This is the Most Underrated Habit You Can Develop in 2024
You may not know it yet, but morning walks are what your life is missing.
At some point in your life, you come to the realization that your downtime is the most important time.
Those who are driven have a bad habit of trying to take on all sorts of tasks and hammer away at them for hours on end. They fail to realize that taking time to let their minds wander can be exactly what the doctor prescribed.
Does that sound like you?
If so, you understand how hard it is to take a break.
Morning walks, while they don’t provide a crazy workout and may not seem as productive as responding to 16,000 emails, can be exactly what you need.
This time is when you can allow your mind to think through situations clearly without distractions and come up with creative solutions to any problems you’re facing.
And getting steps in never hurt anyone!
Regular walks are a habit that the smartest people pick up.
Albert Einstein religiously went for daily walks and still found the time to write some of the most incredible theoretical physics we’ve ever seen.
Why can’t you start this habit again?
With this added downtime, you are now allowing your mind to remember what it wouldn’t otherwise have been able to and allowing it the time of day to be creative.
Walking helps your memory, creativity, and problem-solving ability.
As someone with goals in life, these are incredibly important benefits. But, let’s double-click on the creativity aspect first.
The thing about creativity…
Walking outside with nothing but the sky above you helps your mind expand. It can see and feel how big the universe is.
Imagine your mind floating around exploring all the possibilities.
Think about it.
While you’re walking, your mind has more room to float than if you were stuck in a small office.
Creativity is at the end of the day, the difference between someone who innovates, and the average Joe.
Creativity is how you come up with business ideas, art, and beauty. It’s how you stand out from the norm.
Steve Jobs said that his most creative ideas came when he was walking. That was one of the reasons he had many of his important conversations while walking.
He even designed the Apple campus to have beautiful spaces to walk around.
Mark Zuckerberg also followed in Steve Jobs's footsteps with the walking meetings.
People have said that if Zuck likes you during an interview, it is likely that most of it will take place while you walk around the office grounds.
The fact that these brilliant, creative people are so fond of walking should be pretty convincing, but maybe you don’t resonate with these people.
Let’s look at it from a different angle.
Take in the morning sun.
By now, you’ve likely heard Andrew Huberman talk about how getting 15 minutes of direct sunlight first thing in the morning is great for you.
It’s easy to get direct sunlight if you go for a morning walk!
Aside from the fact that this helps you set your schedule, boosts your dopamine and gets your blood flowing, it also gives your brain some time to warm up.
With a long day ahead of you, you want to wake up properly and don’t want to immediately jump into work. A morning walk can be the perfect way to transition from sleep to work.
The combination of movement, early sun, and time to think is a match made in heaven.
The health benefits are evident.
A big issue that you face, is that because you are so busy, you forget to look after your health.
For example, some of the happiest people are the ones who have a regular workout routine.
Walking every morning is a simple habit that provides enormous health benefits. Benefits that you need due to your busy lifestyle.
Eases muscle and joint pain
Reduces risk of diabetes
Improves brain function
Reduces risk of cancer
Helps you sleep better
Improves digestion
It’s important to look after your health if you want to enjoy a long life of fun and success.
You’re a hard worker, have a family that loves you and the last thing you want is to spend years suffering due to health conditions.
Don’t ruin your life because you ignored your health.
Be with nature.
I really cannot tell you enough how important it is to allow your mind to have the opportunity to wander.
You need to resist the temptation of listening to music on your walk. Enjoy the nature and pay attention to where your mind goes.
If you’re listening to music on your walk, you are going to think about the lyrics. This prevents your mind from exploring the right places.
You start to expand your mindset when you are with nature. You can see the clouds above you and hear all sorts of life.
Your mind will gravitate towards the right places.
Time and time again, I have come up with creative solutions to problems, thought up new marketing strategies, and come up with article ideas while walking.
And if you don’t have nature nearby, don’t worry.
The city landscape is full of human creations. All of it - made by us.
Someone made that stop sign, the phone in that person’s hand, the internet they’re using, every building you see, and the cars driving by you.
Humans are incredible and we have the potential to create almost anything including life!
Isn’t that an inspiring acknowledgement?
Closing remarks.
If it isn’t obvious by now, morning walks are incredible. I’m positive you will quickly agree once you make it a habit.
This week, challenge yourself to try it at least twice.
Go into it with an open mind, and keep walking with no destination in mind. See what happens.
And remember, you’re building the same habit as Einstein, Steve Jobs, Nikola Tesla and many others.
If you want to be great, pay attention to what the great did.
Thanks for reading.