Walk the walk: Why strolling is great for your effectiveness and mood

Beyond Productivity

Friedrich Nietzsche was a big advocate of walking for productivity. The philosopher was known to do most of his thinking on foot, and one of his aphorisms succinctly captures his conviction that strolling is vital for mental performance:
“Only thoughts reached by walking have value.”

Nietzsche was on to something. Researchers tell us that walking triggers unconscious thought on things that are complex, interesting, or important to the thinker. As a result, walking is a great way to solve problems in both our professional and private life – by purposefully triggering those sudden flashes of inspiration that most of us have experienced when taking a shower or brushing our teeth.

Walking is also great for our mood. Many studies have shown that the self-generated forward motion decreases activity in the amygdala, which is the brain region primarily associated with feelings of fear, threat, and anxiety. Thus, walking puts us into a calmer state that allows us to better deal with all kinds of stressors throughout the day.

By following three simple tips, you can enable both unconscious thought and amygdala deactivation during walking. First, walk for at least 20 minutes, as both processes take a while to unfold. Second, take your walk alone, because input from interacting with others significantly lowers the probability of fruitful unconscious thought. Third, make sure to leave your smartphone at your office or home, since its ambiguous rings and pings reliably impede amygdala deactivation.

In short, walking for effectiveness and mood is simple. Walk for at least 20 minutes. Take your walk alone. And make sure to leave your smartphone at your office or home. Get going!