When we feel tired or stressed, many of us reach for the phone. A few minutes of scrolling feels like a break, but it often leaves us more tired. A short walk can do a lot more with very little effort.
What a short walk can do
Walking gets your blood moving, gives your eyes a rest and often lifts your mood. Many people find that their thoughts settle and ideas come while they walk. Even ten minutes can help.
How to start
Do not overthink it. Put on shoes, step outside and walk to the end of the block and back. That is enough. If you can, leave your phone in your pocket.
Make it a habit
Attach a walk to something you already do. After lunch, after dinner or right after work before you go inside. A walk after dinner can become a family tradition too.
Use it to pray or think
A walk is a great time to pray, think through a problem or listen to something encouraging. Or simply notice what is around you.
On bad weather days
Walk inside the house, around a store or up and down the stairs. Movement counts anywhere.
A quick note
If you have health concerns, check with your doctor before starting new exercise. Start gently and go at your own pace.
Try this today
Set a ten minute timer. Walk out, walk back. Notice how you feel afterward.
Keep going together
New here? Start here, try a free tool in Pocket Coach, or join the weekly note. One small step today is plenty.
Make It Easy to Say Yes
The best walking habit is the one that is easy to start. Keep your shoes by the door. Pick a route you enjoy that takes about ten minutes round trip. When you remove the small obstacles, you will walk more often without thinking about it.
Walk after a meal when you can. A short walk after dinner helps you unwind and gives you a few quiet minutes before the evening gets busy.
Leave the phone in your pocket. Let your mind wander. Notice the trees, the sky, the neighbors. A lot of good ideas, and a lot of peace, show up when we stop feeding our minds with a screen.
Invite someone. Walking with a spouse, a friend or a child is one of the simplest ways to connect. People talk more easily side by side than across a table.
On days you do not feel like it, tell yourself you will walk for just five minutes. Most of the time, you will keep going. If not, five minutes still counts.
Take a short walk today instead of scrolling. Your mind and your mood will thank you.
Common Questions
How long should a walk be?
Ten minutes is a great start. Build up slowly if you like, but short walks count.
What if the weather is bad?
Walk inside a mall or store, or march in place for a few minutes at home. Any movement helps.
Can I walk and pray?
Yes. Many people find that walking helps them think and pray more freely. Leave your headphones at home if you can.
A Four Week Walking Plan
Week one: walk ten minutes, three days. Week two: walk ten minutes, four days. Week three: add a few minutes to each walk. Week four: pick your favorite route and invite someone along. Keep it light and enjoyable.
What to Notice on Your Walk
The sky, the trees, a neighbor’s garden. Notice three good things before you get home.
How your body feels. Many people feel their shoulders drop and breathing slow after five minutes.
What your mind brings up. Walking often untangles a problem you could not solve at your desk.
What a walk gives you that a screen does not
Scrolling fills the mind and leaves you tired. Walking clears it and gives energy. After a short walk many people feel calmer and think more clearly. Your eyes rest, your body moves and your thoughts settle.
Swap just one scrolling break a day for a walk.
Make the swap easy
Put your phone in a drawer for ten minutes. Step outside and walk around the block. Notice the weather and the neighbors’ yards. Say hello to someone.
When the urge to scroll hits, ask what you really need. Often it is a break, and a walk is a better one.
Track how you feel
Rate your mood before and after a walk on a scale of one to ten. After a week you will see the pattern for yourself. Let the evidence encourage you.
Words from Positive Phil
Keep your promises to yourself. It builds quiet strength.
Pick the walk
A short walk gives you fresh air, movement and thoughts of your own. Scrolling leaves you tired and comparing.
Try this
- Trade one scroll session for a walk.
- Walk with someone.
- Notice three things.
- Pray or breathe as you go.
Feel the difference
Most people feel better in ten minutes.
Want a deeper look? Read more about exercise on Wikipedia.
Keep exploring
If this helped, here are more places to go on Positive Phil. Read the Positive Glossary for plain words on big ideas. Find a small act in Kindness Ideas for Real Life. Start a daily habit with 31 Days of Encouragement. Look for comfort in Faith for Every Season. Explore Careers That Help People, or learn about trusted charities and ways to help. You can also try our Choose Your Path story.
Common questions
How long? Ten minutes.
What if I am tired? Walk slowly.
Journal prompts
How do I feel after scrolling? How do I feel after walking?
Make someone's day
Pass this on. One kind message can change a whole day. Then play a game that does some good.
