Walking meetings have health and creativity benefits

The pandemic has changed the way we work and hold meetings. At first, most meetings were held via Zoom. But now that many people are back in the office, walking meetings are stepping forward as a healthy and productive alternative.

Everyone knows walking is good for their health. But did you know it also increases creativity?

In fact, walking meetings were shown to increase creativity by 81% to 100%, specifically “divergent thinking,” according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition. It was also found that 8.5% of people who take part in walking meetings report higher levels of engagement, according to a small Harvard Business Review study.

With all the stress that people are under – many companies are understaffed – walking meetings can do wonders for the mind and body. But they can’t replace all meetings.

10 tips for holding walking meetings

Here are some tips for organizing walking meetings.

1. Ask meeting attendees if they would like to participate in a walking meeting. Some people may have physical issues you don’t know about like excessive sweating, knee issues, allergies, etc. If someone says no, move on and hold a regular meeting.
2. Give prior notice. Let meeting attendees know you’ll be holding a walking meeting and when it is so they can dress appropriately and bring the appropriate footwear along.
3. Map out a path. Before the meeting takes place, walk the path to see if there are any obstacles or trip hazards like broken sidewalks, construction, overgrown bushes, etc. Also, pick a path that isn’t noisy. You don’t want to choose a path that has tractor-trailers going by because no one will be able to hear over the road noise.
4. Avoid cafés as a destination. Part of the benefits of holding a walking meeting is to get people up and moving. Sitting is the new smoking. So, any kind of physical activity you can squeeze into your day is great. But walking to a café or restaurant where people will consume unneeded calories isn’t necessary.
5. Plan accordingly. Check the weather a few days in advance of the meeting so you don’t have to cancel last minute. If the weather looks sketchy, either change the date or hold the meeting inside.
6. Choose the best time to walk. A walking meeting at 1:00 p.m. in the middle of summer isn’t the best time. To find out what time your meeting attendees like to walk, ask them.
7. Create an agenda. Just like any other meeting, a walking meeting needs to be productive, so create an agenda. Think through what you’ll be discussing. If certain parts of the meeting need visuals, like using a whiteboard, then don’t hold a walking meeting. Walking meetings are good for brainstorming, problem-solving, etc. Send everyone the agenda so they can access it on their phones if they need to during the meeting.
8. Limit the number of attendees. Walking meetings are ideal for one-on-one meetings. You should limit the number of people in your group to a maximum of three. That way everyone in the meeting will be able to hear the person who’s speaking.
9. Take notes on your cell. It’s hard to write on a tablet when you’re walking. Sure, you can stop every now and then to jot down the important points, but texting can be easier for some people. You can also forgo notes until the end of the meeting and write up the key points discussed.
10. Include off-site team members. People don’t have to work in the office to have walking meetings. Two people who are remote can get all the benefits of having a walking meeting together by using FaceTime.