Taking a walk each day could be the most important meeting you schedule
In today’s working world, where we’re constantly being pulled from meeting to screen to inbox, the idea of going for a walk during the workday can feel like a luxury. However, the latest evidence suggests that it may be one of the most beneficial things we can do for our long-term health and daily well-being.
Why Walking During the Workday Matters
A major global study, published this week in The Lancet Public Health and reported by The Guardian, has revealed that walking just 7,000 steps a day is enough to lower the risk of early death significantly.
For years, many of us have had the idea of 10,000 steps fixed in our minds, but researchers now say that the real benefits begin much earlier. Every additional 1,000 steps, up to 9,000, appears to offer increased protection against cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions.
What makes this research so powerful is that it looks at real-world activity across a diverse population. The data shows that people who walked between 7000 and 9000 steps a day reduced their risk of premature death by more than 50 per cent compared to those who walked fewer than 4000. It doesn’t require a fitness tracker or a full hour of your schedule to reap these benefits. A brisk twenty-minute walk before a meeting, a lap around the grounds after lunch, or swapping one sit-down meeting for a walking one can all add up.
But it isn’t just our physical health that benefits. A growing body of research indicates that regular walking has a positive impact on mental clarity, mood, and decision-making. Movement helps regulate stress, supports better sleep, and improves our ability to focus. When we step outside and give our minds a break from screens and confined spaces, we often return feeling refreshed and more able to think clearly.
The Mental Shift That Comes with Movement
This is something we see echoed every day in our communities at WorkWell. Whether you’re working from the landscaped surroundings of Carrwood Park or enjoying the green space and urban energy around our Harrogate location, there are opportunities on the doorstep to get moving and reset. These aren’t just nice to have. They are part of what makes a workplace genuinely supportive of wellbeing.
In our efforts to build a healthy and effective working culture, we often focus on systems, apps, or new ways of working. But sometimes the simplest acts offer the most return. Walking reconnects us to our own rhythm. It gives us a chance to breathe, to think, and to regain perspective.
There’s a growing recognition among forward-thinking companies that wellbeing is not an extra; it is foundational to performance. Encouraging a short walk during the day is a practical, proven way to support this. It’s not about counting steps for the sake of it, but about recognising how even a few minutes outside can shift the tone of the entire day.
At WorkWell, our workspaces are designed with this in mind. Access to nature, walkable locations, and a sense of space are built into every site. Because when our members feel better, they work better. And when walking becomes a habit, the benefits reach far beyond the office.
Take the First Step — Literally
So, the next time you catch yourself glued to your screen or powering through another stretch without pause, consider stepping away. Not to escape the work, but to return to it clearer, calmer, and a little more resilient. The science says it helps, and so do we.