Walk and Think

Some of the best ideas come while moving. Walking seems to unlock thinking. Maybe it’s the rhythm, distance from the screen, or simply oxygenating the brain.

Whatever the reason, it works. When stuck on a problem, walk. No phone, podcast, or music. Just walk and think. It doesn’t have to be long, and you’ll be in good company. Darwin paced his daily “thinking path.” Beethoven wandered Vienna. Steve Jobs led walking meetings barefoot.

Why does it work? When you’re at your desk staring at the problem, you’re locked in one mental mode. Walking shifts you into a different state, less focused, more diffuse, and that’s where insight happens.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve gone for a walk when stuck on a writing project and returned with the solution. Keep a notebook with you. Insights arrive when they’re ready, not when you return to your desk. Capture them immediately. My father was a great walker. He would often say, ‘fancy a walk?’ and we’d explore our local countryside in Wiltshire or when on our first visit to New York City.