key for seeing the benefits of mindfulness.
Here, we’ve created a toolkit of guided meditations, exercises, and supporting information to help you get out-and-about more mindfully this spring.
If you think mindfulness could help stress in your workplace, Luminate offer a six-week mindfulness at work course or shorter, 60 or 90 minute introductory workshops on the subject.