Take A Hike!

Well, maybe just a walk... but really do take one, if possible. Make it a point to give yourself the chance to take a short walk in the middle of your work-day, every day. You can thank me later.

How many times in your life has someone encouraged you to implement more #movement throughout your day? Feel free to add this one to your grand total. A friend of mine makes it a point to take a small walk while the sun is still out every day, and I've finally begun to follow suit, and it's been life-changing.

It's More Than Just About Movement

“There is also the benefit to your mind and... your eyesight.”

Of course, there are countless health benefits to walking, especially if it is done outdoors, instead of at an indoor gym. There is the benefit of fresh air, the natural exposure to vitamin D, the mid-day exercise boost that does wonders for your endorphins and overall cardiovascular system. Plus! You will avoid any related feelings of sadness, come evening time, when you realize that you actually did sneak in a little workout during your day.

There is also the benefit to your mind and... your eyesight. Have you noticed, in this day and age, how rarely many of us look out into the distance past the point of two or three cars worth of space? A majority of our time is spent either looking at our phones, our computers, the traffic lights, a mirror, the television, people we are communicating with or inconspicuously observing... the list can go on and on. But almost everything on that list falls within a very limited range of distance, and our eyes deserve better.

Stretch The Mind And Experience Its Benefits At Work

The next time you take a walk, challenge yourself to occasionally focus on far away objects, taking your safety into account, of course. For example, focus on a tree that may be at least three blocks away; put your phone away while you are walking and notice how the birds flying above you are communicating in the world they have created for themselves; focus even further to the airplanes flying above in the sky and imagine how it must be for the passengers looking down from their windows to exactly where you are.

By the time you get back to your work space, you will find that you have achieved a completely fresh perspective. Not only have you exercised your body, but you have exercised your mind and strengthened your eyesight, by allowing it to focus on different objects, near and far. This practice will undoubtedly give you a boost of energy and focus for the next portion of your day. Give it a try, and let me know what you think.

P.S.

If the weather in your environment, the safety of the surroundings, or any other limitation does not permit a brief walk during the day, feel free to create your own version of the challenge, and please share your thoughts, so that I may then share your creative ideas with our community.